The Pope used his annual address to the Vatican’s Diplomatic Corps to raise concerns about the rise of ‘cancel culture’
The Pope has condemned ‘cancel culture’ for “invading many circles and public institutions” and warned that political correctness risks eroding “all sense of identity,” in a speech to Vatican-based diplomats.
Speaking on Monday, the head of the Catholic Church blasted “one-track thinking” in which individuals express a “mindset that rejects the natural foundations of humanity.”
Warning that this risks eroding “the cultural roots that constitute the identity of many people,” the pontiff then called ‘cancel culture’ a “form of ideological colonization” that could damage “freedom of expression.”
The religious leader also expressed concerns that people were stripping away identity “under the guise of defending diversity.”
“Diplomacy is called to be truly inclusive, not canceling but cherishing the differences and sensibilities that have historically marked various peoples,” he added.
While the Pope did not mention any specific examples of cancel culture, he did state that historical events should not be denied, rewritten or dictated by today’s standards.
The papal address comes just over a month after the Vatican’s secretary of state condemned a statement from the European Commission that discouraged its staff from using the word ‘Christmas’.
Speaking to Vatican News, Cardinal Pietro Parolin claimed that the directive goes “against reality” by seeking to minimize Europe’s Christian heritage, claiming it canceled “our roots” and ignored “Christian holidays” and the region’s “Christian dimension.”
