Pope Francis Tells Japanese Youth to Respect Diversity

Tokyo, Nov. 25 (Jiji Press)--Visiting Pope Francis preached the importance of respecting diversity and helping others at a meeting with young people in Tokyo on Monday. In the gathering at St. Mary's Cathedral in the Japanese capital, the pope heard stories from three young people who had experienced bullying or discrimination. Bullies are wimps, the pope said. There is no stronger weapon against bullying than standing up with classmates and friends and saying that bullying is bad, he added. Regarding the value modern society places on competitiveness and productivity, the pope said many people have become slaves to loneliness even if they are rich in material terms. The most important thing is not what have been obtained but with whom they are shared, the pope said. At the end of his speech, delivered to some 900 young people at the gathering, the pope stressed the importance of pursuing dreams. END