VATICAN CITY, Jan 1, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Pope Francis urged the world to "roll 
up our sleeves" for peace in a New Year's message Saturday, telling the 
faithful to keep positive while working to build a better society.

   Marking the 55th World Day of Peace, the head of the world's 1.3 billion 
Catholics devoted his Angelus address to encouraging a stop to violence 
around the world, telling the assembled crowd at Saint Peter's Square to keep 
peace at the forefront of their thoughts.

   "Let's go home thinking peace, peace, peace. We need peace," said the 
pope, following his Angelus prayer. 

   "I was looking at the images in the television programme "In His Image" 
today, about war, displaced people, the miseries. This is happening today in 
the world. We want peace."

   Under sunny skies, the pope -- who turned 85 on December 17 -- reminded 
the faithful that peace required "concrete actions," such as forgiving others 
and promoting justice.

   "And it needs a positive outlook as well, one that always sees, in the 
Church as well as in society, not the evil that divides us, but the good that 
unites us!" he said, speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace.

   "Getting depressed or complaining is useless. We need to roll up our 
sleeves to build peace."

   Earlier Saturday, during mass in Saint Peter's Basilica in honour of the 
Virgin Mary, Francis delivered a homily in which he called violence against 
women an insult to God. 

   "The Church is mother, the Church is woman. And since mothers bestow life 
and women 'keep' the world, let us all make greater efforts to promote 
mothers and to protect women," he said. 

   "How much violence is directed against women! Enough! To hurt a woman is 
to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity."

   On New Year's Eve, Pope Francis did not preside over vespers at St Peter's 
Basilica as planned, instead turning the service over to the dean of the 
College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of 
Cardinals.