The pope called on journalists to stop feeding the "vicious cycle of anxiety" and "spiral of fear."

Communities need to be saved from "corruption, extortion, the illegal trafficking of drugs and weapons," he said.

“I don’t like to anticipate what happens or to judge people in advance.”

Francis wrote, "our human family is beset by grave humanitarian crises demanding farsighted and united political responses."

The week of prayer, Pope Francis said, urges Catholics and Lutherans to reconcile and "draw closer to one another anew through conversion."

Pope Francis puts his credibility on the line not only in the foreign policy field, but also in the pastoral field, outgoing U.S. Vatican Ambassador Ken Hackett says.