Pope Francis Calls for an End to Indifference this Year

Pope Francis is encouraging everyone throughout the world to focus on overcoming indifference this year.

In his first message of 2016, the pope stressed the importance of combating misery and injustice by calling for a stop to the "arrogance of the powerful" and an end to "false neutrality" that continues to prevent people from sharing with one another.

"Sometimes we ask ourselves how it is possible that human injustice persists unabated, and that the arrogance of the powerful continues to demean the weak, relegating them to the most squalid outskirts of our world," Pope Francis, 79 said reported by the New York Times.

Although the pope did not name any country or group specifically, his words referenced the refugee crisis and how everyone should come together as opposed to letting indifference prevent them from helping.

"We are witnessing hordes of men, women and children fleeing war, hunger and persecution, ready to risk their lives simply to encounter respect for their fundamental rights," he said at the Mass held at St. Peter's Basilica.

The pope also asked that everyone allow themselves to be reborn with the goal of "building an ever more just and fraternal world, a world in which every person and every creature can dwell in peace, in the harmony of God's original creation."

After Mass, the pope walked to the window to address the tens of thousands of people who gathered on the streets. He wished the locals and tourists a new year that will hopefully be better than the last.

New Year's is considered to be the yearly World Day of Peace.