Francisco de Vitoria

He recalled the encyclical Magnificat Humanitas, in which Leo XIV points toward a bright possibility, that of building together, transforming diversity into a resource and making listening and dialogue the common ground upon which justice and fraternity can flourish.

Finally, he offered an encouragement to continue working toward a new encounter among the peoples of the Americas, an encounter that, while learning from the past, is founded upon the recognition of the dignity of every person and the responsibility to protect those most in need, just as was done by exemplary missionaries such as St. Peter Claver and the Dominicans Bartolome de las Casas and Francisco de Vitoria.

By following the luminous example and teachings of these figures, he concluded, we can understand that a true encounter does not consist merely in bringing peoples together or establishing relations, but in recognizing in the other someone whose dignity deserves to be respected and defended.

I am Claudia Torres.

Some argued that they were slaves by nature, a phrase from Aristotle, meaning people incapable of governing themselves.

But the great Dominican philosopher Francisco de Vitoria argued, along with the defender of the Indians, Bartolomé Las Casas, that they clearly had their own institutions and laws, and that both they and Spaniards needed to be shown a better way.

This wasn't immediately effective, ideas rarely are, but it was the beginning of international human rights law and the Christian-inspired movement to abolish slavery.

It's worth giving thanks that Christians had reconquered Spain by 1492.

I mention this very often.

This is in the writings of Francisco de Vitoria, but we can see it being replayed today in Gaza, in Iran, when you challenge the denial of sovereignty.

is when this violence is unleashed again.

So you have this kind of, but that seeds an anti-imperialist force, we have to keep in mind, from its inception.