Pope Urges Traffic Police to Show Mercy to Drivers

Pope Francis says police should exercise the Christian virtue of mercy—even when dealing with Italy's notorious traffic. At a meeting with officers in charge of the nation's roads Monday, he praised their work but urged them to show mercy in the situations they encounter daily, the BBC reports. "Mercy is not a sign of weakness," he said, telling police to avoid brutality and try to understand why offenses had been committed. Francis—who blessed a Lamborghini sports car that was being auctioned for charity last week—also lamented how lifestyles of "haste and competitiveness" had turned roads into "Formula One racetracks" and warned motorists against using their cellphones while driving, the Tablet reports. (Earlier this month, Francis banned cigarette sales at the Vatican.)