Pope: New International Order Urged for Sake of Peace
January 15th, 2004 by sfuqua
In a world where religiously-motivated violence is still far too
prevalent, religious leaders have increasingly come to understand that
they must be instruments for change in the world, instruments for the
promotion of true peace. In His Holiness John Paul II's homily on the
World Day of Peace He emphasized the duty to promote peace in
the world. His were not the first words on the subject from an
international religious leader; indeed peace has long been a theme of
His. Nevertheless it is a call that must needs be constantly repeated to
peoples who have spent millenia hearing their leaders — usually with
some religion “on their side” — calling for violence against “the
other.” Read on for excerpts from His homily and for links to peace
statements from other traditions.
Pope Says Temptation to Mistrust Must Be Overcome
From: Zenit.org
VATICAN CITY, JAN. 1, 2004 (Zenit.org) — John Paul II started the new
year by insisting that peace is “possible” and thus a “duty,” and he
called for a new international order.
That was the focus of the Pope's homily today at the Mass to celebrate
the solemnity of the Mother of God. The Church also marked World Day of
Peace.
The Holy Father concentrated on the need to teach peace, an issue he
highlighted in the first year of his pontificate. “Given that peace is
possible — I wish to repeat — it is a duty,” he explained in
St. Peter's Basilica.
“In the face of situations of injustice and violence that oppress various
areas of the planet, in the face of the permanence of armed conflicts
frequently forgotten by public opinion, it is ever more necessary to
build together paths of peace,” the Pope said. “Therefore, it is
indispensable to teach peace.”
He said it is particularly necessary to teach peace in the land where
Jesus was born, which, “unfortunately, continues to live in dramatic
conditions.”
“It is necessary, however, to persevere without yielding to the
temptation to mistrust,” the Holy Father added. “An effort is necessary
on the part of all to have the fundamental rights of people respected
through constant education in lawfulness.”
“With this objective, everything possible must be done to overcome the
logic of strict justice in order to open also to that of forgiveness. In
fact, there is no peace without forgiveness,” the Pope said.
Commenting on the international scene, the Holy Father explained that
there is an ever-greater need for “a new international order, which will
make use of the experience and results obtained in these years by the
United Nations.”
He called for such “an order that will be capable of giving solutions
that are appropriate to the problems of today, based on the dignity of
the human person, the integral development of society, solidarity between
rich and poor countries, and the capacity to share the resources and
extraordinary results of scientific and technological progress.”
Ambassadors of countries accredited to the Holy See attended the Mass,
which was presided over by the Holy Father and celebrated by Vatican
Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano.
A Selection of Peace Statements from Various Religious Traditions
- Bahá'&iacuate;: The Promise of World Peace
- Buddhism: Speech
of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the European Parliament - An interfaith statement: The Assissi Decalogue
- World Council of Religious Leaders: Commitment to Global Peace
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