HUMAN HISTORY CANNOT GO AGAINST THE PERSON

VATICAN CITY, JAN 23, 1999 (VIS) - This evening, following a courtesy visit to the president of the republic at his Los Pinos residence, the Pope met with the diplomatic corps.

John Paul II reminded ambassadors that "the Church, faithful to her mission received from her Founder, tirelessly proclaims that the human person must be the focus of all civil and social order, and of all technical and economic systems of development. Human history cannot go against the person."

When on the level of international relations "priority is given to the economy over human values, thus weakening them, freedom and democracy suffer."

The Holy Father said that America will be the continent of hope if "the human communities which compose it, as well as its ruling class, accept a common ethical basis. ... America and the whole of humanity need essential points of reference for all citizens and politicians."

The intangible principles sanctioned by the Ten Commandments "are an obligation for both individuals and societies. These principles and others similar to them must be a dyke against all attempts on life, from the beginning up to its natural end; against wars which are spreading and the use of arms as instruments of destruction; against corruption; ... against the invasive abuse of private life on the part of authorities who approve of forced sterilization or laws which diminish the right to life; against misleading publicity campaigns which condition the truth; ... against monopolies which try to nullify healthy initiatives; ... against the abuse of drugs."

Having highlighted that little attention has been paid to moral principles during this century, the Pope emphasized that "instead of seeing them later violated, their ethical, morally binding strength must be consolidated in the new century and millennium."

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