JOHN PAUL II: "DRUGS ARE NEVER A SOLUTION"

VATICAN CITY, OCT 20, 2000 (VIS) - The Pope today received 35,000 participants in the Jubilee pilgrimage of the "Encounter Community" whose members are young people who have recovered from drug addiction. Prior to the audience, they took part in a Mass, celebrated by Cardinal Roger Etchegaray in St. Peter's Square.

After greeting Fr. Pierino Gelmini, who founded the community in Rome 37 years ago, the Holy Father said: "With special affection, I embrace you, dear young people living in the Encounter Community's centers, who are on the path to spiritual and physical rebirth following the melancholy experience of drugs."
He went on: "I happily take advantage of this opportunity to repeat to those of you present here, and to all people throughout the world involved in the struggle against drugs and for life: the Church is with you, she walks at your side!"

John Paul II recalled the Church's frequent affirmation that "taking drugs is never a solution. She intends to underline this conviction forcefully in the face of opinions that seek the liberalization of narcotic substances or, at least, their partial legalization on the grounds that free access to such substances contributes to limiting or reducing the harm to individuals and society."

"Drugs," he added, "cannot be combatted with drugs. ... (They) are frequently the consequence of interior emptiness: they are a refusal, a rejection, a loss of orientation that often leads to desperation. This is why drugs cannot be overcome with drugs, what is needed is widespread preventative activity."

The Pope gave thanks to those who help people get off of drugs and who remain close to families that suffer such situations.

Prior to concluding, he also expressed his thanks for "the two gifts that Fr. Pierino has given me in your name: the opening of new centers in New York and in Kazakhstan and this beautiful statue of the Risen Christ. The Risen Jesus indicates to all of you that in Him it is possible to look to the future with renewed trust."

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