PEACE IS THE RIGHT OF ALL AND MUST BE PROMOTED

VATICAN CITY, NOV 19, 2000 (VIS) - This morning in St. Peter's Square, in the presence of more than 100,000 people, John Paul II presided at a Eucharistic celebration for the Jubilee of the Armed Forces and the Police. Military ordinaries and chaplains from more than 30 countries concelebrated with the Pope.

In his homily, the Holy Father told the military and police forces present, who had come from 50 countries, that they were called "to defend the weak, to protect the honest and to favor peace and the coexistence of peoples. To each of you falls the role of sentinel, one who looks afar in order to ward off danger and promote justice and peace everywhere."

After highlighting that "in man's heart the seed of hope must never die," the Pope requested them "to use all means possible in favoring the courageous construction of justice and peace."

"Peace," he went on, "is the fundamental right of all men and must be continually promoted." Furthermore, he affirmed that when political efforts and non-violent attempts to disarm an aggressor fail, recourse must be had to "so-called 'humanitarian intervention'."

The Pope thanked the military and police forces for "your courageous operations, restoring peace to countries devastated by absurd conflicts," and for "the help you give, oblivious of the risks, to people struck by natural catastrophes."

"Be men and women of peace; and in order to be so fully, welcome Christ into your hearts. He is the author and guarantor of true peace. ... He will help you to place strength at the service of the great values of life, of justice, of forgiveness and of freedom."

Finally, the Holy Father paid homage to those who have "paid their faithfulness to their mission with their lives." He urged those present "to find encouragement in the example of these colleagues of yours who, in faithfully doing their duty, scaled the heights of heroism and, perhaps, of sanctity."

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