BUILDING A CIVILIZATION WORTHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

VATICAN CITY, JAN 24, 2001 (VIS) - The theme of John Paul II's catechesis for today's general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall, was: "Commitment for a future worthy of mankind."

The Pope affirmed that "if we look at the world and at history, on first glance the banner of war, violence, oppression, injustice, and moral degradation, seems to dominate." Saint Irenaeus pointed to an explanation "in the freedom of man which, instead of following the divine plan of peaceful coexistence, severs relations with God, man, and the world."

"A continual effort of conversion is therefore necessary," the Holy Father continued, "which straightens out the path of humanity in order that man freely choose to follow the 'art of God,' His design of peace and of love, of truth and of justice."

John Paul II stated that "along with faith, the Holy Spirit also places the seed of hope in the heart of man. ... In a horizon often marked by discouragement, pessimism, choices of death, idleness, and superficiality, the Christian must open himself to the hope which flows from faith."

"Love for humanity, for its material and spiritual well-being, for authentic progress, must animate all believers."

The Pope affirmed, furthermore, that we are called to "eliminate fear of the future" which "often entraps young generations, leading them to react with indifference, with resignation in the face of life's commitments, with self-degradation through drugs, violence, and apathy."

The Holy Father concluded the catechesis remembering the call to trust sounded in his discourse to the U.N. in 1995: "We must not fear the future. ... With the help of the grace of God, we can construct ... a civilization worthy of the human person, a true culture of freedom. We can and must do so!"

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