CHILE: POPE EXPRESSES JOY AT ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received the Letters of Credence of Maximo Pacheco Gomez, the new ambassador of the Republic of Chile.

In his address, the Pope indicated that, "in fulfilling her mission, the Church participates in promoting the integral good of people. ... She also wishes to illumine consciences in order that some of the dangers of modern society, such as ethical relativism, consumerism and other pseudo-cultural models, do not damage the treasure of Christian values upon which national identity rests."

The Holy Father recalled that, in recent pastoral guidance, Chilean bishops had called for "healing the wounds that diminish the strength of development in Chilean society; among these must be highlighted poverty and huge inequalities, difficulties faced by the family and the injured dignity of individuals, families, groups and institutions."

"The ambition for an ever more prosperous and developed Chile," said the Pope, "calls for efforts towards improving Chilean's quality of life and their lives themselves. I am pleased at the recent decision taken by the government and the legislative authorities - with the faithful collaboration of the Church - which abolished the death penalty and it is to be hoped that this move will continue to promote a most zealous and unyielding respect for the life of every human being, from conception to natural end."

After a closing reference to forthcoming celebrations for the bicentenary of national independence, John Paul II underlined that "the strengthening of democratic life must always be accompanied by the constant promotion of genuine values which are the guarantee of stability; because a democracy without values does not serve the cause of true progress, quite the contrary, it turns such progress against man himself."

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