VATICAN CITY, DEC 13, 2005 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office, Cardinal Renato Martino, prefect of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, presented Benedict XVI's Message for the World Day of Peace 2006. World Peace Day is celebrated on January 1 each year and this time will have as its theme: "In truth, peace."
Archbishop Giampaolo Crepaldi and Msgr. Frank J. Dewane, respectively secretary and under-secretary of the same pontifical council, also participated in the press conference.
Cardinal Martino began by indicating how the Holy Father has chosen "'the truth' as the theme for reflection, linking its many dimensions to the various questions concerning peace in the modern world," and drawing inspiration from the Vatican Council II Pastoral Constitution "Gaudium et spes."
"The theme of truth is, without doubt, very dear to Benedict XVI, and constantly recurs in his teaching even to the point of characterizing his papal ministry, like a background motif on the basis of which other themes are developed in keeping with the musical art of 'variations on a theme'."
The cardinal pointed out how the Pope's Message is divided into four parts: "The first part, which is of a spiritual and theological nature, highlights the meaning and value of the bond between peace, truth and lies." The second part considers peace in the context of real situations of war. "In the third part, the truth of peace is considered in close relation ... to terrorism." The fourth part considers the truth of peace from the point of view of the need to relaunch the political process of disarmament.
In the first part of his Message, the cardinal went on, "the Holy Father insists that the themes of truth and lies must not be considered as irrelevant pastimes or useless pseudo-intellectual pursuits, but ... as decisive historical events upon which the joy or misery of men and women depend."
The Pope then goes on to affirm that peace "is the fruit of an order which has been planted in human society by its divine Founder," said Cardinal Martino, adding that "in order for the cause of peace to progress, humanity today must cherish universal moral law. ... At this point, ... the Holy Father introduces his reflections on lies as a sin with devastating consequences on the lives of individuals and nations." From a historical point of view, the Holy Father then "formulates a very severe judgement of last century" and concludes the first part of his Message by highlighting the "need for peace" which is intrinsic to human beings and is "the shared birthright of all men and women of the one human family."
In the second part of the Message, said the prefect of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, "the Holy Father considers the truth of peace in cases where war has actually broken out. In such cases, there must be full respect and complete observance of international humanitarian law, which ... must remain a point of reference for the international community."
The cardinal went on to outline the third part of the Holy Father's Message, saying that "after having confirmed his customary condemnation of terrorism, ... Benedict XVI offers an innovative and thus far unexplored interpretation of the phenomenon of terrorism." According to this interpretation, the inspiration of terrorism lies in nihilism and in fanatical fundamentalism, which "have an entirely erroneous approach both to truth and to the truth of peace."
The Pope does not overlook the fact that the number of armed conflicts has decreased, said the cardinal, but he does refer to the many situations where conflict is latent and specifically mentions "authorities who ... use their power to incite their citizens to hostility towards other nations," and "the programs of certain governments who use nuclear energy to create arms, ... in the false conviction that this guarantees the security of their people."
In closing, Cardinal Martino indicated numerous points in the Pope's Message "that trace out a path of spirituality in peace" in its Christological, missionary and ecclesial dimensions. He also stressed how the text concludes with "an invitation to pray for and bear witness to peace through the exercise of charity."
OP/PRESENTATION PEACE MESSAGE/MARTINO VIS 20051213 (710)
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