Vatican
City, 12 December 2013 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press
Office a presentation was given of the Holy Father's message for the
47th World Day of Peace, which is celebrated every year on 1 January,
and the theme of which will be “Fraternity as the foundation of
peace and as the pathway to peace”.
The
director of the Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J., read a text
introducing the message by Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson,
president of the Pontifical Council “Justice and Peace”, who is
currently in Johannesburg as the Pope's special envoy to the funeral
service in honour of Nelson Mandela. Presentations were also given by
Archbishop Mario Toso S.D.B., and Vittorio Alberti, respectively
secretary and official of the same dicastery.
In
the Bible, the Cardinal continued, “the first crime was fratricide.
Every taking of an innocent life – whether it is called abortion,
murder, or euthanasia –whether it is called crime or starvation or
war – is, in fact, fratricide, is it not? How can we fail to
recognize that we are brothers and sisters, since we all have the
same Father? How can we fail to recognize that Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, is our brother? By His Cross and Resurrection, He repaired a
broken humanity and continually offers everyone the promise of
salvation.”
“In
this Message, the Holy Father asks why there in such a deficit of
fraternity in today’s world. Has selfishness blinded us to our
fundamental fraternity? Have fear and competitiveness poisoned our
incomparable dignity as sons and daughters of God, thus brothers and
sisters to each other?”
Analysing
the concept of fraternity according to Pope's message, Cardinal
Turkson noted that he cites his recent predecessors to expand on the
meaning and relevance of fraternity as the foundation and pathway to
peace. “Pope Paul VI emphasized integral development. … Blessed
John Paul II called peace an indivisible common good: either it is
for all, or it is for none. … and Pope Benedict XVI identified
fraternity as a prerequisite for fighting poverty”.
“Three
days after his election, Pope Francis met with you, representatives
of the media, and explained his choice of a name: 'I thought of
Francis of Assisi. … For me, he is the man of poverty, the man of
peace, the man who loves and protects creation”, and in his first
New Year’s message, the Holy Father elaborates on the poor, on
peace, and on creation, under the inclusive and meaningful heading of
fraternity”.
In
the fifth and sixth sections of the Message, Pope Francis looks to
the economy for real remedies to poverty and states that “fraternal
relations find expression in social policies that facilitate access;
in a more sober lifestyle limited to consuming what is essential;
and, at the macro level, in 'a timely rethinking of our models of
economic development'”.
The
seventh and eighth sections, continued Cardinal Turkson, “guide us
to reduce and eliminate war of every kind, as well as corruption and
organized crime. Fraternity overcomes the indifference with which we
observe the many wars at a safe distance. It overcomes the tendency
to dehumanize and demonize the enemy. It motivates the hard work
needed to accomplish non-proliferation and disarmament, including
nuclear, chemical, conventional and unmanned weapons, as well as
small arms. When it comes to social conflict, fraternity resists
corruption, organized crime, and the drug trade; slavery, human
trafficking and prostitution; and those forms of economic and
financial ‘warfare’ which are 'destructive of lives, families and
businesses'”.
Section
9 considers “the urgent need to preserve and cultivate nature as
our earthly home and the source of all material goods, now and for
future generations. In the spirit of fraternity, we must learn to
treat the natural environment as a gift from our Creator, to be
enjoyed in common, gratefully and justly”.
The
Cardinal concluded by commenting on the passing, a week ago, of “the
great Nelson Mandela” who, “through the long years of
imprisonment … overcame the temptation to seek revenge. He emerged
from prison with the supreme message of reconciliation. For this, the
sad truth of the past had to be uncovered and accepted. Only on the
basis of truth and reconciliation could the majority of South
Africans aspire to a better life. No one should underestimate how
much faith, how much courage, how great a spirit, it required of
Mandela to put into practice the wisdom which he had learned in
prison. By his example and leadership, Nelson Mandela facilitated the
conversion of hearts away from fratricide. Conversion of minds and
hearts is what Pope Francis is pursuing daily. … Fraternity needs
to be discovered, experienced, proclaimed and witnessed through love.
Bestowed as a gift, God’s love alone enables us to accept our
fraternity and express it more and more fully”.
“As
we prepare to celebrate Christmas by offering gifts among friends and
relations, it would be good to pause, as Jesus suggests”,
concluded, “'If you remember that your brother or sister has
something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go;
first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and
offer your gift'. Today the poor, the excluded, the suffering of our
city, of our country, of our world, do have 'something against us'.
What they have 'against us' is our failure to respect who, most
profoundly, they are – who, most profoundly, we are – namely,
brothers and sisters”.
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