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Skriven 2006-12-14 07:00:30 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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                               VIS-Press releases

THE HUMAN PERSON, THE HEART OF PEACE

VATICAN CITY, DEC 12, 2006 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office this morning,
Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino and Bishop Giampaolo Crepaldi, respectively
president and secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace,
presented the Pope's Message for the World Day of Peace 2007, which has as its
theme: "The Human Person, the Heart of Peace."

Cardinal Martino affirmed that this year's Message "must be read and
interpreted as a continuation and completion of last year's. Indeed, in
paragraph 1, the Holy Father expresses his conviction 'that respect for the
person promotes peace and that, in building peace, the foundations are laid for
an authentic integral humanism'."

The Message, the cardinal continued, "is structured in three parts," the first
of which highlights "the meaning and value of the connection between the human
person and peace, considered and presented through the theological- spiritual
categories of 'gift and task.' In the second part, the truth of the human
person is related to the new and innovative concept of 'ecology of peace.' In
the third part, the truth about human beings is considered with reference to
the complex field of respect for their fundamental rights, of international
humanitarian law and of certain responsibilities inherent to the activity of
international organizations. The Message concludes with a call to Christians to
become workers for peace."

"Recognition of the transcendent order of things is the basis upon which to
found the inter-religious and cultural dialogue that aims to promote peace. ...
In order to advance the cause of peace, humanity today must treasure the norms
of natural law, norms which 'should not be viewed as externally imposed
decrees, as restraints upon human freedom'."

Later in the Message, "the Holy Father affirms that certain things are and must
remain beyond the disposal of human will, these are the right to life and to
religious freedom." The former because it is a gift and the latter because "it
opens nature to something that transcends it."

On the subject of the natural equality of all persons, the Holy Father
highlights how "inequalities of social status and gender are worrying causes of
instability in the building of peace," said the cardinal.

In paragraphs 8 and 9, dedicated to the "ecology of peace," the Pope poses a
series of questions that "highlight how the problem of the relationship with
nature is closely associated with the construction, among mankind and between
nations, of ecological human relationships, in other words, relationships that
respect the dignity of the person and his or her authentic needs."

"In paragraphs 10 and 11, the Holy Father presents the foundations for an
ecology of peace and the base upon which to plant the 'tree of peace.' With
faith and hope he brings us to understand that it is possible to cultivate this
tree, ... so long as we let ourselves be guided by a correct and as-
broad-as-possible vision of the human person, because the reduction of man, of
his value and his dignity, is often paid for with conflict."

"The Pope's Message," said the cardinal, "affirms that peace has become
difficult also because of indifference as to what constitutes man's true
nature. ... Such an attitude is very dangerous for peace, which cannot be built
upon emptiness and indifference because, in such circumstances, reciprocal
recognition is merely formal, conventional, provisional."

In the third part of the Message, from paragraphs 12 to 15, Benedict XVI makes
it clear that "true and stable peace presupposes respect for human rights
anchored in a strong conception of the human person. ... Rights express the
requirements of man's nature as it arose in the Creation. They tell us what men
and women need in their existence in order to be able to be themselves with
dignity. They tell us how we must treat man in order to respect his dignity.
Human rights cannot sustain the continuous attacks to which they are subject if
they do not rediscover this significance."

The Holy Father, said Cardinal Martino, goes on to recall "the original
vocation of international organizations, especially the United Nations, and
encourages them to be guardians of the promotion of human rights. ... He also
returns this year to the value of international humanitarian law," with
reflections "inspired by realism and by trust." Finally, he expresses his
concern "at the fact that some countries have expressed the desire to supply
themselves with nuclear weapons."

"The conclusion of Benedict XVI's Message ... is entirely dedicated to
Catholics, who are called to be tireless workers for peace and energetic
defenders of the dignity of the human person. ... The sentiment of belonging to
the Church must be lived with a generous dedication towards everyone,
especially towards people suffering poverty and privation, and who lack the
precious gift of peace."
OP/MESSAGE PEACE DAY/MARTINO VIS 061212 (810)

SUMMARY

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