Text 87, 52 rader
Skriven 2004-12-07 08:46:56 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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              The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                        Vatican Information Service.
              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                               VIS-Press releases

PERU: SATISFY BASIC NEEDS OF THE POOR

VATICAN CITY, DEC 7, 2004 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received the
Letters of Credence of the new ambassador of the Republic of Peru, Pablo Moran
Val. The Pope told him that religious life in the country "is a very clear sign
of how the vitality of faith can continue to sustain the courageous efforts of
a noble people who strive for progress without denying the authentic roots of
their Christian identity."

"The Catholic faith, professed by the great majority of the population in your
country," he said, "stimulates, out of its own dynamism, individual and social
conduct of great vision, while promoting - when there is no separation between
life and faith - a life without inconsistencies or ruptures, and leaving aside
the temptation to resort to violence, selfishness or corruption. The Church,
faithful to her mission, offers guidance in order to confront modern ethical
challenges."

After emphasizing the need to defend civic values, the Holy Father indicated
that "we must not forget that these values will be respected when they are
based on the ethical and moral values of honesty and effective solidarity, in
such a way that unfair social inequalities and personal and social
individualism, that impede the complete fulfillment of the common good, may be
corrected."

John Paul underscored that "satisfying the basic needs of the poor and those
who are excluded from society must be considered a fundamental priority since
the accelerated transformations of the international economy have placed many
in an almost desperate situation. In the face of this problem, the Church ...
remains close to the many families and people who are living today the inhumane
consequences of this circumstance."

Among the measures taken by the government, the Pope said that "the defense of
human life and the family, today so threatened by a mistaken concept of
modernity and freedom in so many parts, must be included."

He concluded by referring to the large Peruvian community that has emigrated to
other countries in order to find "better living conditions." He said that they
"must feel committed to bringing solutions to the country where they were born
and which still considers them its sons and daughters despite the distance."
CD/CREDENTIALS/PERU:MORAN VIS 041207 (380)

SUMMARY

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