Papal Message Has Implications for U.S

[Hesychios]

Papal Message Has Implications for U.S., Says Bishop

WASHINGTON, D.C., JAN. 7, 2005 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II’s message for the recent World Day of Peace “has special implications” for the United States, says the chairman of the International Policy Committee of the bishops’ conference.

The new year will provide “important opportunities for us to show our compassion and solidarity with the poor and vulnerable,” said Bishop John Ricard of Pensacola-Tallahassee in a statement.

“This will require a ‘moral and economic mobilization’ on the part of richer countries such as the United States to lighten the burdens on poor countries exacerbated by ongoing debt payments, unfair trading practices and inadequate development assistance,” the prelate said.

The title of the Pope’s World Day of Peace message, “Do Not Be Overcome by Evil, but Overcome Evil with Good,” is drawn from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans (12:21).

“In this era of globalization, we are more aware of the interconnected nature of our world,” said Bishop Ricard. “Problems that were once far from our shores have become our own. We are compelled to look beyond our borders to places of poverty and despair that cry out for a response.”
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[gilliam]

Hesychios:

“In this era of globalization, we are more aware of the interconnected nature of our world,” said Bishop Ricard. “Problems that were once far from our shores have become our own. We are compelled to look beyond our borders to places of poverty and despair that cry out for a response.”
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Connectiveness just might be the answer. Connect the disconnected within the world and make them part of the family of nations.

 

[Matt25]

Part of the Papal Message reads as follows-
. This common grammar of the moral law requires ever greater commitment and responsibility in ensuring that the life of individuals and of peoples is respected and advanced. In this light, the evils of a social and political nature which afflict the world, particularly those provoked by outbreaks of violence, are to be vigorously condemned. I think immediately of the beloved continent of Africa, where conflicts which have already claimed millions of victims are still continuing. Or the dangerous* situation of Palestine*, the Land of Jesus, where the fabric of mutual understanding, torn by a conflict which is fed daily by acts of violence and reprisal, cannot yet be mended in justice and truth. And what of the troubling phenomenon of* terrorist violence*, which appears to be driving the whole world towards a future of fear and anguish? Finally, how can we not think with profound regret of the drama unfolding in Iraq, which has given rise to tragic situations of uncertainty and insecurity for all?

To attain the good of peace there must be a clear and conscious acknowledgment that violence is an unacceptable evil and that it never solves problems. “Violence is a lie, for it goes against the truth of our faith, the truth of our humanity. Violence destroys what it claims to defend: the dignity, the life, the freedom of human beings”(4). What is needed is* a great effort to form consciences* and to educate the younger generation to goodness by upholding that integral and fraternal humanism which the Church proclaims and promotes. This is the foundation for a social, economic and political order respectful of the dignity, freedom and fundamental rights of each person.

The good of peace and the common good

1. Fostering peace by overcoming evil with good requires careful reflection * on the common good*(5) and on its social and political implications. When the common good is promoted at every level, peace is promoted. Can an individual find complete fulfilment without taking account of his social nature, that is, his being “with” and “for” others? The common good closely concerns him. It closely concerns every expression of his social nature: the family, groups, associations, cities, regions, states, the community of peoples and nations. * Each person, in some way, is called to work for the common good*, constantly looking out for the good of others as if it were his own. This responsibility belongs in a particular way to political authorities at every level, since they are called to create that sum of social conditions which permit and foster in human beings the integral development of their person(6).

The common good therefore demands respect for and the integral promotion of the person and his fundamental rights, as well as respect for and the promotion of the rights of nations on the universal plane. In this regard, the Second Vatican Council observed that “the increasingly close interdependence gradually encompassing the entire world is leading to an increasingly universal common good… and this involves rights and duties with respect to the whole human race. Every social group must take account of the needs and legitimate aspirations of other groups and the common good of the entire human family”(7). The good of humanity as a whole, including future generations, calls for true international cooperation, to which every nation must offer its contribution(8).

 

[Matt25]

The Holy Father goes on to say-
Certain reductive visions of humanity tend to present the common good as a purely socio-economic state of well-being lacking any transcendent purpose, thus emptying it of its deepest meaning. Yet the* common good* has a transcendent dimension, for God is the ultimate end of all his creatures(9). Christians know that Jesus has shed full light on how the true common good of humanity is to be achieved. History journeys towards Christ and in him finds its culmination: because of Christ, through Christ and for Christ, every human reality can be led to complete fulfilment in God.

The good of peace and the use of the world’s goods

1. Since the good of peace is closely linked to the development of all peoples, the *ethical requirements for the use of the earth’s goods *must always be taken into account. The Second Vatican Council rightly recalled that “God intended the earth and all it contains for the use of everyone and of all peoples; so that the good things of creation should be available equally to all, with justice as guide and charity in attendance”(10).

As a member of the human family, each person becomes as it were a* citizen of the world*, with consequent duties and rights, since all human beings are united by* a common origin and the same supreme destiny*. By the mere fact of being conceived, a child is entitled to rights and deserving of care and attention; and someone has the duty to provide these. The condemnation of racism, the protection of minors, the provision of aid to displaced persons and refugees, and the mobilization of international solidarity towards all the needy are nothing other than consistent applications of the principle of world citizenship.

1. The good of peace should be seen today as closely related to the* new goods* derived from progress in science and technology. These too, in application of the principle of the universal destination of the earth’s goods, need to be * put at the service of humanity’s basic needs*. Appropriate initiatives on the international level can give full practical implementation to the principle of the universal destination of goods by guaranteeing to all — individuals and nations — the basic conditions for sharing in development. This becomes possible once the barriers and monopolies that marginalize many peoples are removed(11).

The good of peace will be better ensured if the international community takes on greater responsibility for what are commonly called* public goods*. These are goods which all citizens automatically enjoy, without having consciously chosen them or contributed to them in any way. Such is the case, for example, at the national level, with such goods as the judiciary system, the defence system and the network of highways and railways. In our world the phenomenon of increased globalization means that more and more public goods are taking on a global character, and as a result* common interests *are daily increasing. We need but think of the fight against poverty, the promotion of peace and security, concern for climate change and disease control. The international community needs to respond to these interests with a broader network of juridical accords aimed at *regulating the use of public goods *and inspired by universal principles of fairness and solidarity.

 

[Matt25]

The Pope further says-
8. The principle of the universal destination of goods can also make possible a more effective approach to* the challenge of poverty*, particularly when we consider the extreme poverty in which millions of people are still living. The international community, at the beginning of the new millennium, set the priority of halving their number by the year 2015. The Church supports and encourages this commitment and invites all who believe in Christ to show, practically and in every sector, a preferential love for the poor(12).

The tragedy of poverty remains closely linked to the issue of the foreign debt of poor countries. Despite significant progress in this area, the problem has not yet been adequately resolved. Fifteen years ago I called public attention to the fact that the foreign debt of poor countries “is closely related to a series of other problems such as foreign investment, the proper functioning of the major international organizations, the price of raw materials and so forth”(13). Recent moves in favour of debt reduction, centred mainly on the needs of the poor, have certainly improved the quality of economic growth. Yet, because of a number of factors, this growth is still quantitatively insufficient, especially in relation to the millennium goals. Poor countries remain trapped in a vicious circle: low income and weak growth limit savings and, in turn, weak investments and an inefficient use of savings do not favour growth.

1. As Pope Paul VI stated and as I myself have reaffirmed, the only really effective means of enabling States to deal with the grave problem of poverty is to provide them with the necessary resources through* foreign financial aid* — public and private — granted under reasonable conditions, within the framework of international commercial relations regulated with fairness(14). What is urgently needed is a* moral and economic mobilization, one which respects agreements already made in favour of poor countries, and is at the same time prepared to review those agreements which have proved excessively burdensome for some countries. In this regard, new impulse should be given to Public Aid for Development*, and new forms of financing for development should be explored, whatever the difficulties entailed(15). Some governments are already looking carefully at promising mechanisms for this; these significant initiatives should be carried out in a spirit of authentic sharing, with respect for the* principle of subsidiarity*. The management of financial resources destined to the development of poor countries should also entail scrupulous adherence, on the part of both donors and recipients, to sound administrative practices. The Church encourages and contributes to these efforts. One need only mention the significant contribution made by the many Catholic agencies dedicated to aid and development.
2. At the end of the Great Jubilee of the year 2000, in my Apostolic Letter * Novo Millennio Ineunte, I spoke of the urgent need for a new creativity in charity*(16), in order to spread the Gospel of hope in the world. This need is clearly seen when we consider the many difficult problems standing in the way of development in Africa: numerous armed conflicts, pandemic diseases aggravated by extreme poverty, and political instability leading to widespread insecurity. These are tragic situations which call for a* radically new direction for Africa:* there is a need to create new forms of solidarity, at bilateral and multilateral levels, through a more decisive commitment on the part of all, with complete conviction that the well-being of the peoples of Africa is an indispensable condition for the attainment of the universal common good.