(Vatican Radio) The President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Cardinal Peter Turkson, welcomed participants on Monday in a major conference jointly sponsored and organized by the Dicastery he heads, along with Pax Christi International and the Catholic Peacebuilding Network. Cardinal Turkson began by reading the Holy Father’s Message to participants in its entirety, before offering a reflection on the true meaning of peace.
Below, please find the text of Cardinal Turkson’s reflections in English
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The Christian position does not accept the reduction of social relationships to choices between being the master or the slave. Instead, it calls for a spiritual conversion so that relationships of unjust domination may give way to practices of fraternal love and solidarity. Such is the value of peace as taught by Christ; and this is the option that Pax Christi and CPN embrace.
Let me raise two points that contribute to a Christian assessment of situations of violence.
First, consider the distinction between tension and violence. St John Paul II: “Violence is evil, … violence is unacceptable as a solution to problems, … violence is unworthy of man.” [18] The men and women of our age are inclined to cry out against injustice when they think that their aspirations are being frustrated; so they think it is their duty to support every sort of social upheaval that they deem justified because it aims at ending their frustration. This betrays ignorance of the mechanisms by which social structures evolve.
Pope Francis gave a very detailed analysis of this phenomenon in his a braccio speech to the World Youth Forum on 13 August 2015. Tension, he said, is inevitable; differences between individuals and groups are not always an evil. Moreover, he added, a society without tension would be rather sad; tensions are part of life, and some of them can present opportunities for struggle over ways to create greater fraternity among people and to constantly intensify this search.
Second, we ought to think about what is needed to “establish peace” – a reflection in Gaudium et Spes (§78) that led to the establishment of the Pontifical Council (cf § 90).
Pope Francis speaks in simple terms about peace-making. These terms, found in three paragraphs of Evangelii Gaudium , convey the philosophical foundations for building peace, from local harmony to a fraternal international community.
The Holy Father begins with a focus on the dignity of the human person and the common good:
Peace in society cannot be understood as pacification or the mere absence of violence resulting from the domination of one part of society over others. Nor does true peace act as a pretext for justifying a social structure which silences or appeases the poor, so that the more affluent can placidly support their lifestyle while others have to make do as they can. Demands involving the distribution of wealth, concern for the poor and human rights cannot be suppressed under the guise of creating a consensus on paper or a transient peace for a contented minority. The dignity of the human person and the common good rank higher than the comfort of those who refuse to renounce their privileges. When these values are threatened, a prophetic voice must be raised. (§218)
So the foundation of peace is justice. In this Pope Francis echoes St John XXIII, whose Pacem in Terris sought peace not in the absence of war but in human hearts. As Blessed Paul VI asserted, peace is not “simply the absence of warfare, based on a precarious balance of power; it is fashioned by efforts directed day after day towards the establishment of the ordered universe willed by God, with a more perfect justice among men”. [19] So “In the end,” says Pope Francis, “a peace which is not the result of integral development will be doomed; it will always spawn new conflicts and various forms of violence.” (§220)
Pope Francis sums up the positive action he would expect from every man and every woman this way:
People in every nation enhance the social dimension of their lives by acting as committed and responsible citizens, not as a mob swayed by the powers that be. Let us not forget that “responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation” [20] . Yet becoming a people demands something more. It is an ongoing process in which every new generation must take part: a slow and arduous effort calling for a desire for integration and a willingness to achieve this through the growth of a peaceful and multifaceted culture of encounter. (§221)
The way ahead
So much remains to be done. What goals might Pax Christi and CPN work for? What contribution can be made, from the Christian point of view, to consolidating peace by pursuing the objectives of freedom, equality and solidarity within and between nations?
The tensions of our day grow clearly out of the fact that viewpoints are often different, and even opposed, on how to resolve the tensions and conflicts that divide the international community. It would be dangerous to identify the Gospel message with this or that political program – from this, nationalisms are born, which believe their vocation is to impose their mark on other peoples. The same thing happened with supposedly ‘progressive’ movements of the past that claimed to find human salvation in an ideology – and then persisted in applying that ideology in spite of the accompanying violations of human rights.
To remain true to itself, the Christian contribution to peace must take a different path. On this path, the steps are practical measures chosen in light of higher duties. The involvement of a Christian in the promotion of peace presupposes a constant dialogue of everyone between the needs and threats of which each is aware, and the possibility of a fraternal communion established by Christ when he refused the legions of angels that his Father could have provided in order to save him.
This has implications for our reflections on just war theory. The media, and public opinion influenced by the media, convey an incorrect interpretation of the religious concept of just war. It origins are in St. Augustine, and St. Thomas formulated it clearly; but its fuller treatment arose when Europe was governed by barbarian peoples for whom the only thing that counted was violence. At the same time, however, these peoples regarded the Church as a civilizing Power because of its religious nature. Therefore, what the Church attempted to do was to enlarge the scope of peace by continually reducing the conditions under which a Prince could justify his recourse to the use of force. The Prince, of course, wished to avoid being considered sinful and risking the canonical penalties of the Church. The law of God, which the Church interpreted, was recognized as being normative; it achieved a progressive transformation of consciences, and in fact, the recourse to violence was no longer seen as the only possible way to resolve conflicts. But a shift occurred with the secularization of Western societies, and each Prince claimed the right to decide whether or not his recourse to war was just.
How do we apply the distinction nowadays between just and unjust war? As you would expect, the guidance of Pope Francis is nuanced. This is what he said with reference to ISIS:
In these cases, where there is an unjust aggression, I can only say that it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor. I emphasize the word: “stop”. I’m not saying drop bombs, make war, but stop the aggressor. The means used to stop him would have to be evaluated. Stopping an unjust aggressor is licit. But we also need to remember! How many times, with this excuse of stopping an unjust aggressor, the powers have taken over peoples and carried on an actual war of conquest! One nation alone cannot determine how to stop an unjust aggressor. [21]
Conclusion
I trust you find renewed vigour in the link that Pope Francis makes between the reduction of violence and the increase in justice, compassion and dialogue. Please receive this introduction as a basket of gifts, a big basket of generous gifts, beginning with the Message of Pope Francis and surrounded by the Gospel as lived and reflected and passed on in the Church. So it is a powerful, inspiring and utterly vital ecclesial tradition that you stand in and carry forward. May our sharing and deliberations in this Year of Mercy, as Pax Christi, Catholic Peacebuilding Network and Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, shed the bright light of Gospel peacemaking on our Church and our world in the 21 st century.
Cardinal Peter K.A. Turkson
President
[1] Misericordiae vultus , n. 2.
[2] Ibid ., n. 17.
[3] Gaudium et spes , n. 9.
[4] Pope Paul VI, Message for the celebration of the day of peace 1976, The real weapons of peace .
[5] Ibid.
[6] Address to the Fourth Course for the Formation of Military Chaplains on International Humanitarian Law, 26.10.2015.
[7] Cfr. Gaudium et spes , nn. 77-82.
[8] Gaudium et spes , n.79.
[9] Evangelii gaudium , n. 226.
[10] Ibid .
[11] Ibid ., n. 227.
[12] Message for the World Day of Peace 2016, Overcome Indifference and Win Peace , n. 8.
[13] Cfr. ibid , n. 4.
[14] Cfr. ibid , n. 5.
[15] John XXIII, Pacem in terris , n. 113 (English), n. 61 (Italian).
[16] Address to Representatives of Civil Society, Asunción, 11.07.2015.
[17] Message for the World Day of Peace 2016, n. 8.
[18] John Paul II, Homily, Drogheda, 29.09.1979.
[19] Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio (26 March 1967), 76: AAS 59 (1967), 294-295.
[20] United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Pastoral Letter Forming Conscience for Faithful Citizenship (November 2007), 13.
[21] Pope Francis, Press Conference in flight from Korea to Rome, 18 August 2014.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a Message to the participants in a major conference sponsored by Pax Christi International, the Catholic Peacebuilding Network, and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, exploring the theme: Nonviolence and Just Peace: Contributing to the Catholic Understanding of and Commitment to Nonviolence . Addressed to the President of the Pontical Council for Justice and Peace, Cardinal Peter Turkson, the Message renews the Holy Father’s call for an end to the use of the death penalty, and calls on all people of good will to recognize what Christians profess as a consequence of faith: that it is only by considering our peers as brothers and sisters that humanity can overcome wars and conflicts. Below, please find the full text of the Holy Father’s Message, in English *************************************************** Your Eminence, I am delighted to convey my most cordial greetings to you and to all the participants in the Conference on Nonviolence and Just Peace: Contributing to the Catholic Understanding of and Commitment to Nonviolence , which will take place in Rome from the 11 th to 13 th of April 2016. This encounter, jointly organized by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and Pax Christi International, takes on a very special character and value during the Jubilee Year of Mercy. In effect, mercy is “a source of joy, serenity and peace”, [1] a peace which is essentially interior and flows from reconciliation with the Lord. [2] Nevertheless, the participants’ reflections must also take into account the current circumstances in the world at large and the historical moment in which the Conference is taking place, and of course these factors also heighten expectations for the Conference. In order to seek solutions to the unique and terrible ‘world war in instalments’ which, directly or indirectly, a large part of humankind is presently undergoing, it helps us to think back in time. Let us rediscover the reasons that led the sons and daughters of a still largely Christian civilization in the last century to create the Pax Christi Movement and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. From their example we learn that to bring about true peace, it is necessary to bring people together concretely so as to reconcile peoples and groups with opposing ideological positions. It is also necessary to work together for what persons, families, peoples and nations feel is their right, namely, to participate on a social, political and economic level in the goods of the modern world. [3] Further, the “unceasing effort on the part of that higher creative imagination which we call diplomacy” [4] must be continuously nourished; and justice in a globalized world, which is “order in freedom and conscious duty”, [5] must constantly be promoted. In a word, humanity needs to refurbish all the best available tools to help the men and women of today to fulfil their aspirations for justice and peace. Accordingly, your thoughts on revitalising the tools of non-violence, and of active non-violence in particular, will be a needed and positive contribution. This is what as participants in the Rome Conference you propose to do. In this message I would like to remind you of some further points which are especially of concern to me. The basic premise is that the ultimate and most deeply worthy goal of human beings and of the human community is the abolition of war. [6] In this vein, we recall that the only explicit condemnation issued by the Second Vatican Council was against war, [7] although the Council recognized that, since war has not been eradicated from the human condition, “governments cannot be denied the right to legitimate defence once every means of peaceful settlement has been exhausted.” [8] Another cornerstone is to recognize that “conflict cannot be ignored or concealed. It has to be faced.” [9] Of course, the purpose is not to remain trapped within a framework of conflict, thus losing our overall perspective and our sense of the profound unity of reality. [10] Rather, we must accept and tackle conflict so as to resolve it and transform it into a link in that new process which “peacemakers” initiate. [11] As Christians, we also know that it is only by considering our peers as brothers and sisters that we will overcome wars and conflicts. The Church tirelessly repeats that this is true not merely at an individual level but also at the level of peoples and nations, for it truly regards the International Community as the “Family of Nations”. That is why, in this year’s Message for the World Day of Peace, I made an appeal to States’ leaders to renew “their relations with other peoples and to enable their real participation and inclusion in the life of the international community, in order to ensure fraternity within the family of nations as well.” [12] Furthermore, we know as Christians that, in order to make this happen, the greatest obstacle to be removed is the wall of indifference. Recent history justifies using the word ‘wall’ not in a figurative sense alone, for unhappily it is an all too tangible reality. This phenomenon of indifference touches not only our fellow human beings but also the natural environment, with often disastrous consequences in terms of security and social peace. [13] Nevertheless, we can succeed in overcoming indifference – but only if, in imitation of the Father, we are able to show mercy. Such mercy is so to speak ‘political’ because it is expressed in solidarity, which is the moral and social attitude that responds best to the awareness of the scourges of our time and of the inter-dependence of life at its different levels – the connections between an individual life, the family, and the local and global community. [14] In our complex and violent world, it is truly a formidable undertaking to work for peace by living the practice of non-violence! Equally daunting is the aim of achieving full disarmament “by reaching people’s very souls”, [15] building bridges, fighting fear and pursuing open and sincere dialogue. The practice of dialogue is in fact difficult. We must be prepared for give and take. We must not assume that the others are wrong. Instead, accepting our differences and remaining true to our positions, we must seek the good of all; and, after having finally found agreement, we must firmly maintain it. [16] We can joyfully anticipate an abundance of cultural differences and varied life experiences among the participants in the Rome Conference, and these will only enhance the exchanges and contribute to the renewal of the active witness of non-violence as a “weapon” to achieve peace. Finally, I would like to invite all those present to support two requests I addressed to governmental authorities in this Jubilee Year: to abolish the death penalty where it is still in force, and to consider the possibility of an amnesty; and to forgive or manage in a sustainable way the international debt of the poorer nations. [17] I warmly wish Your Eminence and all the participants fruitful and successful labours, and I extend to you all my Apostolic Blessing. Francisco
[1] Misericordiae vultus , n. 2.
[2] Ibid ., n. 17.
[3] Gaudium et spes , n. 9.
[4] Pope Paul VI, Message for the celebration of the day of peace 1976, The real weapons of peace .
[5] Ibid.
[6] Address to the Fourth Course for the Formation of Military Chaplains on International Humanitarian Law, 26.10.2015.
[7] Cfr. Gaudium et spes , nn. 77-82.
[8] Gaudium et spes , n.79.
[9] Evangelii gaudium , n. 226.
[10] Ibid .
[11] Ibid ., n. 227.
[12] Message for the World Day of Peace 2016, Overcome Indifference and Win Peace , n. 8.
[13] Cfr. ibid , n. 4.
[14] Cfr. ibid , n. 5.
[15] John XXIII, Pacem in terris , n. 113 (English), n. 61 (Italian).
[16] Address to Representatives of Civil Society, Asunción, 11.07.2015.
[17] Message for the World Day of Peace 2016, n. 8.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, addressed the Informal Expert Meeting on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (CCW) on Monday.
Below, please find the full text of his address in English
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Mr. Chairman,
The Holy See Delegation would like to express its satisfaction for the excellent preparatory work that you, Mr. Chairman, have undertaken to give every chance of success to our meeting.
The issue of lethal autonomous weapon systems is on our agenda for the third consecutive year. The Holy See had the opportunity to express its views on this important issue on previous occasions.
To respond positively to your request, Mr. Chairman, that encourages delegations to express their positions in preparation for a possible decision in the context of the CCW Review Conference in December, the Mission of the Holy See would like to briefly present a working paper in which we put forward a few arguments in favor of a collective action which seeks to prohibit the development and use of lethal autonomous weapon system.
A prevention policy seems to be the best approach. The historical experience of regulations, prohibitions or control of certain weapons shows that most often they took place after grave human tragedies. Nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, cluster munitions or antipersonnel landmines are a few good examples. The human costs are exorbitant when responses come late. Prevention is the only way to break the vicious circle of the race between technological progress of military means and their destructive force and attempts to better defend international humanitarian law.
The risks of lethal autonomous weapons systems are too numerous and important to be ignored. Besides the fact that it leaves to a machine the decision of life or death of a human being, one of the dangers is that these weapons could lead to strategies diluting or concealing true responsibilities, inducing a total lack of accountability. Instead of contributing to the defense of peace, they are turning into a progressive incitement to war.
If we want peace, we must not only avoid accumulation of arms, but we must also convert minds. Peace must be born of mutual trust between nations, instead of being imposed on nations by the terror of weapons. This confidence is based on an “ethics of brotherhood” between nations. But the accumulation of lethal autonomous weapons could undermine that trust.
We must be concerned about the use of these kinds of advanced weapons. It is clear that investing on sophisticated weapons fails to restore peace. Quite the contrary! It appears that these weapons do not protect us against attacks and terrorism of all kinds perpetrated by people using rudimentary methods, but ready to sacrifice their lives. The balance of nuclear terror has shown its limits, and with the research and development on lethal autonomous weapons, we are still in a logic that bears no fruit. We must face the facts, Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems are not able to fight against the current scourge of terrorism and asymmetric wars. The real fight is the one which will restore justice, respect for human rights, respect for minorities’ rights, political participation and integral development. This fight will not be won with technologically powerful weapons. The use of LAWS will only lead to false security and to instability. In any case, it will not establish the conditions for peace.
For all the reasons mentioned, we must be cautious about the research and development of LAWS. Now is the time to prevent LAWS from becoming the reality of tomorrow’s warfare. The CCW should make a courageous decision of prohibiting lethal autonomous weapons like it did in the past concerning other types of weapons.
I thank you Mr. Chairman.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Monday spoke of the importance of taking stock of what is in people’s hearts and lives instead of only taking the law into account.
During his homily at morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta, the Pope spoke of the Doctors of the Law whom – he said – passed judgment with their hearts closed to God and to prophecy; all that mattered to them – he explained – was to uphold the Law.
Listen to the report by Linda Bordoni :
Pope Francis was reflecting on the Reading from the Acts of the Apostles in which the Doctors of the Law accuse Stephen of speaking “blasphemous words against Moses and God” because they “could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.”
They even instigated false witnesses to uphold their claims, he said.
“Their hearts, closed to God’s truth, clutch only at the truth of the Law, taking it by ‘the letter’, and do not find outlets other than in lies, false witness and death” he said.
The Pope pointed out that Jesus had already reprimanded them for this attitude, because “their fathers had killed the prophets”, and they were now building monuments to those prophets.
He said that the response of the “doctors of the letter” is more cynical than hypocritical when they say that had they been in the days of their fathers, they would not have done the same.
Thus – the Pope said – they wash their hands of everything and judge themselves pure.
But, he continued: “The heart is closed to God’s Word, it is closed to truth, and it is closed to God’s messenger who brings the prophecy so that God’s people may go forward.”
Pope Francis said: “It hurts when I read that small passage from the Gospel of Matthew, when Judas, who has repented, goes to the priests and says: ‘I have sinned’ and wants to give … and gives them the coins. ‘Who cares! – they say to him: it’s none of our business!’ They closed their hearts before this poor, repentant man, who did not know what to do. And he went and hanged himself. And what did they do when Judas hanged himself? They spoke amongst themselves and said: ‘Is he a poor man? No! These coins are the price of blood, they must not enter the temple… and they referred to this rule and to that… The doctors of the letter. ”
The life of a person did not matter to them, the Pope observed, they did not care about Judas’ repentance.
The Gospel, he continued, says that Judas came back repentant. But all that mattered to them “were the laws, so many words and things they had built”.
This – he said – shows the hardness of their hearts. It’s the foolishness of their hearts that could not withstand the wisdom of Stephen’s truth so they go to look for false witnesses to judge him.
Stephen – the Pope continued – ends up like all prophets, like Jesus. And this is repeated in the history of the Church:
“History tells us of many people who were judged and killed, although they were innocent: judged according to the Word of God, against the Word of God. Let’s think of witch hunts or of St. Joan of Arc, and of many others who were burnt to death, condemned because according to the judges they were not in line with the Word of God” he said.
Pope Francis pointed out that Jesus himself ended up on the cross for having trusted in God and obeyed His Word and he reminded the faithful of Jesus’ words of tenderness when he said to the disciples on the Road to Emmaus: “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke.”
He concluded saying: “Let us ask the Lord to look to the large and to the small follies of our hearts with the same tenderness, to caress us gently and to say to us: ‘Oh you foolish and slow of heart’ and begin to explain things to us.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Almost a year on from its publication, Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, on the care for our common home, has had an important impact at local and international levels.
That’s according to the head of the Pontifical Justice and Peace Council, Cardinal Peter Turkson, who was taking part in a panel discussion in the Vatican on Monday about U.S. and Holy See engagement on issues of common concern.
The encyclical, signed by the Pope on May 24th 2015, explores the interconnected concerns of caring for the human life and protecting the environment, appealing for action based on an interior ecological conversion.
Over the past year, Cardinal Turkson, whose Council worked on the drawing up of the document, has been travelling widely, speaking about its relevance to many other areas of financial, social and environmental policy.
He says Laudato Si’ has had a significant impact in highlighting the effects of human activity on our environment…
Listen:
Cardinal Turkson recalls that right after the publication of the encyclical the UN organised an event to explore what kind of moral support it could lend to the process of combatting climate change.
One month later, he says, the French president, François Hollande opened a conference called Consciences for Climate, quoting widely from the document.
The cardinal says he has spoken since then at many U.S. universities and colleges, highlighting local needs and concerns, such as the impact of rising sea levels off the Florida coast. Climate related disasters, he says, are increasingly “making it difficult for people to live wholesome and peaceful lives” and it’s important to ask “to what extent are people contributing to that”.
Speaking of his own experience growing up in mining town in Ghana, Cardinal Turkson describes the effect that surface mining has on the local environment: “the forest has gone, the topsoil is gone, agriculture is affected, the water board is affected – that’s a drastic change caused by human activity.
Similarly, he continues, the African agricultural practice known as ‘slash and burn’ creates “a lot of savannah in place of forests”. These examples, he says, show how human activity “can induce, worsen or even provoke” climate change.
(from Vatican Radio)…