« Non-Violence: A
Style of Politics for Peace ». This
is the title of the Message for the 50 th
World Day of Peace (1st january 2017) , the fourth of
Pope Francis. Violence and Peace are at
the origin of two opposite ways to building society. The proliferation of hotbeds
of violence produces most serious negative social consequences. The Holy Father
sums up this situation in the expression: “A Third World War in Pieces”. Peace,
by contrast, promotes social positive consequences and it allows the
achievement of real progress. Therefore, we should act within what is possible,
and negotiate ways of peace even where they seem tortuous and impractical. Thus,
non-violence can acquire a more
comprehensive and new meaning. It will not only consist of desire, of moral
rejection of violence, barriers, destructive impulses, but also of a realistic political
method that gives rise to hope. Such a political method is based
on the primacy of law. If the rights and the equal dignity of every person are
safeguarded without any discrimination and distinction, then non-violence , understood as a political
method, can constitute a realistic way to overcome arm conflicts. In this
perspective, it becomes important to increasingly recognize not the right of
force but the force of right. With this Message ,
Pope Francis wants to show a further step, a path of hope, appropriate to
today’s historical circumstances. In this way, the settlement of disputes may
be reached through negotiation without then degenerating into armed conflict. Within
such a perspective the culture
and identity of Peoples are respected and the opinion that some are morally
superior to others is overcome. At the same time, however,
it does not mean that one Nation can remain indifferent to the tragedies of
another. Rather it means a recognition of the primacy of diplomacy over the noise
of arms. Arms trade is so widespread that
it is generally underestimated. Illegal arms trafficking supports not a few world’s
conflicts. Non-violence as a
political style can and must do much to stem this scourge. *** The World
Peace Day initiated by Paul VI is celebrated
each year on the first day of January. The Holy Father’s Message is sent to all Foreign Ministries of the world and it
indicates the diplomatic concerns of the Holy See during the coming year….
(Vatican Radio) As a concrete sign of his closeness to the victims of Italy’s earthquake, Pope Francis has sent a team of six firefighters from the Vatican City State to Amatrice, the city in central Italy that was worst affected by the quake. A statement from the Holy See’s Press Office said the six firefighters would help Italy’s Civil Protection workers search for survivors still under the rubble and assist those already rescued.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday during his general audience greeted the participants the General Assembly of the World Conference of Secular Institutes. A Secular Institutes is an “institute of consecrated life in which the Christian faithful living in the world strive for the perfection of charity and work for the sanctification of the world especially from within.” [CIC 710] The General Assembly of the World Conference of Secular Institutes takes place every four years, and brings together the Presidents General of the member secular institutes, as well as the Presidents of national and international conferences of secular institutes. Pope Francis said he “wishes this Jubilee of Mercy…is a time of grace and spiritual renewal.” (from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday once again appealed for peace in Ukraine, urging all parties in the conflict, as well as international bodies, to “strengthen the initiatives to resolve the conflict, release the hostages, and respond to the humanitarian emergency.”
The Holy Father assured Ukrainians of his continued prayers for peace.
The appeal comes on Ukraine’s Independence Day, this year marking the 25th anniversary of independence from the former Soviet Union.
The full text of the Pope’s appeal for Ukraine.
“In these last weeks, the international Observers have expressed concern for the worsening situation in eastern Ukraine. Today, as that dear Nation celebrates its national holiday – which this year coincides with the 25th anniversary of independence – I assure them of my prayer for peace and I renew my appeal to all the parties involved and to the international bodies that they might strengthen the initiatives to resolve the conflict, release the hostages, and respond to the humanitarian emergency.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday made a special greeting during his General Audience to the members of the International Paralympic Committee and the athletes who are preparing to participate in the next Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, which will take place from 7-18 September.
The Holy Father blessed the Paralympic Flag when he was in Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day in 2013, taking the opportunity to speak about the bonds between evangelisation and the world of sport.
The Vatican is participating in the “Casa Italia Paralimpica in Rio 2016,” which is a meeting place for the Italian delegation at the Paralympic Games.
The Casa Italia is a long-term project – which will involve the collaboration of the Holy See and the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro – to offer practical support to a series of project initiatives, especially involving parasport activities.
(from Vatican Radio)…