PAPAL TEACHINGS
ON
ECONOMIC JUSTICE
Compiled By Attorney Brian T. McDonough http://www.hagehodes.com/Brian_McDonough.htm
In Honor Of
James Malley, S.J.
Campion Jesuit Health Center
Weston, Massachusetts
In Whose Honor
Boston College Created The
James Malley, S.J. Award For Extraordinary Service
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
Rerum Novarum
Pope Leo XIII, 1891
1
Singulari Quadam
Pope Pius X, 1902
2
Quadragesimo Anno
Pope Pius XI, 1931
3
Nova Impendet
Pope Pius XI, 1931
4
Firmissiman Constantiam
Pope Pius XI, 1937
7
Divini Redemptoris
Pope Pius XI, 1937
8
Optatissima Pax
Pope Pius XII, 1947
13
Evangelii Praecones
Pope Pius XII, 1951
13
Ad Petri Cathedram
Pope John XXIII, 1959
14
1
Updated January 10, 2010. Of the 250 plus writings contained herein, the only Non-Papal
Writings are: Gaudium et Spes, Second Vatican Council, 1965; Instruction on Christian
Freedom and Liberation, Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1986 [Joseph
Cardinal Raztinger, Prefect]; and Compendium Of The Social Doctrine Of The Church,
Pontifical Council For Justice And Peace, 2004.
i
Mater et Magistra
Pope John XXIII, 1961
16
Pacem in Terris
Pope John XXIII, 1963
19
Gaudium et Spes
Second Vatican Council, 1965
20
Populorum Progressio
Pope Paul VI, 1967
23
An Address To The Commission On International Development
Pope Paul VI, March 15, 1969
26
An Address To The Faithful Of The Village Of Mengo
Pope Paul VI, August 1, 1969
27
An Address To The Parliament Of Uganda
Pope Paul VI, August 1, 1969
28
A Message For The Celebration Of The Day Of Peace
Pope Paul VI, November 14, 1970
29
Octogesima Adveniens
Pope Paul VI, 1971
32
A Letter Establishing The Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”
Pope Paul VI, July 15, 1971
32
An Address To The Open World Conference On The Role Of Agricultural
Cooperatives In Economic And Social Development
Pope Paul VI, May 25, 1972
33
A Message For Lent 1974
Pope Paul VI
34
Address To The UN General Assembly
Pope Paul VI, April 9, 1974
35
ii
An Address To The Members Of The Executive Board Of The
International Confederation Of Free Trade Unions
Pope Paul VI, May 21, 1977
38
Christifideles Laici
Pope John Paul II, November 11, 1978
39
An Address To The Pontifical Institute Iustitia Et Pax
Pope John Paul II, November 11, 1978
45
An Address To A Group Of Christian Workers
Pope John Paul II, December 9, 1978
48
Redemptor Hominis
Pope John Paul II, 1979
50
A Message To The United Nations Conference On Trade And Development
Pope John Paul II, 1979
54
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, January 25, 1979
55
A Meeting With Mexican Indios
Pope John Paul II, January 29, 1979
56
A Meeting With Workers In Guadalajara
Pope John Paul II, January 30, 1979
60
An Address To The Young People Gathered In The Vatican Basilica
Pope John Paul II, February 21, 1979
61
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Bangladesh
Pope John Paul II, July 13, 1979
61
An Address To The World Conference On Agrarian Reform And Rural
Development
Pope John Paul II, July 14, 1979
61
Dives In Misericordia
Pope John Paul II, 1980
65
iii
An Address To The Diplomatic Community In Nairobi, Kenya
Pope John Paul II, May 6, 1980
68
A Meeting With Muslim Leaders, Nairobi, Kenya
Pope John Paul II, May 7, 1980
68
An Address To The General Assembly Of The United Nations
Pope John Paul II, August 22, 1980
69
A Message For The Celebration Of The Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1980
72
Laborem Exercens
Pope John Paul II, 1981
75
An Address To The Landowners And Workers Of Sugar Cane Plantations,
Bacolod, Philippines
Pope John Paul II, February 20, 1981
77
A Homily, Legazpi, Philippines
Pope John Paul II, February 21, 1981
83
An Address To The 21st Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 13, 1981
87
An Address To The Ambassador Of Zambia
Pope John Paul II, February 8, 1982
91
An Address To The General Assembly Of The United Nations
Pope John Paul II, June 7, 1982
92
An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 16, 1982
93
An Address To The Trilateral Commission
Pope John Paul II, April 18, 1983
94
An Address To The United Nations Conference On Trade And
Development
Pope John Paul II, May 25, 1983
96
iv
An Address To The International Congress Of Science And
Technology Against Word Hunger In the World
Pope John Paul, II, October 7, 1983
99
A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 1983
100
An Address To The 22nd Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, December 10, 1983
107
An Address To The Members Of Different Churches And Christian
Communions, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Pope John Paul II, September 14, 1984
111
Reconciliation And Penance
Pope John Paul II, December 2, 1984
112
An Address To The Members Of The Agency Of The United Nations
Pope John Paul II, August 18, 1985
114
An Address To The 23rd Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 10, 1985
119
A Message For The Celebration Of The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1985
126
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Jamaica
Pope John Paul II, January 16, 1986
129
An Address To The Representatives Of Other Religions In The College
Of Saint Francis Xavier, Calcutta, India
Pope John Paul II, February 3, 1986
130
An Address On the Occasion Of The Prayer Meeting, Trichur, India
Pope John Paul II, February 7, 1986
130
An Address During The Prayer Meeting At The Airport Of Trivandrum
India
v
Pope John Paul II, February 8, 1986
131
An Address During The Prayer Meeting At St. Augustine High School,
Vasai, India
Pope John Paul II, February 9, 1986
133
A Message For World Communication Day
Pope John Paul II, May 11, 1986
134
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, November 24, 1986
134
An Address To The Workers In The Factory “Transfield Limited,”
Sydney, Australia
Pope John Paul II, November 26, 1986
135
A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 1986
140
Instruction on Christian Freedom and Liberation
Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (1986)
[Joseph Cardinal Raztinger, Prefect]
149
Solicitudo Rei Socialis
Pope John Paul II, 1987
158
A Meeting With The Black Community Of New Orleans
Pope John Paul II, September 12, 1987
160
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, September 12, 1987
160
A Homily, Monterey, California
Pope John Paul II, September 17, 1987
164
A Meeting With The People Of Detroit
Pope John Paul II, September 19, 1987
170
An Address To The 24th Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 13, 1987
179
vi
An Address To The Bishops Of Sudan
Pope John Paul II, February 13, 1988
184
An Address To The President Of The Philippines
Pope John Paul II, June 8, 1988
185
An Address To The Members Of Caritas Internationalalis
Pope John Paul II, May 11, 1989
185
A Homily, Reykjavik, Iceland
Pope John Paul II, June 4, 1989
187
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, June 8, 1989
187
Redemptoris Custos
Pope John Paul II, August 15, 1989
188
A Homily, Tuntungan, Indonesia
Pope John Paul II, October 13, 1989
190
An Address To The General Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 16, 1989
192
A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 1989
196
An Address To The Participants In The Symposium Sponsored By
“Nova Spes” International Foundation
Pope John Paul II, December 14, 1989
200
Redemptoris Missio
Pope John Paul II, 1990
203
An Address To The New Ambassador Of The Republic Of Korea
Pope John Paul II, March 30, 1990
205
An Address To The Workers Of Malta
Pope John Paul II, May 26, 1990
205
vii
A Letter To The 5th Plenary Assembly Of The Federation Of Asian
Bishops’ Conference
Pope John Paul II, June 23, 1990
211
Centesimus Annus
Pope John Paul II, 1991
212
An Address To King Carl XVI And Queen Silvia Of Sweden
Pope John Paul II, May 3, 1991
215
An Address To The New Ambassador Of The Philippines
Pope John Paul II, May 18, 1991
215
An Address To The New Ambassador Of The Islamic Republic Of Iran
Pope John Paul II, June 20, 1991
217
An Address To The 26th Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 14, 1991
218
An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 16, 1992
221
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Trinidad And Tobago
Pope John Paul II, November 28, 1992
222
A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 1992
223
An Address To The Filipino Immigrants From All Over Europe
Pope John Paul II, May 22, 1993
227
An Address At Denver, Colorado Airport
Pope John Paul II, August 12, 1993
228
An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 15, 1993
229
An Address To The 27th Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 11, 1993
230
viii
An Address To The Bishops Of The United States Of America
Pope John Paul II, December 4, 1993
235
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Pakistan
Pope John Paul II, January 13, 1994
237
An Address To The Bishops Of The Episcopal Conference Of
Bangladesh
Pope John Paul II, March 11, 1994
238
A Message For Lent
Pope John Paul II, September 7, 1994
238
An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 10, 1994
241
Evangelium Vitae
Pope John Paul II, 1995
242
An Address To The Representatives Of The World Of Work Of Rome
Pope John Paul II, March 19, 1995
244
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Indonesia
Pope John Paul II, June 16, 1995
245
An Address On Undocumented Migrants
Pope John Paul II, July 25, 1995
245
A Message On The Occasion Of World Migration Day
Pope John Paul II, July 25, 1995
249
An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 15, 1995
253
An Address To The 28th Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 23, 1995
254
An Address To The New Ambassador of Malawi
Pope John Paul II, May 23, 1996
257
ix
An Address To An International Conference For Representatives Of
Trade Unions
Pope John Paul II, December 2, 1996
258
A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 1996
260
An Address To The New Ambassador of Ethiopia
Pope John Paul II, December 12, 1996
260
An Address To The New Ambassador Of South Africa
Pope John Paul II, December 12, 1996
261
A Message On The Occasion Of World Food Day 1997
Pope John Paul II
261
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Estonia
Pope John Paul II, January 11, 1997
262
An Address To The New Ambassador Of The Kyrgyz Republic
Pope John Paul II, January 11, 1997
263
An Address To The Philippine Bishops’ Conference
Pope John Paul II, February 10, 1997
264
An Address To The Christian Union Of Business Executives
Pope John Paul II, March 7, 1997
264
A General Audience
Pope John Paul II, March 19, 1997
266
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Nicaragua
Pope John Paul II, March 24, 1997
268
An Address To A Conference On Environment And Health
Pope John Paul II, March 24, 1997
269
An Address To The Pontifical Council Cor Unum
Pope John Paul II, April 18, 1997
270
An Address To The Ambassador Of Mauritius
Pope John Paul II, April 24, 1997
274
x
An Address To The Academy Of Social Sciences
Pope John Paul II, April 25, 1997
275
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, June 1, 1997
279
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, June 2, 1997
281
An Address To The European Congress On The Church’s Social
Doctrine
Pope John Paul II, June 20, 1997
283
A Message On The Occasion Of The World Day Of Migration
Pope John Paul II, November 7, 1997
285
An Address On The Occasion Of The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1997
290
An Address At The Conclusion Of The Special Assembly For America
Of The Synod Of Bishops
Pope John Paul II, December 11, 1997
295
An Address To The New Ambassador Of The United States Of America
Pope John Paul II, December 16, 1997
296
An Address To The New Ambassador of Eritrea
Pope John Paul II, December 18, 1997
296
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, January 25, 1998
297
An Address To The Representatives Of The Regional Administration
of Lazio
Pope John Paul II, January 31, 1998
299
An Address To The National Councils Of Labor Consultants Of Italy,
Spain, and Poland
Pope John Paul II, April 30, 1998
299
xi
Regina Caeli,
Pope John Paul II, May 3, 1998
300
An Address To The Members Of The Vatican Foundation “Centesimus
Annus – Pro Pontifice”
Pope John Paul II, May 8, 1998
301
An Address At Turin, Italy
Pope John Paul II, May 24, 1998
302
An Address To Cuban Bishops
Pope John Paul II, June 9, 1998
302
An Address To The Central Institute Of Cooperative Credit Banks
Pope John Paul II, June 26, 1998
303
An Address To The World Congress On The Pastoral Promotion Of
Human Rights
Pope John Paul II, July 4, 1998
304
An Address To The Scalabrinians
Pope John Paul II, September 25, 1998
305
An Address To A Symposium Studying 20 Years Of Diplomatic Activity
Pope John Paul II, November 13, 1998
308
A General Audience
Pope John Paul II, November 18, 1998
308
Incarnationis Mysterium
Pope John Paul II, November 29, 1998
310
An Address To The Bishops Of The Pacific
Pope John Paul II, December 5, 1998
311
A Letter On The Gospel Of Work To The Diocese Of Rome
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1998
311
An Address On The Occasion Of The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1998
315
xii
Ecclesia In Asia
Pope John Paul II, 1999
318
An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day 1999
Pope John Paul II
327
An Address To The Pontifical Academy Of Social Sciences
Pope John Paul II, March 6, 1999
329
An Address To The Representatives Of The World Of Work Of Rome
Pope John Paul II, March 19, 1999
333
A General Audience
Pope John Paul II, May 19, 1999
335
An Address At Zamosc, Poland
Pope John Paul II, June 12, 1999
336
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, June 14, 1999
337
A Message To The Conference Of Catholic International Organizations
Pope John Paul II, September 30, 1999
340
A General Audience
Pope John Paul II, October 27, 1999
341
A Message To The Members Of The Pontifical Council For Justice And
Peace
Pope John Paul II, November 4, 1999
343
A Message For The 43rd Italian Catholic Social Week
Pope John Paul II, November 10, 1999
345
An Address To The 30th Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 18, 1999
346
A Message For The World Migration Day
Pope John Paul II, November 21, 1999
348
xiii
A Message For The Celebration Of The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1999
352
An Address To The New Ambassadors
Pope John Paul II, December 16, 1999
356
An Address To The Secretary General And The Administrative
Committee On Coordination Of The United Nations
Pope John Paul II, April 7, 2000
357
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, May 1, 2000
359
The Jubilee Of Workers
Pope John Paul II, May 1, 2000
359
An Address On The Ethical Dimensions Of The Global Economy
Pope John Paul II, May 2, 2000
361
An Address To The World Movement Of Christian Workers
Pope John Paul II, May 7, 2000
362
An Address To The Ambassadors
Pope John Paul, May 25, 2000
364
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, June 2, 2000
365
An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 4, 2000
368
The Jubilee Of The Agricultural World
Pope John Paul II, November 11, 2000
370
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, November 12, 2000
374
A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 2000
378
Ecclesia In Oceania
Pope John Paul II, 2001
379
xiv
Novo Millennio Ineunte
Pope John Paul II, January 6, 2001
380
A General Audience
Pope John Paul II, January 10, 2001
382
A Message On The Occasion Of The World Day Of Migration
Pope John Paul II, February 22, 2001
384
An Address To The Pontifical Academy Of Social Sciences
Pope John Paul II, April 27, 2001
393
An Address To The Members Of The Foundation For “Ethics And
Economics”
Pope John Paul II, May 17, 2001
395
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Mexico
Pope John Paul II, May 18, 2001
398
A Message On The Theme “Work As The Key To The Social Question”
Pope John Paul II, September 14, 2001
398
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, September 30, 2001
401
An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 16, 2001
402
An Address To The 31st Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 3, 2001
404
An Address To The Volunteers Of The Diocese Of Rome
Pope John Paul II, November 10, 2001
406
An Address To The New Ambassador Of The Republic Of Philippines
Pope John Paul II, February 2, 2002
408
An Address To The Pontifical Academy For Social Sciences
Pope John Paul II, April 11, 2002
408
xv
An Address To The Bishops From Nigeria
Pope John Paul II, April 30, 2002
409
A General Audience
Pope John Paul II, May 1, 2002
410
A Message To The World Food Summit
Pope John Paul II, June 10, 2002
411
An Address To The 31st Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, June 10, 2002
413
A Common Declaration With The Ecumenical Patriarch His Holiness
Bartholomew I
Pope John Paul II, June 10, 2002
414
An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 13, 2002
416
A Message On The Occasion Of The World Day Of Migrants And Refugees
Pope John Paul II, October 24, 2002
418
An Address To The Italian Parliament
Pope John Paul II, November 14, 2002
420
Angelus
Pope John Paul II, November 17, 2002
421
An Address To The Bishops Of Brazil
Pope John Paul II, November 26, 2002
422
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Bosnia And Herzegovina
Pope John Paul II, November 30, 2002
425
An Address To The New Ambassador Of The Republic Of Ghana
Pope John Paul II, December 13, 2002
426
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Norway
Pope John Paul II, December 13, 2002
427
xvi
An Address To The New Ambassadors Accredited To The Holy See
Pope John Paul II, December 13, 2002
427
Ecclesia In Europa
Pope John Paul II, 2003
428
A Message For The Celebration Of The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul II, January 1, 2003
433
An Address To The Diplomatic Corps
Pope John Paul II, January 13, 2003
434
A Message For Lent
Pope John Paul II, January 17, 2003
435
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Australia
Pope John Paul II, May 15, 2003
438
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Latvia
Pope John Paul II, May 15, 2003
439
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Vanuatu
Pope John Paul II, May 15, 2003
440
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Zimbabwe
Pope John Paul II, May 15, 2003
441
An Address To The Bishops Of India
Pope John Paul II, May 23, 2003
442
A Homily
Pope John Paul II, June 7, 2003
443
A Message For Lent
Pope John Paul II, September 7, 2003
444
An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 16, 2003
446
An Address To The 32nd Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope John Paul II, December 5, 2003
449
xvii
A Message On The World Day Of Migrants And Refugees
Pope John Paul II, December 15, 2003
450
Compendium Of The Social Doctrine Of The Church
Pontifical Council For Justice And Peace, 2004
453
An Address To The Bishops Of Australia
Pope John Paul II, March 26, 2004
512
An Address To The New Ambassador Of The Republic Of Suriname
Pope John Paul II, May 27, 2004
512
An Address To The Honorable George W. Bush, President Of The
United States Of America
Pope John Paul II, June 4, 2004
514
A Message To The Pontifical Council For Justice And Peace
Pope John Paul II, July 4, 2004
514
A Letter On The Occasion Of The 44th Catholic Social Week
Pope John Paul II, October 4, 2004
515
An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 15, 2004
518
A Message For The Celebration Of World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul II, January 1, 2005
520
A Message For Lent
Pope Benedict XVI, September 29, 2005
523
A Homily
Pope Benedict XVI, October 2, 2005
524
A Message On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope Benedict XVI, October 12, 2005
527
A Message For The 92nd World Day For Migrants And Refugees
Pope Benedict XVI, October 18, 2005
529
A General Audience
Pope Benedict XVI, November 2, 2005
531
xviii
An Address To The 33rd Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope Benedict XVI, November 24, 2005
533
An Address To The New Ambassador Of Saint Lucia
Pope Benedict XVI, December 1, 2005
535
An Address To The Italian Christian Worker’s Association
Pope Benedict XVI, January 26, 2006
536
An Address To Italian Christian Executives
Pope Benedict XVI, March 4, 2006
539
A Message On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope Benedict XVI, October 16, 2006
539
A Message For The 93rd World Day For Migrants And Refugees
Pope Benedict XVI, October 18, 2006
541
Angelus
Pope Benedict XVI, November 12, 2006
544
A Prayer
Pope Benedict XVI, December 8, 2006
545
Eucharistic Celebration For All Workers On The Feast Of St. Joseph
Pope Benedict XVI, 2006
546
Spe Salvi
Pope Benedict XVI, 2007
546
Sacramentum Caritatis
Pope Benedict XVI, 2007
552
A Message On The Occasion Of The Celebration Of World Water Day
Pope Benedict XVI, March 22, 2007
553
A Message To The Participants Of The 9th International Youth Forum
Pope Benedict XVI, March 28, 2007
553
xix
A Letter To Professor Mary Ann Glennon, President Of The Pontifical
Academy Of Social Sciences
Pope Benedict XVI, April 28, 2007
555
An Address
Pope Benedict XVI, May 13, 2007
558
An Address To The Italian Manufacturers Association
Pope Benedict XVI, May 26, 2007
560
An Address To The Participants Of Caritas Internationalatis
Pope Benedict XVI, June 8, 2007
562
A Meeting With The Authorities And The Diplomatic Corps
Pope Benedict XVI, September 7, 2007
564
A Homily
Pope Benedict XVI, September 23, 2007
564
Angelus
Pope Benedict XVI, September 23, 2007
567
A Message On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope Benedict XVI, October 4, 2007
567
A Letter To The President Of The Italian Bishops’ Conference On
The Occasion Of The Centenary Of The Italian Catholic Social Week
Pope Benedict XVI, October 12, 2007
569
A Message For The 94th World Day For Migrants And Refugees
Pope Benedict XVI, October 18, 2007
572
A General Audience Regarding Saint Maximus Of Turin
Pope Benedict XVI, October 31, 2007
575
An Address To The 34th Conference Of The Food And Agriculture
Organization
Pope Benedict XVI, November 22, 2007
577
A Homily
Pope Benedict XVI, December 25, 2007
580
xx
A Homily
Pope Benedict XVI, January 25, 2008
584
An Address To The Participants In The 14th Session Of The Pontifical
Academy Of Social Sciences
Pope Benedict XVI, May 3, 2008
584
A Message To Participants Attending The Conference On World
Food Security
Pope Benedict XVI, June 2, 2008
586
A Message For The 96th World Day Of Migrants And Refugees
Pope Benedict XVI, August 24, 2008
589
A Message On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope Benedict XVI, October 13, 2008
593
Caritas In Veritate
Pope Benedict XVI, 2009
595
A Message On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope Benedict XVI, October 16, 2009
600
A Message For The 96th World Day Of Migrants And Refugees
Pope Benedict XVI, October 16, 2009
601
An Address To The World Summit On Food Security
Pope Benedict XVI, November 16, 2009
603
A Message For The Celebration Of The World Day Of Peace
Pope Benedict XVI, January 1, 2010
608
An Address To The Members Of The Diplomatic Corps
Pope Benedict XVI, January 10, 2010
616
xxi
Excerpts From Rerum Novarum
Pope Leo XIII, 1891
In protecting the rights of private individuals, however, special
consideration must be given to the weak and the poor. For the nation, as
it were, of the rich, is guarded by its own defenses and is in less need of
governmental protection, whereas the suffering multitude, without the
means to protect itself, relies especially on the protection of the State.
Wherefore, since wage workers are numbered among the great mass of
the needy, the State must include them under its special care and
foresight.
Labor which is too long and too hard and the belief that pay is inadequate
not infrequently give workers cause to strike and become voluntarily idle.
This evil, which is frequent and serious, ought to be remedied by public
authority, because such interruption of work inflicts damage not only
upon employers and upon the workers themselves, but also injures trade
and commerce and the general interests of the State.
The following duties . . . concern rich men and employers: Workers are
not to be treated as slaves; justice demands that the dignity of human
personality be respected in them ... gainful occupations are not a mark of
shame to man, but rather of respect, as they provide him with an
honorable means of supporting life. It is shameful and inhuman,
however, to use men as things for gain and to put no more value on them
than what they are worth in muscle and energy.
If the question be asked: How ought man to use his possessions? the
Church replies without hesitation: "As to this point, man ought not regard
external goods as his own, but as common so that, in fact, a person
should readily share them when he sees others in need. No one,
certainly, is obliged to assist others out of what is required for his own
necessary use or for that of his family, . . . But when the demands of
necessity and propriety have been met, it is a duty to give to the poor out
of that which remains.
When men know they are working on what belongs to them, they work
with far greater eagerness and diligence. Nay, in a word, they learn to
love the land cultivated by their own hands, whence they look not only
1
for food but for some measure of abundance for themselves and their
dependents.
The oppressed workers, above all, ought to be liberated from the
savagery of greedy men, who inordinately use human beings as things for
gain. Assuredly, neither justice nor humanity can countenance the
exaction of so much work that the spirit is dulled from excessive toil and
that along with it the body sinks crushed from exhaustion. The working
energy of a man, like his entire nature, is circumscribed by definite limits
beyond which it cannot go.
Equity therefore commands that public authority show proper concern for
the worker so that from what he contributes to the common good he may
receive what will enable him, housed, clothed, and secure, to live his life
without hardship. Whence, it follows that all those measures ought to be
favored which seem in any way capable of benefiting the condition of
workers. Such solicitude is so far from injuring anyone, that it is destined
rather to benefit all, because it is of absolute interest to the State that
those citizens should not be miserable in every respect from whom such
necessary goods proceed.
If, therefore, any injury has been done to or threatens either the common
good or the interests of individual groups, which injury cannot in any
other way be repaired or prevented, it is necessary for public authority to
intervene.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Singulari Quadam
Pope Pius X, September 24, 1902
Concerning workingmen's associations, even though their purpose is to
obtain earthly advantages for their members, nonetheless those
associations are to be most approved and considered as most useful for
the genuine and permanent advantage of their members which are
established chiefly on the foundation of the Catholic religion and openly
follow the directives of the Church. We have repeated this declaration on
several previous occasions in answer to question from various countries.
2
We therefore lavish praise upon each and every one of the strictly
Catholic workingmen's associations existing in Germany. We wish them
every success in all their endeavors on behalf of the laboring people,
hoping they will enjoy a constant increase. However, in saying this We
do not deny that Catholics, in their efforts to improve the workers' living
conditions, more equitable distribution of wages, and other justified
advantages, have a right, provided they exercise due caution, to
collaborate with non-Catholics for the common good. For such a purpose,
however, We would rather see Catholic and non-Catholic associations
unite their forces through that new and timely institution known as the
cartel.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Quadragesimo Anno
Pope Pius XI, 1931
The function of the rulers of the State is to watch over the community
and its parts; but in protecting private individuals in their rights, chief
consideration ought to be given to the weak and the poor.
Every effort must therefore be made that fathers of families receive a
wage large enough to meet ordinary family needs adequately. But if this
cannot always be done under existing circumstances, social justice
demands that changes be introduced as soon as possible whereby such a
wage will be assured to every adult workingman.
...the right ordering of economic life cannot be left to a free competition
of forces. For from this source, as from a poisoned spring, have
originated and spread all the errors of individualist economic teaching. ...
it held that economic life must be considered and treated as altogether
free from and independent of public authority, because in the market, i.e.,
in the free struggle of competitors, it would have a principle of self
direction which governs it much more perfectly than would the
intervention of any created intellect. But free competition, while justified
and certainly useful provided it is kept within certain limits, clearly
cannot direct economic life.
3
The riches that economic-social developments constantly increase ought
to be so distributed among individual persons and classes that ... the
common good of all society will be kept inviolate.
It follows from the twofold character of ownership, which we have
termed individual and social, that men must take into account in this
matter not only their own advantage but also the common good.
This concentration of power and might, the characteristic mark of
contemporary economic life, is the fruit that the unlimited freedom of
struggle among competitors has of its own nature produced, and which
lets only the strongest survive; and this is often the same as saying, those
who fight the most violently, those who give least heed to their
conscience.
Unbridled ambition for power has succeeded greed for gain; all economic
life has become tragically hard, inexorable, and cruel.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Nova Impendet
Pope Pius XI, 1931
A new scourge threatens - indeed, it has already in large measure smitten
- the flock entrusted to Us. It strikes most heavily at those who are the
most tender and are Our most dearly beloved; upon the children, the
proletariat, the artisans and the "have-nots." We are speaking of the grave
financial crisis which weighs down the peoples and is accelerating in
every land the frightful increase of Unemployment. We behold
multitudes of honest workers condemned to idleness and want, when all
they desire is opportunity to earn for themselves and their families that
daily bread which the divine command bids them ask of their Father Who
is in heaven. Their cry is in Our ears; and it moves Us to repeat, with the
same tenderness and pity, those words which broke from the most loving
Heart of the Divine Master when He beheld the crowd fainting with
hunger: "I have compassion on the multitude" (Mark viii, 2).
More vehement still becomes Our commiseration as we gaze at the
multitude of little children who "ask for bread when there is no one to
break it for them" (Jer. Thren. iv, 4). These little ones, in their innocence,
are bearing the worst of the burden. Squalid and wretched,[2] they are
4
condemned to watch the vanishing of the joys proper to their age, and to
have their rightful laughter hushed upon their young lips as they gaze
with bewilderment around them.
Winter draws on apace, with all its train of those sufferings and
privations which cold weather inflicts upon the poor, and especially upon
their young children. There is every reason to fear that the plague of
Unemployment, which We have already mentioned, will worsen, to such
an extent that poverty may push - though God forbid it!-many a misery stricken household to exasperation.
These things Our fatherly heart cannot behold without anxiety.
Therefore, as Our predecessors have done in like circumstances,
especially Our immediate predecessor, Benedict XV, of holy memory,
We raise Our voice and direct Our appeal to all those in whom Faith and
Christian charity are lively. Our call is to a Crusade of charity and of
succor which, by caring for bodies and comforting souls, will bring to
pass a re-birth of quiet confidence, will put to flight the deadly counsels
which misery engenders, and will quench the flames of hate and passion
putting in their place the ardors of love and of concern to the end that the
peoples, linked in the noble bond of peace, may move forward towards
individual and collective prosperity.
It is then to a Crusade of piety and of love - and no doubt, of sacrifices
also - that We rally all the sons of the one Father, all the members of the
one great family, which is the family of God Himself. It belongs to the
sons and to those members of the one family to share not only in the
common joys, but also in the common sorrows.
To this Crusade We summon all, as to a sacred duty. For Charity is a
formal commandment of the evangelical law which Jesus Himself
proclaimed as the first and greatest commandment, including and
summing up all the others. In days of War and of implacable hatreds, Our
immediate predecessor so strongly and so often inculcated Charity that it
became the mark of his pontificate. And now We also would put all men
in mind of the same most gentle precept: not only because it is the
supreme duty, embodying all other precepts of the New Law, but also
because it is the highest ideal which can be set before generous souls,
desirous of attaining to Christian perfection.
5
We believe, without many words, that only this generosity from the heart,
only this fervor of Christian souls eagerly expressing itself in selfsacrificing devotion to the brethren (especially to those most in need,
such as the multitude of innocent children) will succeed, by a grand and
unanimous effort, in overcoming the grave difficulties of the present
hour.
As an effect of rivalry between peoples there is an insensate competition
in armaments which, in its turn, becomes the cause of enormous
expenditure, diverting large sums of money from the public welfare; and
this makes the present crisis more acute. Therefore We cannot refrain
from renewing and from making Our own the solemn warnings of Our
predecessor (Adhortatio Des le. debut, 1 Aug., 1917) which have, alas!
not been heeded, as well as Our own words (Alloc. die 24, Dec., 1930:
Litt. Aut. Con vivo piacere, 7 Apr., 1922), We exhort you all, Venerable
Brethren, to busy yourselves with the work of enlightening public
opinion in this matter, by all the means at your disposal, including both
pulpit and press, so that the hearts of men may be turned towards the
dictates of right reason, and, still more, to the laws of Christ.
It rejoices Us to think that each of you will become a confluence of the
charity and generosity flowing in from your faithful children, and that
you will become also the centrs from which the alms offered to you will
be distributed. In dioceses where this will be more convenient We see no
objection to your joining forces with your respective Metropolitans, or
even with some charitable organization which has given proof of its
efficiency and enjoys your confidence.
But, seeing that mere human effort is insufficient without the aid of
divine grace, let all of us send up fervent prayers to the Author of All
Good, so that He, in His infinite pity, may shorten this time of tribulation.
And especially let us pray for those of our brethren who are in distress,
and let us repeat with more earnestness than ever before the prayer which
Jesus Himself has taught us: "Give us this day our daily bread."
Let all of us remember, as a spur and as a consolation, that the Divine
Redeemer will cherish what we do for His poor as if we have done it for
Himself (Matt. xxv. 40), and that, according to another of His comforting
words, to receive a little child for the love of Jesus is the same as
receiving Jesus Himself (Matt. xviii, 5).
6
The Feast which the Church keeps today recalls to Us, as a fitting end to
these Our exhortations, those moving words of Jesus Who, after having
(as St. John Chrysostom expresses it) built up impregnable ramparts
around the souls of the little ones, added: "See that you despise not one of
these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven behold
always the face of my Father Who is in heaven" (Matt. xviii, 10).
Assuredly, those will be the selfsame angels who, in heaven, will present
to the Lord all the acts of charity wrought by generous hearts on behalf of
little children, and they, in their turn, will obtain abundant blessings for
those who have spent themselves in so holy a cause.
Soon will be celebrated the annual solemnities of Christ the King, Whose
reign and Whose peace We have heralded and prayed for from the outset
of Our pontificate. It seems to Us that it will be timely to prepare for the
Feast by solemn tridua in the parish churches, whereby to implore from
the God of Mercies celestial counsels and the gifts of peace. In pledge
thereof We send to you, Venerable Brethren, as well as to all who shall
respond to Our appeal, the Apostolic Blessing.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Firmissiman Constantiam
Pope Pius XI, 1937
If you truly love the laborer (and you must love him because his
conditions of life approach nearer to those of the Divine Master), you
must assist him materially and religiously. Materially, bringing about in
his favor the practice not only of commutative justice but also of social
justice, that is, all those provisions which aim at relieving the condition
of the proletarian; and then, religiously, giving him again the religious
comforts without which he will struggle in a materialism that brutalizes
him and degrades him.
No less grave and no less urgent is another duty: that of the religious and
economic assistance of the campesinos (peasants), and in general of that
not small portion of your sons forming the population, mostly
agricultural, of the Indians. There are millions of souls, they too
redeemed by Christ, entrusted by Him to your care and for whom He will
some day ask you to render an account; there are millions of individual
men often in such sad and miserable living conditions that they have not
7
even that minimum of well-being indispensable to protect their very
dignity as men. We conjure you, Venerable Brethren, in the bosom of the
charity of Christ to have particular care for these children, to encourage
your clergy to devote themselves with ever-increasing zeal to their
assistance, and to interest the whole Mexican Catholic Action in this
work of moral and material redemption.
Nor can We fail to mention a duty which in these recent times is ever
increasing in importance: the assistance for Mexicans who have
emigrated to other countries, who, torn away from their country and their
traditions, more easily become prey to the insidious propaganda of the
emissaries seeking to induce them to apostatize from their Faith. An
arrangement with your zealous confreres of the United States of America
will bring about a more diligent and organized care on the part of the
local clergy and will assure for the Mexican emigrants those social and
economic provisions which are so well developed in the Church in the
United States.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Divini Redemptoris
Pope Pius XI, 1937
The rich should not place their happiness in things of earth nor spend
their best efforts in the acquisition of them. Rather, considering
themselves only as stewards of their earthly goods, let them be mindful
of the account they must render of them to their Lord and Master, and
value them as precious means that God has put into their hands for doing
good; let them not fail, besides, to distribute of their abundance to the
poor, according to the evangelical precept. Otherwise there shall be
verified of them and their riches the harsh condemnation of St. James the
Apostle: "Go to now, ye rich men; weep and howl in your miseries which
shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are
moth-eaten; your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall
be for a testimony against you and shall eat your flesh like fire. You have
stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days. . ."
But when on the one hand We see thousands of the needy, victims of real
misery for various reasons beyond their control, and on the other so many
round about them who spend huge sums of money on useless things and
8
frivolous amusement, We cannot fail to remark with sorrow not only that
justice is poorly observed, but that the precept of charity also is not
sufficiently appreciated, is not a vital thing in daily life. We desire
therefore, Venerable Brethren, that this divine precept, this precious mark
of identification left by Christ to His true disciples, be ever more fully
explained by pen and word of mouth; this precept which teaches us to see
in those who suffer Christ Himself, and would have us love our brothers
as Our Divine Savior has loved us, that is, even at the sacrifice of
ourselves, and, if need be, of our very life. Let all then frequently
meditate on those words of the final sentence, so consoling yet so
terrifying, which the Supreme Judge will pronounce on the day of the
Last Judgment: "Come, ye blessed of my Father . . . for I was hungry and
you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink . . . Amen, I
say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren you did
it to me." And the reverse: "Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting
fire . . . for I was hungry and you gave me not to eat; I was thirsty and
you gave me not to drink . . . Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it not
to one of these least. Neither did you do it to me."
To be sure of eternal life, therefore, and to be able to help the poor
effectively, it is imperative to return to a more moderate way of life, to
renounce the joys, often sinful, which the world today holds out in such
abundance; to forget self for love of the neighbor. There is a divine
regenerating force in this "new precept" (as Christ called it) of Christian
charity. Its faithful observance will pour into the heart an inner peace
which the world knows not, and will finally cure the ills which oppress
humanity.
But charity will never be true charity unless it takes justice into constant
account. The Apostle teaches that "he that loveth his neighbor hath
fulfilled the law" and he gives the reason: "For, Thou shalt not commit
adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal . . . and if there be any
other commandment, it is comprised in this word: Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself."
According to the Apostle, then, all the
commandments, including those which are of strict justice, as those
which forbid us to kill or to steal, may be reduced to the single precept of
true charity. From this it follows that a "charity" which deprives the
workingman of the salary to which he has a strict title in justice, is not
charity at all, but only its empty name and hollow semblance. The wageearner is not to receive as alms what is his due in justice. And let no one
9
attempt with trifling charitable donations to exempt himself from the
great duties imposed by justice. Both justice and charity often dictate
obligations touching on the same subject-matter, but under different
aspects; and the very dignity of the workingman makes him justly and
acutely sensitive to the duties of others in his regard.
Therefore, we turn again in a special way to you, Christian employers
and industrialists, whose problem is often so difficult for the reason that
you are saddled with the heavy heritage of an unjust economic regime
whose ruinous influence has been felt through many generations. We bid
you be mindful of your responsibility. It is unfortunately true that the
manner of acting in certain Catholic circles has done much to shake the
faith of the working-classes in the religion of Jesus Christ. These groups
have refused to understand that Christian charity demands the recognition
of certain rights due to the workingman, which the Church has explicitly
acknowledged. What is to be thought of the action of those Catholic
employers who in one place succeeded in preventing the reading of Our
Encyclical Quadragesimo Anno in their local churches? Or of those
Catholic industrialists who even to this day have shown themselves
hostile to a labor movement that We Ourselves recommended? Is it not
deplorable that the right of private property defended by the Church
should so often have been used as a weapon to defraud the workingman
of his just salary and his social rights?
In reality, besides commutative justice, there is also social justice with its
own set obligations, from which neither employers nor workingmen can
escape. Now it is of the very essence of social justice to demand for each
individual all that is necessary for the common good. But just as in the
living organism it is impossible to provide for the good of the whole
unless each single part and each individual member is given what it needs
for the exercise of its proper functions, so it is impossible to care for the
social organism and the good of society as a unit unless each single part
and each individual member - that is to say, each individual man in the
dignity of his human personality - is supplied with all that is necessary
for the exercise of his social functions. If social justice be satisfied, the
result will be an intense activity in economic life as a whole, pursued in
tranquility and order. This activity will be proof of the health of the social
body, just as the health of the human body is recognized in the
undisturbed regularity and perfect efficiency of the whole organism.
10
But social justice cannot be said to have been satisfied as long as
workingmen are denied a salary that will enable them to secure proper
sustenance for themselves and for their families; as long as they are
denied the opportunity of acquiring a modest fortune and forestalling the
plague of universal pauperism; as long as they cannot make suitable
provision through public or private insurance for old age, for periods of
illness and unemployment. In a word, to repeat what has been said in Our
Encyclical Quadragesimo Anno: "Then only will the economic and social
order be soundly established and attain its ends, when it offers, to all and
to each, all those goods which the wealth and resources of nature,
technical science and the corporate organization of social affairs can give.
These goods should be sufficient to supply all necessities and reasonable
comforts, and to uplift men to that higher standard of life which, provided
it be used with prudence, is not only not a hindrance but is of singular
help to virtue."
It happens all too frequently, however, under the salary system, that
individual employers are helpless to ensure justice unless, with a view to
its practice, they organize institutions the object of which is to prevent
competition incompatible with fair treatment for the workers. Where this
is true, it is the duty of contractors and employers to support and promote
such necessary organizations as normal instruments enabling them to
fulfill their obligations of justice. But the laborers too must be mindful of
their duty to love and deal fairly with their employers, and persuade
themselves that there is no better means of safeguarding their own
interests.
If, therefore, we consider the whole structure of economic life, as we
have already pointed out in Our Encyclical Quadragesimo Anno, the
reign of mutual collaboration between justice and charity in socialeconomic relations can only be achieved by a body of professional and
inter professional organizations, built on solidly Christian foundations,
working together to effect, under forms adapted to different places and
circumstances, what has been called the Corporation .
To give to this social activity a greater efficacy, it is necessary to promote
a wider study of social problems in the light of the doctrine of the Church
and under the aegis of her constituted authority. If the manner of acting
of some Catholics in the social-economic field has left much to be
desired, this has often come about because they have not known and
11
pondered sufficiently the teachings of the Sovereign Pontiffs on these
questions. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to foster in all classes
of society an intensive program of social education adapted to the
varying degrees of intellectual culture. It is necessary with all care and
diligence to procure the widest possible diffusion of the teachings of the
Church, even among the working-classes. The minds of men must be
illuminated with the sure light of Catholic teaching, and their wills must
be drawn to follow and apply it as the norm of right living in the
conscientious fulfillment of their manifold social duties. Thus they will
oppose that incoherence and discontinuity in Christian life which We
have many times lamented. For there are some who, while exteriorly
faithful to the practice of their religion, yet in the field of labor and
industry, in the professions, trade and business, permit a deplorable
cleavage in their conscience, and live a life too little in conformity with
the clear principles of justice and Christian charity. Such lives are a
scandal to the weak, and to the malicious a pretext to discredit the
Church.
It must likewise be the special care of the State to create those material
conditions of life without which an orderly society cannot exist. The
State must take every measure necessary to supply employment,
particularly for the heads of families and for the young. To achieve this
end demanded by the pressing needs of the common welfare, the wealthy
classes must be induced to assume those burdens without which human
society cannot be saved nor they themselves remain secure. However,
measures taken by the State with this end in view ought to be of such a
nature that they will really affect those who actually possess more than
their share of capital resources, and who continue to accumulate them to
the grievous detriment of others.
The State itself, mindful of its responsibility before God and society,
should be a model of prudence and sobriety in the administration of the
commonwealth. Today more than ever the acute world crisis demands
that those who dispose of immense funds, built up on the sweat and toil
of millions, keep constantly and singly in mind the common good. State
functionaries and all employees are obliged in conscience to perform
their duties faithfully and unselfishly, imitating the brilliant example of
distinguished men of the past and of our own day, who with unremitting
labor sacrificed their all for the good of their country. In international
trade-relations let all means be sedulously employed for the removal of
12
those artificial barriers to economic life which are the effects of distrust
and hatred. All must remember that the peoples of the earth form but one
family in God.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Optatissima Pax
Pope Pius XII, 1947
The crisis is most serious indeed. Remedies must be found, and found
without further delay. On the one hand the economic system of many
nations, as a result of fabulous military expenditures and enormous
destruction wrought by the war, has been dislocated and weakened to
such an extent as to be powerless to meet the problems with which it is
faced, and to provide the materials for appropriate constructive
enterprise, where work might be available for the unemployed who now
must live their lives in forced and fruitless idleness. On the other hand
there is no lack of those who, sad to say, embitter and exploit the working
man in his distress, following a secret and astute plan, and thus obstruct
the heroic efforts which the forces of justice and order are making to
rebuild scattered fortunes.
But everyone must come to realize that lost wealth will not be recovered,
or present wealth secured, by discord, public tumult, fratricide. This
result can be achieved only by working together in harmony, by
cooperation, by peaceful labor.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Evangelii Praecones
Pope Pius XII, 1951
The Church cannot ignore or overlook the fact that the worker, in his
efforts to better his lot, is opposed by a machinery which is not only not
in accordance with nature, but is at variance with God's plan and with the
purpose He had in creating the goods of the earth. In spite of the fact that
the ways they followed are false and to be condemned, what Christian,
and especially what priest, could remain deaf to the heartfelt cries that
call for justice and a spirit of brotherly collaboration in a world made by
a just God? Such silence would be culpable and unjustifiable before God,
13
and contrary to the inspired teaching of the Apostle, who, while he
inculcates the need of resolution in the fight against error, also knows
that we must be full of sympathy for those who err, and give due
consideration to their arguments, encourage and help them. . . The
dignity of the human person then, speaking generally, requires as a
natural foundation of life the right to the use of the goods of the earth. To
this right corresponds the fundamental obligation to grant private
ownership of property, if possible, to all. Positive legislation, regulating
private ownership may change and more or less restrict its use. But if
legislation is to play its part in the pacification of the community, it must
see to it that the worker, who is or will be the father of a family, is not
condemned to an economic dependence and servitude which is
irreconcilable with his rights as a person.
"Whether this servitude arises from the exploitation of private capital or
from state absolutism, the result is the same. Indeed, under the pressure
of a State which dominates all and controls the whole field of public and
private life, even going into the realm of personal opinions, projects and
beliefs, the loss of liberty is so great that still more serious consequences
can follow, as experience proves."
Excerpts From Ad Petri Cathedram
Pope John XXIII, 1959
God created men as brothers, not foes. He gave them the earth to be
cultivated by their toil and labor. Each and every man is to enjoy the
fruits of the earth and receive from it his sustenance and the necessities of
life. The various nations are simply communities of men, that is, of
brothers. They are to work in brotherly cooperation for the common
prosperity of human society, not simply for their own particular goals.
There is still too much disparity in the possession of material goods, too
much reason for hostility among various groups, because of opinions on
the right to property (opinions sometimes unsound, sometimes not
entirely just) held by those who desire unfair advantages and benefits for
themselves.
14
There is also the threat of unemployment, a source of anxiety and
unhappiness for many men. And this problem can entail even greater
difficulties today, when men are being replaced by all sorts of advanced
machines. Of this kind of unemployment, Our predecessor of happy
memory, Pius XI, uttered this complaint: "There are," he said, "honest
working men almost beyond number who want only an opportunity to
earn by honest means that daily bread for which, by divine command, we
entreat our Father in heaven. But, instead, they are reduced to idleness
and, along with their families, reach the very depths of privation. Their
unhappiness touches Our heart; We are constrained to take pity and to
repeat the merciful words that came from the heart of our Divine Master
when He saw the multitude languishing in hunger: 'I have compassion on
the crowd' (Mark 8.2)."(15)
Indeed, if we long hopefully—as we should—for the realization of this
mutual union among the classes of society, then we must do all that we
can to bring it about by public and private endeavor and cooperation in
courageous undertakings, that all men, even those of the lowest classes,
can obtain life's necessities by their toil and by the sweat of their brow,
and that they can provide, in an honorable manner and with some degree
of sureness, for their future and that of their families. In addition,
contemporary progress has made many conveniences an integral part of
everyday life; even the poorest citizens may not be excluded from the
enjoyment of these advantages.
Moreover, we earnestly exhort all those who have responsible positions
in the various areas of human endeavor and on whom the lot of the
workers and sometimes their very lives depend, not only that they pay the
just wages due to the labors of their workers or simply safeguard their
rights so far as wages are concerned, but also that they really consider
them as men, or rather, as brothers. And so they should see to it that in
some suitable way their employees are able to share more and more in
the fruits of their labor and come to regard themselves as partners in the
entire enterprise.
We give this counsel in order that the rights and duties of employers may
more and more be harmonized and reconciled with the rights and duties
of employees, and that the associations representing the interests of each
"will not seem like armies ready to make or repel attacks in such wise as
to make the enemy more resolute or to incite counterattack, or like a river
15
which engulfs every obstacle in its course; but like a bridge which joins
opposite shores."
Those citizens of straitened fortune who are dissatisfied with their very
difficult lot in life may be sure that We deeply regret their condition.
With respect to social matters: it is Our paternal desire that relations
among the various classes come under the guidance, control, and
direction of the Christian virtue of justice.
Anyone who considers without bias the opportunities and advantages
which have recently come to the working classes must admit that they are
in great part the result of persistent and effective social measures taken
by Catholics in accord with the wise directives and repeated exhortations
of Our predecessors. The social teachings of Christianity, then, contain
sure and sound principles which will make very adequate provision for
the rights of the lower classes if those who endeavor to defend these
rights only put those principles into practice.
We are also and equally concerned for the lot of those who are forced to
leave their native lands because they cannot earn a living there or because
of intolerable conditions and religious persecution. They must undergo
many inconveniences and hardships when they go from their native land
into foreign countries. Oftentimes, in crowded cities and amid the noise
of factories, they must lead a life very different from the one they once
knew.
At times, and this is more serious, they find themselves in an
environment that is hostile and hurtful to Christian virtue. In such
surroundings many are led into serious danger, and step by step turn
away from the wholesome way of life and the religious practices which
they learned from their elders. Since husbands are often separated from
their wives and parents from their children, the bonds and ties that hold
them together are stretched thin and serious injury is done to the family.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Mater et Magistra
Pope John XXIII, 1961
16
The economic prosperity of any people is to be assessed not so much
from the sum total of goods and wealth possessed as from the distribution
of goods according to norms of justice.
It is necessary that public authorities have a correct understanding of the
common good. This embraces the sum total of those conditions of social
living, whereby people are enabled more fully and more readily to
achieve their own perfection.
One may not take as the ultimate criteria in economic life the interests of
individuals or organized groups, nor unregulated competition, nor
excessive power on the part of the wealthy, nor the vain honor of the
nation or its desire for domination, nor anything of this sort. Rather, it is
necessary that economic undertaking be governed by justice and charity
as the principal laws of social life.
The remuneration of work is not something that can be left to the laws of
the marketplace; nor should it be a decision left to the will of the more
powerful. It must be determined in accordance with justice and equity;
which means that workers must be paid a wage which allows them to live
a truly human life and to fulfill their family obligations in a worthy
manner.
... the principle laid down by our predecessor of happy memory, Pius XI,
in the Encyclical Letter Quadragesima Anno, should be borne in mind:
"It is totally false to ascribe to a single factor of production what is in fact
produced by joint activity; and it is completely unjust for one factor to
arrogate to itself what is produced, ignoring what has been contributed by
other factors."
If the organization and structure of economic life be such that the human
dignity of workers is compromised, or their sense of responsibility is
weakened, or their freedom of action is removed, then we judge such an
economic order to be unjust, even though it produces a vast amount of
goods, whose distribution conforms to the norms of justice and equity.
It is not enough merely to formulate a social doctrine. It must be
translated into reality. And this is particularly true of the Church's social
doctrine, the light of which is Truth, Justice its objective, and Love its
driving force.
17
It is therefore our urgent desire that this doctrine be studied more and
more. First of all it should be taught as part of the daily curriculum in
Catholic schools of every kind, particularly seminaries, .... We would
also like to see it added to the religious instruction programs of parishes
.... it must be spread by every modern means at our disposal: daily
newspapers, periodicals, popular and scientific publications, radio and
television.
We must reaffirm most strongly that this Catholic social doctrine is an
integral part of the Christian conception of life.
As for the State, its whole raison d'etre is the realization of the common
good in the temporal order. It cannot, therefore, hold aloof from
economic matters. On the contrary, it must do all in its power to promote
the production of a sufficient supply of material goods, "the use of which
is necessary for the practice of virtue."
It has also the duty to protect the rights of all of its people, and
particularly of its weaker members, the workers, women and children. It
can never be right for the State to shirk its obligation of working actively
for the betterment of the condition of the workingman.
It is especially desirable today that workers gradually come to share in
the ownership of their company, by ways and in the manner that seem
most suitable.
The solidarity which binds all people together as members of a common
family makes it impossible for wealthy nations to look with indifference
upon the hunger, misery and poverty of other nations whose citizens are
unable to enjoy even elementary human rights. The nations of the world
are becoming more and more dependent on one another and it will not be
possible to preserve a lasting peace so long as glaring economic and
social imbalances persist.
Our predecessors have always taught that in the right of private property
there is rooted a social responsibility.
As Our Predecessor Pius XII so rightly affirmed: The dignity of the
human person "normally demands the right to the use of the goods of the
earth, to which corresponds the fundamental obligation of granting an
opportunity to possess property to all if possible." This demand arises
18
from the moral dignity of work. It also guarantees "the conservation and
perfection of a social order which makes possible a secure, even if
modest, property to all classes of people."
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Pacem in Terris
Pope John XXIII, 1963
Beginning our discussion of the rights of man, we see that every person
has the right to life, to bodily integrity, and to the means which are
suitable for the proper development of life; these are primarily food,
clothing, shelter, rest, medical care, and finally the necessary social
services. Therefore a human being also has the right to security in cases
of sickness, inability to work, widowhood, old age, unemployment, or in
any other case in which one is deprived of the means of subsistence
through no fault of one's own.
There is a social duty essentially inherent in the right of private property.
It is not enough, for example, to acknowledge and respect every man's
right to the means of subsistence if we do not strive to the best of our
ability for a sufficient supply of what is necessary for his sustenance.
This statement of St. Augustine seems to be very apt in this regard:
"What are kingdoms without justice but large bands of robbers."
Furthermore--and this must be specially emphasized--the worker has a
right to a wage determined according to criterions of justice, and
sufficient, therefore, a proportion to the available resources, to give
workers and their families a standard of living in keeping with the dignity
of the human person.
Since women are becoming ever more conscious of their human dignity,
they will not tolerate being treated as mere material instruments, but
demand rights befitting a human person both in domestic and in public
life.
The government should make similarly effective efforts to see that those
who are able to work can find employment in keeping with their
19
aptitudes, and that each worker receives a wage in keeping with the laws
of justice and equity. It should be equally the concern of civil authorities
to ensure that workers be allowed their proper responsibility in the work
undertaken in industrial organization, and to facilitate the establishment
of intermediate groups which will make social life richer and more
effective.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Gaudium et Spes
Second Vatican Council, 1965
The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this
age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the
joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ.
It is imperative that no one, out of indifference to the course of events or
because of inertia, would indulge in a merely individualistic morality.
The best way to fulfil one's obligations of justice and love is to contribute
to the common good according to one's means and the needs of others,
and also to promote and help public and private organizations devoted to
bettering the conditions of life.
The fact that human beings are social by nature indicates that the
betterment of the person and the improvement of society depend on each
other. Insofar as humanity by its very nature stands completely in need of
life in society, it is and it ought to be the beginning, the subject and the
object of every social organization. Life in society is not something
accessory to humanity: through their dealings with others, through
mutual service, and through fraternal and sororal dialogue, men and
women develop all their talents and become able to rise to their destiny.
All must consider it their sacred duty to count social obligations among
their chief duties today and observe them as such. For the more closely
the world comes together, the more widely do people's obligations
transcend particular groups and extend to the whole world. This will be
realized only if individuals and groups practice moral and social virtues
and foster them in social living. Then, under the necessary help of divine
grace, there will arise a generation of new women and men, the molders
of a new humanity.
20
For excessive economic and social differences between the members of
the one human family or population groups cause scandal, and militate
against social justice, equity, the dignity of the human person, as well as
social and international peace.
Therefore everyone has the right to possess a sufficient amount of the
earth's goods for themselves and their family. This has been the opinion
of the Fathers and Doctors of the church, who taught that people are
bound to come to the aid of the poor and to do so not merely out of their
superfluous goods. Persons in extreme necessity are entitled to take what
they need from the riches of others. Faced with a world today where so
many people are suffering from want, the council asks individuals and
governments to remember the saying of the Fathers: "Feed the people
dying of hunger, because if you do not feed them you are killing them,"
and it urges them according to their ability to share and dispose of their
goods to help others, above all by giving them aid which will enable
them to help and develop themselves.
Excessive economic and social disparity between individuals and peoples
of the one human race is a source of scandal and militates against social
justice, equity, human dignity, as well as social and international peace.
The common good embraces the sum total of all those conditions of
social life which enable individuals, families, and organizations to
achieve complete and effective fulfillment.
This Council lays stress on reverence for the human person; all people
must consider their every neighbor without exception as another self,
taking into account, first of all, life and the means necessary to living it
with dignity, so as not to imitate the rich man who had no concern for the
poor man Lazarus.
Whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions,
arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of
women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions, where
men are treated as mere tools for profit, rather than as free and
responsible persons; all these things and others of their like are infamies
indeed. They poison human society, but they do more harm to those who
practice them than those who suffer from the injury.
21
The social order and its development must constantly yield to the good of
the person, since the order of things must be subordinate to the order of
persons and not the other way around.... The social order requires
constant improvement; it must be founded in truth, built on justice, and
enlivened by love: it should grow in freedom towards a more humane
equilibrium. If these objectives are to be attained there will first have to
be a renewal of attitudes and far-reaching social changes.
Furthermore, the state has the duty to prevent people from abusing their
private property to the detriment of the common good. By its nature
private property has a social dimension which is based on the law of the
common destination of earthly goods. Whenever the social aspect is
forgotten, ownership can often become the object of greed and a source
of serious disorder, and its opponents easily find a pretext for calling the
right itself into question.
To satisfy the demands of justice and equity, strenuous efforts must be
made, without disregarding the rights of persons or the natural qualities
of each country, to remove as quickly as possible the immense economic
inequalities, which now exist and in many cases are growing and which
are connected with individual and social discrimination.
By its very nature private property has a social quality which is based in
the law of the common destination of earthly goods. If this social quality
is overlooked, property often becomes an occasion of a passionate desire
for wealth and serious disturbances, so that a pretext is given to those
who attack private property for calling the right itself into question.
The fundamental purpose of this productivity must not be the mere
multiplication of products. It must not be profit or domination. Rather, it
must be the service of the human person, and indeed of the whole person,
viewed in terms of one's material needs and the demands of one's
intellectual, moral spiritual, and religious life. And when we say human
person, we mean every person whatsoever and every group of people, of
whatever race and from whatever part of the world.
Consequently, economic activity is to be carried out according to its own
methods and laws but within the limits of morality, so that God's plan for
humanity can be realized.
22
Christians must be conscious of their specific and proper role in the
political community; they should be a shining example by their sense of
responsibility and their dedication to the common good; they should
show in practice how authority can be reconciled with freedom, personal
initiative with solidarity and the needs of the social framework as a
whole, and the advantages of unity with the benefits of diversity.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Populorum Progressio
Pope Paul VI, 1967
Private property does not constitute for anyone an absolute or
unconditioned right. No one is justified in keeping for his exclusive use
what he does not need, when others lack necessities.... The right to
property must never be exercised to the detriment of the common good.
"If someone who has the riches of this world sees his brother in need and
closes his heart to him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 Jn
3:17). It is well known how strong were the words used by the Fathers of
the Church to describe the proper attitude of persons who possess
anything towards persons in need. To quote Saint Ambrose: "You are not
making a gift of your possessions to the poor person. You are handing
over to him what is his. For what has been given in common for the use
of all, you have arrogated to yourself. The world is given to all, and not
only to the rich."
It is unfortunate that on these new conditions of society a system has
been constructed which considers profit as the key motive for economic
progress, competition as the supreme law of economics, and private
ownership of the means of production as an absolute right that has no
limits and carries no corresponding social obligation. This unchecked
liberalism leads to dictatorship rightly denounced by Pius XI as
producing "the international imperialism of money". One cannot
condemn such abuses too strongly by solemnly recalling once again that
the economy is at the service of man.
The struggle against destitution, though urgent and necessary, is not
enough. It is a question, rather, of building a world where every man, no
matter what his race, religion or nationality, can live a fully human life,
23
freed from servitude imposed on him by other men or by natural forces
over which he has not sufficient control; a world where freedom is not an
empty word and where the poor man Lazarus can sit down at the same
table with the rich man. This demands great generosity, much sacrifice
and unceasing effort on the part of the rich man. Let each one examine
his . . . conscience that conveys a new message for our times. Is he
prepared to support out of his own pocket works and undertakings
organized in favor of the most destitute? Is he ready to pay higher taxes
so that the public authorities can intensify their efforts in favor of
development? Is he ready to pay a higher price for imported goods so that
the producer may be more justly rewarded?
Both for nations and for individual men, avarice is the most evident form
of moral underdevelopment.
Today the principal fact that we must all recognize is that the social
question has become world-wide.
The present situation must be faced with courage and the injustices
linked with it must be fought against and overcome. Development
demands bold transformations, innovations that go deep. Urgent reforms
should be undertaken without delay. It is for each one to take his share in
them with generosity, particularly those whose education, position and
opportunities afford them wide scope for action.
Increased possession is not the ultimate goal of nations nor of
individuals. All growth is ambivalent. It is essential if people are to
develop as human beings, but in a way it imprisons them if they
considers it the supreme good, and it restricts their vision.
Individual initiative alone and the mere free play of competition could
never assure successful development. One must avoid the risk of
increasing still more the wealth of the rich and the dominion of the
strong, whilst leaving the poor in their misery and adding to the servitude
of the oppressed.
To seek to do more, know more and have more in order to be more: that
is what people aspire to now when a greater number of them are
condemned to live in conditions that make this lawful desire illusory.
24
The superfluous wealth of rich countries should be placed at the service
of poor nations. The rule which up to now held good for the benefit of
those nearest to us, must today be applied to all the needy of this world.
Besides, the rich will be the first to benefit as a result. Otherwise their
continued greed will certainly call down upon them the judgment of God
and the wrath of the poor, with consequences no one can foretell.
Economics and technology have no meaning except from the human
person whom they should serve. And the human person is only truly
human in as far as, master of one's own acts and judge of their worth, one
is author of one's own advancement, in keeping with the nature which
was given to human beings by the Creator.
The desire for necessities is legitimate, and work undertaken to obtain
them is a duty: If people will not work, neither let them eat. But the
acquiring of temporal goods can lead to greed, to the insatiable desire for
more, and can make increased power a tempting objective. Individuals,
families, and nations can be overcome by avarice, be they poor or rich,
and all can fall victim to a stifling materialism.
Peace cannot be limited to a mere absence of war, the result of an ever
precarious balance of forces. No, peace is something that is built up day
after day, in the pursuit of an order intended by God, which implies a
more perfect form of justice among people.
Development cannot be limited to mere economic growth. In order to be
authentic, it must be complete: integral, that is, it has to promote the good
of every person and of all humanity.
Individual initiative alone and the mere free play of competition could
never assure successful development. One must avoid the risk of
increasing still more the wealth of the rich and the dominion of the
strong, whilst leaving the poor in their misery and adding to the servitude
of the oppressed.
No one can remain indifferent to the lot of his brothers and sisters who
are still buried in wretchedness, and victims of insecurity, slaves of
ignorance. Like the heart of Christ, the heart of the Christian must
sympathize with this misery: "I have pity on this multitude".
If certain landed estates impede the, general prosperity because they are
extensive, unused or poorly used, or because they bring hardship to
25
peoples or are detrimental to the interests of the country, the common
good sometimes demands their expropriation.
Excessive economic, social and cultural inequalities among peoples
arouse tensions and conflicts, and are a danger to peace.
Every program made to increase production has, in the last analysis, no
other raison d'etre than the service of humanity. Such programs should
reduce inequalities, fight discriminations, free people from various types
of servitude and enable them to be the instrument of their own material
betterment, of their moral progress and of their spiritual growth.
There can be no progress towards the complete development of
individuals without the simultaneous development of all humanity in the
spirit of solidarity.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Commission On International
Development
Pope Paul VI, March 15, 1969
The purpose of this Commission is, in the Chairman’s words, to
“examine the progress and problems experienced in the field of
international aid and development assistance over the past twenty years
and to make recommendations on the best policies and methods to help
promote the economic growth of the developing world in the years to
come”.
We must thank you, Mr. Pearson, for having accepted the heavy but
challenging responsibility of presiding over this analysis and planning
which promises so much for the developing world, as we prepare for the
Second Development Decade. It is most appropriate that you, a former
President of the United Nations Assembly and winner of the Nobel Peace
Prize, should preside over this Commission, because “development is the
new name for peace”.
Our words of welcome come from Our heart; for since the beginning of
Our pontificate, We have constantly given Our fullest support to all
26
efforts, including those of the great inter-governmental organizations, to
achieve the full, integral development of men everywhere.
Indeed it was for this purpose that, responding to the request of the
bishops of the recent Council, we decreed the establishment of our own
Commission for Justice and Peace. To this Commission we have given
the task of “bringing to the whole of God’s People the full knowledge of
the part expected of them at the present time, so as to further the progress
of poorer peoples, to encourage social justice among nations, to offer to
less developed nations the means whereby they can further their own
progress” (Populorum progressio, 5).
We have encouraged this Commission to cooperate in every way with
such development efforts as you gentlemen represent, and, in particular,
to give its most serious attentions to the kind of report your own
Commission is preparing. Through the National Justice and Peace
Commissions the understanding and support of citizens will be aroused
on behalf of world cooperation for development.
So it is, We repeat, with great joy that We welcome and encourage your
strenuous efforts, for it is precisely men like yourselves whom We
address when We say in Our encyclical, Populorum progressio: “Finally,
we turn to all men of good will who believe that the way to peace lies in
the area of development. Delegates to international organizations,
government officials, gentlemen of the press, educators: all of you, each
in your own way, are the builders of a new world”.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Faithful Of The Village Of
Mengo
Pope Paul VI, August 1, 1969
In a village like this, everyone knows his neighbors, and all feel that they
are brothers. Each one works together for the common good, tills the
common land, celebrates common traditions. The work is hard, and the
reward is small; but the lot of those who go to the cities is much more
difficult and more dangerous.
27
Pope John said that workers on the land must never have an inferiority
complex or consider themselves less important (cf. Mater et Magistra, n.
126). He also said, however, that you must continue to ask for essential
services, such as roads, transportation, communications, drinking water,
housing, medical care, education, vocational training, religious assistance
and also recreation (ibid. n. 128). Great efforts are already being made in
this way, and We are happy that the Catholic Church has contributed, as
far as she is able, to village development and improvement. We Ourself
have instructed Our Commission on Justice and Peace to enter this
struggle, and to work for the betterment of your village communities and
your daily living.
Here, from your village, We proclaim to all Africa and the entire world
that rural Africa must be aided in developing its immense agricultural
possibilities; that the establishment of local industries must replace the
exploitation of raw materials; and that the African villager must be
helped to become, through concord and union with local and national
society, the master of his own destiny and development, given the
instruction necessary to undertake his personal responsibilities.
We desire for each one of you that dignity and justice which are proper to
the sons of God. Therefore, We summon the whole world to that
universal brotherhood under God, for which Our Lord Jesus Christ, and
your own Uganda Martyrs, gave their lives. To encourage you also to
give your lives, that is, your daily living and work, for your brothers, We
lovingly impart to you all Our Apostolic Blessing.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Parliament Of Uganda
Pope Paul VI, August 1, 1969
Have no fear of the Church; she honors you, she educates honest and
loyal citizens for you, she does not foment rivalries and divisions, she
seeks to promote healthy liberty, social justice, and peace. If she has any
preference at all, it is for the poor, for the education of little ones and of
the people, for the care of the suffering and abandoned (cf. Enc. Mater et
Magistra, Introd.; Gaudium et Spes, No. 42, 76, 88, etc.). The Church
does not make her faithful sons strangers to civil life and national
28
interests; on the contrary, she trains and engages them in the service of
the public good (cf. Gaudium et Spes, No. 75, etc.).
We wished to underline the fundamental aspiration of the Peoples of the
Third World to that justice to which they have full right, as much as
every other Nation; for development is truly an indisputable exigency of
justice. Neither colonialism nor neo-colonialism is its theme, but aid and
impulse to the African people, that they may be able to express, in their
proper genius and by their own strength, those political, social, economic
and cultural structures which are proportionate to their needs, and
coordinated with international society and modern civilization. Have no
fear of the Church! She takes nothing away from you; rather, she brings
you, together with her moral and practical support, what we believe to be
the only, the true, the highest interpretation of human life in time, and
beyond time - the Christian interpretation.
Moreover, in the question of colonialism and neo-colonialism still a
burning question in Africa - and both of which can be reproved for
having too often let economic interests prevail unilaterally over human
considerations, it is clear that the interested peoples have the right to
aspire to their own legitimate autonomy; nevertheless, in certain concrete
situations, the best method of attaining it will be the method - perhaps a
little slower, but surer - of first preparing men and institutions capable of
true sturdy self-government ; and We wish to believe that such
preparation will not only not be impeded, but will be favored, with due
order and in collaboration, by the responsible authorities, during a period
of symbiosis between the native populations and those of foreign origin,
in such a way that cultural, civil, and economic structures may be
formed, capable of making preparation, at every level of society, for
responsibility, and for the sense of the common good, in view of
accession to a true sovereignty, so as not to fall, on the other side, into the
snares of other insidious enslavements.
Excerpts From A Message For The Celebration Of The Day Of
Peace
Pope Paul VI, November 14, 1970
We see a continuation of, and in places an increase in, social, racial and
religious discrimination. We see a return of the old mentality; man seems
29
to entrench himself in situations of the past, first psychological and then
political. The demons of yesterday rise up again. The supremacy of
economic interests, with the all too easy exploitation of the weak, once
more returns; so does class hatred and class warfare, and thus is born
again international and civil strife. The struggle for national prestige and
political power is back; the inflexible conflict of opposing ambitions, and
of the rooted and uncompromising prejudices of races and ideologies has
returned; recourse is had to crime and violence, as a burning ideal,
heedless of the conflagration that may ensue. Peace is again thought of as
no more than a balance of mighty forces and of terrifying armaments.
Once again people feel a tremor of fear lest some catastrophic
imprudence might lead to incredible and uncontrollable holocausts. What
is happening? Where are we going? What has gone wrong? Or what has
been lacking? Must we resign ourselves to doubting that man is capable
of achieving a just and lasting peace, and to renouncing the task of
implanting into the education of the new generations the hope for, and
the mentality of, peace?
True peace must be founded upon justice, upon a sense of the intangible
dignity of man, upon the recognition of an abiding and happy equality
between men, upon the basic principle of human brotherhood, that is, of
the respect and love due to each man, because he is man. The victorious
word springs forth: because he is a brother. My brother, our brother.
This consciousness of a universal human brotherhood is also happily
developing in our world, at least in principle.
Whoever works to educate the rising generations in the conviction that
every man is our brother, is building from the foundation the edifice of
peace. Whoever implants in public opinion the sentiment of human
brotherhood without reserve, is preparing better days f or the world.
Whoever conceives of the protection of political interests without the
incitement of hate and of combat amongst men, as a logical and
indispensable necessity of social life, is opening to human society the
ever effective advancement of the common good. Whoever helps in
discovering in every man, beyond his physical, ethnic and racial
characteristics, the existence of a being equal to his own, is transforming
the earth from an epicenter of division, antagonism, treachery and
revenge into a field of vital work for civil collaboration. Where
brotherhood amongst men is at root disregarded, peace is at root
30
destroyed. And yet peace is the mirror of the real, authentic, modern
humanity, victorious over every anachronistic self-injury. Peace is the
great concept extolling love amongst men who discover that they are
brothers and decide to live as such.
This then is our message for the year 1971. It echoes, as a voice arising
anew from the conscience of civil society, the Declaration of Human
Rights: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards
one another in a spirit of brotherhood". This is the summit reached by the
teaching of civilization. Let us not turn back. Let us not lose the treasures
of this axiomatic conquest. Rather let us all give rational and resolute
attention to this formula, this goal of human progress: "Every man is my
brother". This is peace, in being and in the making. And it avails for all!
For us, brothers of faith in Christ, it is especially valid. To the human
wisdom, which, with great effort, has reached such an eminent and
difficult conclusion, we believers can add a needed support before all, the
support of certitude (for doubts of all kinds may besiege it, weaken it,
destroy it), that of our certitude in the divine word of Christ our Master,
as inscribed in his Gospel: "You are all brothers" (Mt 23: 8). We can
offer encouragement as to the possibility of applying it (for, in practical
reality, how difficult it is to be truly brothers to everybody!) We can do
this by turning to another of Christ's fundamental teachings, as to a
practical and standard rule of action: "Treat others as you would like
them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets" (Mt 7:
12). How philosophers and saints have meditated on this maxim, which
implants the universality of the precept of brotherhood into the individual
and positive actions of social morality! And so, finally, we are in a
position to provide the supreme argument: the concept of God's
Fatherhood over all men, proclaimed to all believers. A true brotherhood,
among men, to be authentic and binding, presupposes and demands a
transcendental Fatherhood overflowing with metaphysical love, with
supernatural charity. We can teach human brotherhood, that is peace, by
teaching men to acknowledge, to love, to invoke our Father in heaven.
We know that we shall find the way to God's altar barred if we have not
first removed the obstacle to reconciliation with our brother man (Mt 5.
23 ff., 6: 14-15). And we know that if we are Promoters of peace, then
we can be called sons of God, and be among those whom the Gospel
calls blessed (Mt 5: 9).
31
What strength, what fruitfulness, what confidence the Christian religion
bestows on the equation of brotherhood and peace. What joy it is for us
to find, at the meeting point of these two terms, the crossing of the paths
of our faith with those of the hopes of humanity and civilization.
Excerpts From Octogesima Adveniens
Pope Paul VI, 1971
In teaching us charity, the Gospel instructs us in the preferential respect
due the poor and the special situation they have in society: the more
fortunate should renounce some of their rights so as to place their goods
more generously at the service of others.
The Church directs her attention to these new poor - the handicapped and
the maladjusted, the old, different groups of those on the fringe of
society, in order to recognize them, help them, defend their place and
dignity in a society hardened by competition and the attraction of
success.
Progress... has become an omnipresent ideology. Yet a doubt arises today
regarding both its value and its result. What is the meaning of this neverending, breathless pursuit of a progress that always eludes one just when
one believes one has conquered it sufficiently in order to enjoy it in
peace?
While very large areas of the population are unable to satisfy their
primary needs, superfluous needs are ingeniously created. It can thus
rightly be asked if, in spite of all their conquests, people are not turning
back against themselves the results of their activity. Having rationally
endeavored to control nature, are they not now becoming the slave of the
objects which they make?
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Letter Establishing The Pontifical Council “Cor
Unum”
Pope Paul VI, July 15, 1971
We are also firmly convinced that we have a duty to remind all nations
that they are under the same obligation of mutual solidarity as are
32
individuals. As we recalled in our Encyclical, Populorum Progressio,
"the superfluous wealth of rich countries should be placed at the service
of poor nations" (n. 49; cf. nn. 48-49). This is demanded not only by the
obligation of social justice and of mutual solidarity between peoples but
above all by "the duty of universal charity - the effort to bring about a
world that is more human towards all men, where all will be able to give
and receive".
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Open World Conference On The
Role Of Agricultural Cooperatives In Economic And Social
Development
Pope Paul VI, May 25, 1972
We are pleased to welcome the participants in the Open World
Conference on the Role of Agricultural Co-operatives in Economic and
Social Development. We know that this is the first international event of
its kind and we are happy to express our solidarity with you. Your visit
indeed gives us the opportunity to state the importance which we
attribute to your work of promoting agricultural co-operatives.
This importance is based, first of all, on the remarkable way in which
such co-operatives respond to basic demands of human dignity. Man has
been called to active mastery of the world’s resources; we recall the
awesome words of the Creator to the first man and woman: “Be fruitful,
multiply, fill the earth and conquer it” (Gen. 1, 28). It is man’s destiny to
use not only his physical strength but also the genius of his mind and the
determination of his will to bring forth from the earth all that he needs in
order to live humanly. It is a part of man’s dignity to be, not a bystander,
but an active participant in social and economic life. Agricultural cooperatives enable farmers to take an active part in making the decisions
that affect their work and their lives.
But it is also a part of man’s dignity, indeed his right, to join freely with
others in the formation of associations. Man is essentially social, and his
development depends upon his co-operation and collaboration with
others. Individual initiative must be complemented by communal
enterprise. Agricultural co-operatives are in harmony with man’s right
and need to form associations. It is our hope that a growing sense of
33
solidarity will provide an ever stronger impetus towards the establishing
and strengthening of cooperatives. Our predecessor John XXIII linked
co-operatives with such an awareness; he wrote: “Rural workers should
feel a sense of solidarity with one another, and should unite to form cooperatives and professional associations” (Mater et Magistra, 35).
But there is yet another factor which leads us to attach great importance
to the promotion of agricultural co-operatives. These associations
facilitate the modernization of equipment and thus help to increase
productivity for the service of man. Through encouraging the increase
and development of co-operatives you are enabling farmers to take
advantage of what scientific and technical progress can offer them. In this
way they can make a greater contribution towards solving the immense
problem of hunger that afflicts so many peoples. For the benefit of all,
they can thus likewise help to promote balanced economic growth and
hence social justice.
With these words we wish to assure you of our profound interest in your
efforts. Rural workers must play an ever more vital role in social and
economic development. Those who provide nourishment for the family
of man deserve every assistance and support that will enable them to live
and work in accordance with the demands of their human dignity. We
wish therefore to encourage you in the promotion of co-operatives and in
the search for a solution to the problems connected therewith. With this
intention we invoke upon you abundant graces of wisdom and strength
from Almighty God.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For Lent 1974
Pope Paul VI
We wish therefore to stress today a “break” which is demanded by the
spirit of Lent, a break from a too exclusive attachment to our worldly
goods, whether they are abundant as in the case of the rich man
Zacchaeus (cf. Lk 19:8), or meager as in the case of the poor widow
praised by Jesus (cf. Mk 12:43). In the vivid language of the time, Saint
Basil preached to the wealthy in these terms: “The bread which you do
not use is the bread of the hungry; the garment hanging in your wardrobe
is the garment of him who is naked; the shoes that you do not wear are
34
the shoes of the one who is barefoot; the money that you keep locked
away is the money of the poor: the acts of charity that you do not perform
are so many injustices that you commit” (Homily VI in Lc, XII, 18, PG
XXXI, col. 275).
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The UN General Assembly
Pope Paul VI, April 9, 1974
We are happy to take the occasion of this Special Session to send a
message of support as the General Assembly embarks on the study of the
Problems of Raw Materials and Development. Our deep interest in these
important aspects of man’s life stems from our spiritual mission at the
service of the whole man and of all men.
We are indeed aware of the importance and urgency of the problems that
this General Assembly is trying to solve by reviewing the existing
relationships between developed and developing countries, and by
endeavoring to create the basis for a new relationship which will
eliminate the inequality existing between the rich and powerful nations
and those whose true development is hampered by so many obstacles. It
is of the utmost necessity for the world community to bridge this evergrowing gap and to alter the situations wherein raw materials do not
bring to the people who produce them a just and equitable measure of
human well-being.
It is evident that none of these problems can be solved by policies that
serve only national self-interest. Nations are often blinded by egoism and
prevented from seeing how their own true interests are compatible with
the interests of other states and coincide with the general good of the
human family as a whole. It is therefore imperative that existing
difficulties should be solved through a dialogue undertaken in an
international forum in which all work together. We are convinced that
only in this way can the interests of the entire human community and of
each of its members be promoted; only in this way can the vested
interests of nations or groups of nations be overcome for the true benefit
of all.
35
The Church steadfastly professes the belief that all acceptable solutions
must be based on international social justice and human solidarity, and be
the practical applications of these principles.
The developing nations must continue in their efforts to promote the true
welfare of their peoples, utilizing all their own energies, working together
and sharing among themselves. But international justice demands equally
that the wealthy and privileged nations should match that effort by
removing any obstacles of economic or political domination, by sharing
more equitably economic power with the weaker nations, by allowing
developing nations to be the agents of their own development and to
exercise their true role in the decision-making that affects the very lives
of their peoples. Only when the developing nations will have the means
to reach their destiny will they in turn be able to discharge the full
measure of their responsibility within the brotherhood of nations.
Convinced as we are that a new order of development will promote peace
and serve the genuine advantages of all, we appeal to the developed
nations to make greater efforts to forgo their own immediate advantages,
and to adopt a new life style that will exclude both excessive
consumption and those superfluous needs that are often artificially
engendered through the use of the mass media by a limited segment of
society in search of riches. Likewise, one should not forget that a life
style based on ever greater consumption has deleterious effects on nature
and the environment and finally on the moral fiber of man himself,
especially the youth.
Through the good will of all, the riches of this world must serve the true
benefit of all-as they were indeed destined by the Creator, who in his
bountiful providence has put them at the disposal of the whole of
mankind (Cfr. IOAN. XXIII Mater et Magistra AAS 53, 1961, p. 430).
As we call for the application of justice for everyone, we deem it a duty
to make a special appeal for the nations most deprived of natural
resources or of the fruit of industry. Worthy of particular priority by
every honorable standard, these people must be given the means that will
enable them to fulfill their human destiny.
All countries must be aware of their obligation in this field, and of the
consequences that their success or failure will produce.
36
Just and equitable relations between all nations can only be promoted if
all will agree within an international context to take the necessary
measures for revising certain policies heretofore followed. If this is not
done despair will ensue on the part of the poor and powerless, a despair
that will spur them to aggressive search of methods -other than
international cooperation-to gain what they consider to be their economic
rights.
In this regard we feel constrained to state once again that the giving of
aid-however laudable and necessary-is not sufficient to promote the full
measure of human dignity required by the solidarity of mankind under
the fatherhood of God. The nations must succeed in creating new, more
just, and hence more effective international structures in such spheres as
economics, trade, industrial development, finance and the transfer of
technology. We repeat the challenge that we launched three years ago
when we stated that “it is necessary to have the courage to undertake a
revision of the relationship between nations, . . . to question the models
of growth of the rich nations and change people’s outlooks . . .”
(Octogesima Adveniens, 43: AAS 63, 1971, p. 432).
Despite the efforts necessarily involved in such a demanding program,
we are confident in the good will of all. Moreover we are convinced that
all those who believe in God will realize more and more that the
exigencies of their faith include justice and fraternal love for every man.
In the first century of Christianity a great exponent of brotherhood under
God expressed the universal challenge of human solidarity, asking: “. . .
how can God’s love survive in a man who has enough of this world’s
goods yet closes his heart to’ his brother?” (1 Io. 3, 17).
We do not hesitate to repeat the invitation that we subsequently extended
in our Encyclical on the Development of Peoples: “Delegates to
international organizations, it depends on you to see that the dangerous
and futile rivalry of powers should give place to collaboration which is
friendly, peaceful and free of vested interests, in order to achieve a
responsible development of mankind, in which all men will have an
opportunity to find their fulfilment” (Populorum Progressio, 84: AAS 59,
1967, p. 298).
37
Excerpts From An Address To The Members Of The Executive
Board Of The International Confederation Of Free Trade Unions
Pope Paul VI, May 21, 1977
In you we greet with friendship and respect al1 the workers whom you
represent throughout the World-all those men and women whose
professional interests you endeavor to promote.
In times like our own, the problems affecting the lives of working people
greatly surpass al1 national boundaries and call for internationallycoordinated action. And you are not at al1 surprised that a World-wide
body such as the Catholic Church is vitally interested in such themes as
the dignity of the worker and the establishment of conditions befitting
human labor.
The Catholic Church must be faithful to her founder, Christ, who
multiplied bread to satisfy physical and spiritual hunger; and at his
command she preaches an uplifting Gospel of peace and freedom. To all
who want peace she enjoins the quest for justice, adding that true
liberation will take place only in the possession of truth.
Today, as in the past, the Church works to see her principles applied to
concrete situations, and by her social doctrine she desires to shed light on
the mystery of life as expressed in human labor. In the words of the
Second Vatican Council, she wishes to see the workers of the world
attain their dignity and fulfill their vocation by being partners “in the
work of bringing God’s creation to perfection” (Gaudium et Spes, 67).
With insistence therefore the Catholic Church proclaims that “human
work . . . is superior to the other elements of economic life” (Ibid.). This
conviction of the Church is in turn intimately linked to a global view of
man, his nature and destiny; it is a global view in contrast with an
ideology that accepts atheistic materialism, the dialectic of violence, the
absorbing of individual freedom into collectivity and the denial of
transcendence to man and his personal and collective history.
Our hope today is that your united efforts will indeed serve to advance
the cause of human dignity in the workers associated with your
Confederation. And we would likewise hope that you would enlarge your
vision to all those who need your help and can benefit from your efforts.
38
We are appealing for the young people of the world, so vitally affected
by unemployment and by its tragic consequences.
To all of you we extend our exhortation not to falter in the pursuit of
human dignity in the endeavor to create a more just society, a more
fraternal world. And we ask Almighty God to assist you in this noble
cause.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Christifideles Laici
Pope John Paul II, November 11, 1978
Service to society is expressed and realized in the most diverse ways,
from those spontaneous and informal to those more structured, from help
given to individuals to those destined for various groups and
communities of persons.
The whole Church as such, is directly called to the service of charity: "In
the very early days the Church added the agape to the Eucharistic Supper,
and thus showed herself to be wholly united around Christ by the bond of
charity. So too, in all ages, she is recognized by this sign of love, and
while she rejoices in the undertakings of others, she claims works of
charity as her own inalienable duty and right. For this reason, mercy to
the poor and the sick, works of charity and mutual aid intended to relieve
human needs of every kind, are held in special honor in the Church".
Charity towards one's neighbor, through contemporary forms of the
traditional spiritual and corporal works of mercy, represent the most
immediate, ordinary and habitual ways that lead to the Christian
animation of the temporal order, the specific duty of the lay faithful.
Through charity towards one's neighbor, the lay faithful exercise and
manifest their participation in the kingship of Christ, that is, in the power
of the Son of man who "came not to be served but to serve" (Mk 10:45).
They live and manifest such a kingship in a most simple yet exalted
manner, possible for everyone at all times because charity is the highest
gift offered by the Spirit for building up the Church (cf. 1 Cor 13:13) and
for the good of humanity. In fact, charity gives life and sustains the
works of solidarity that look to the total needs of the human being.
39
The same charity, realized not only by individuals but also in a joint way
by groups and communities, is and will always be necessary. Nothing
and no one will be able to substitute for it, not even the multiplicity of
institutions and public initiatives forced to give a response to the needsoftentimes today so serious and widespread-of entire populations.
Paradoxically such charity is made increasingly necessary the more that
institutions become complex in their organization and pretend to manage
every area at hand. In the end such projects lose their effectiveness as a
result of an impersonal functionalism, an overgrown bureaucracy, unjust
private interests and an all-too-easy and generalized disengagement from
a sense of duty.
Precisely in this context various forms of volunteer work which express
themselves in a multiplicity of services and activities continue to come
about and to spread, particularly in organized society. If this impartial
service be truly given for the good of all persons, especially the most in
need and forgotten by the social services of society itself, then, volunteer
work can be considered an important expression of the apostolate, in
which lay men and women have a primary role.
A charity that loves and serves the person is never able to be separated
from justice. Each in its own way demands the full, effective
acknowledgment of the rights of the individual, to which society is
ordered in all its structures and institutions.
In order to achieve their task directed to the Christian animation of the
temporal order, in the sense of serving persons and society, the lay
faithful are never to relinquish their participation in "public life", that is,
in the many different economic, social, legislative, administrative and
cultural areas, which are intended to promote organically and
institutionally the common good. The Synod Fathers have repeatedly
affirmed that every person has a right and duty to participate in public
life, albeit in a diversity and complementarity of forms, levels, tasks and
responsibilities. Charges of careerism, idolatry of power, egoism and
corruption that are oftentimes directed at persons in government,
parliaments, the ruling classes, or political parties, as well as the common
opinion that participating in politics is an absolute moral danger, does not
in the least justify either skepticism or an absence on the part of
Christians in public life.
40
On the contrary, the Second Vatican Council's words are particularly
significant: "The Church regards as worthy of praise and consideration
the work of those who, as a service to others, dedicate themselves to the
public good of the state and undertake the burdens of this task".
Public life on behalf of the person and society finds its basic standard in
the pursuit of the common good, as the good of everyone and as the good
of each person taken as a whole, which is guaranteed and offered in a
fitting manner to people, both as individuals and in groups, for their free
and responsible acceptance. "The political community"-we read in the
Constitution Gaudium et Spes-"exists for that common good in which the
community finds its full justification and meaning, and from which it
derives its basic, proper and lawful arrangement. The common good
embraces the sum total of all those conditions of social life by which
individuals, families, and organizations can achieve more thoroughly
their own fulfillment". Furthermore, public life on behalf of the person
and society finds its continuous line of action in the defense and the
promotion of justice, understood to be a "virtue", an understanding which
requires education, as well as a moral "force" that sustains the obligation
to foster the rights and duties of each and everyone, based on the personal
dignity of each human being.
The spirit of service is a fundamental element in the exercise of political
power. This spirit of service, together with the necessary competence and
efficiency, can make "virtuous" or "above criticism" the activity of
persons in public life which is justly demanded by the rest of the people.
To accomplish this requires a full scale battle and a determination to
overcome every temptation, such as the recourse to disloyalty and to
falsehood, the waste of public funds for the advantage of a few and those
with special interests, and the use of ambiguous and illicit means for
acquiring, maintaining and increasing power at any cost.
Service to society on the part of the lay faithful finds its essence in the
socio-economic question, which depends on the organization of work.
Recently recalled in the Encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, is the
seriousness of present problems as they relate to the subject of
development and a proposed solution according to the social doctrine of
the Church. I warmly desire to again refer its contents to all, in particular,
to the lay faithful.
41
The basis for the social doctrine of the Church is the principle of the
universal destination of goods. According to the plan of God the goods of
the earth are offered to all people and to each individual as a means
towards the development of a truly human life. At the service of this
destination of goods is private property, which -precisely for this
purpose-possesses an intrinsic social function. Concretely the work of
man and woman represents the most common and most immediate
instrument for the development of economic life, an instrument that
constitutes at one and the same time a right and a duty for every
individual.
Once again, all of this comes to mind in a particular way in the mission
of the lay faithful. The Second Vatican Council formulates in general
terms the purpose and criterion of their presence and their action: "In the
socio-economic realm the dignity and total vocation of the human person
must be honored and advanced along with the welfare of society as a
whole, for man is the source, the center, and the purpose of all socioeconomic life".
In the context of the transformations taking place in the world of
economy and work which are a cause of concern, the lay faithful have the
responsibility of being in the forefront in working out a solution to the
very serious problems of growing unemployment; to fight for the most
opportune overcoming of numerous injustices that come from
organizations of work which lack a proper goal; to make the workplace
become a community of persons respected in their uniqueness and in
their right to participation; to develop new solidarity among those that
participate in a common work; to raise up new forms of entrepreneurship
and to look again at systems of commerce, finance and exchange of
technology.
To such an end the lay faithful must accomplish their work with
professional competence, with human honesty, and with a Christian
spirit, and especially as a way of their own sanctification, according to
the explicit invitation of the Council: "By work an individual ordinarily
provides for self and family, is joined in fellowship to others, and renders
them service; and is enabled to exercise genuine charity and be a partner
in the work of bringing divine creation to perfection. Moreover, we know
that through work offered to God an individual is associated with the
42
redemptive work of Jesus Christ, whose labor with his hands at Nazareth
greatly ennobled the dignity of work".
Today in an ever-increasingly acute way, the so-called "ecological"
question poses itself in relation to socio-economic life and work.
Certainly humanity has received from God himself the task of
"dominating" the created world and "cultivating the garden" of the world.
But this is a task that humanity must carry out in respect for the divine
image received, and, therefore, with intelligence and with love, assuming
responsibility for the gifts that God has bestowed and continues to
bestow. Humanity has in its possession a gift that must be passed on to
future generations, if possible, passed on in better condition. Even these
future generations are the recipients of the Lord's gifts: "The dominion
granted to humanity by the Creator is not an absolute power, nor can one
speak of a freedom to 'use and misuse', or to dispose of things as one
pleases. The limitation imposed from the beginning by the Creator
himself and expressed symbolically by the prohibition not to 'eat of the
fruit of the tree' (cf. Gen 2:16-17) shows clearly enough that, when it
comes to the natural world, we are subject not only to biological laws but
also to moral ones, which cannot be violated with impunity. A true
concept of development cannot ignore the use of the things of nature, the
renewability of resources and the consequences of haphazard
industrialization-three considerations which alert our consciences to the
moral dimension of development".
People are called to joy. Nevertheless, each day they experience many
forms of suffering and pain. The Synod Fathers in addressing men and
women affected by these various forms of suffering and pain used the
following words in their final Message: "You who are the abandoned and
pushed to the edges of our consumer society; you who are sick, people
with disabilities, the poor and hungry, migrants and prisoners, refugees,
unemployed, abandoned children and old people who feel alone; you
who are victims of war and all kinds of violence: the Church reminds you
that she shares your suffering. She takes it to the Lord, who in turn
associates you with his redeeming Passion. You are brought to life in the
light of his resurrection. We need you to teach the whole world what love
is. We will do everything we can so that you may find your rightful place
in the Church and in society".
43
In the context of such a limitless world as human suffering, We now turn
our attention to all those struck down by sickness in its various forms:
sickness is indeed the most frequent and common expression of human
suffering.
The Lord addresses his call to each and every one. Even the sick are sent
forth as laborers into the Lord's vineyard: the weight that wearies the
body's members and dissipates the soul's serenity is far from dispensing a
person from working in the vineyard. Instead the sick are called to live
their human and Christian vocation and to participate in the growth of the
Kingdom of God in a new and even more valuable manner. The words of
the apostle Paul ought to become their approach to life or, better yet, cast
an illumination to permit them to see the meaning of grace in their very
situation: "In my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions
for the sake of his body, that is, the Church" (Col 1:24). Precisely in
arriving at this realization, the apostle is raised up in joy: "I rejoice in my
sufferings for your sake" (Col 1:24). In the same way many of the sick
can become bearers of the "joy inspired by the Holy Spirit in much
affliction" (1 Thes 1:6) and witnesses to Jesus' resurrection. A
handicapped person expressed these sentiments in a presentation in the
Synod Hall: "It is very important to make clear that Christians who live
in situations of illness, pain and old age are called by God not only to
unite their suffering to Christ's Passion but also to receive in themselves
now, and to transmit to others, the power of renewal and the joy of the
risen Christ (cf. 2 Cor 4:10-11; 1 Pt 4:13; Rom 8:18 ff)"(199).
On the Church's part-as it reads in the Apostolic Letter Salvifici Doloris"Born in the mystery of Redemption in the Cross of Christ, the Church
has to try to meet man in a special way on the path of suffering. In this
meeting man 'becomes the way for the Church', and this is one of the
most important ways"(200). At this moment the suffering individual is
the way of the Church because that person is, first of all, the way of
Christ Himself, who is the Good Samaritan who "does not pass by", but
"has compassion on him, went to him ... bound up his wounds ... took
care of him" (Lk 10:32-34).
From century to century the Christian community in revealing and
communicating its healing love and the consolation of Jesus Christ has
reenacted the gospel parable of the Good Samaritan in caring for the vast
multitude of persons who are sick and suffering. This came about through
44
the untiring commitment of all those who have taken care of the sick and
suffering as a result of science and the medical arts as well as the skilled
and generous service of healthcare workers. Today there is an increase in
the presence of lay women and men in Catholic hospital and healthcare
institutions. At times the lay faithful's presence in these institutions is
total and exclusive. It is to just such people-doctors, nurses, other
healthcare workers, volunteers-that the call becomes the living sign of
Jesus Christ and his Church in showing love towards the sick and
suffering.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Pontifical Institute Iustitia Et Pax
Pope John Paul II, November 11, 1978
"Do not be" afraid! Open, yes, fling the doors wide open to Christ! Open
to his power of salvation the frontiers of States, economic and political
regimes, the immense fields of culture, civilization and development. Do
not be afraid! Christ knows what there is in man! And he is the only one
who knows it."
We are living in times in which everything should urge us to break down
partitions: the keener perception of the universal solidarity of men and
peoples: the necessity of safeguarding the common environment and
inheritance of mankind; the necessity of reducing the weight and the
deadly threat of armaments; the duty of rescuing from want millions of
men who would find again, with the means of leading a decent life, the
possibility of bringing new energies to the common effort. Now, before
the amplitude and the difficulties of the task, we can see nearly
everywhere a reflex of hardening. At the source, there is fear; fear above
all of man and his responsible freedom, fear which is often increased by
the concatenation of violence and repression. And, finally, fear of Jesus
Christ, either because people do not know him, or because, among
Christians themselves, the experience—demanding, but life-bringing—of
an existence inspired by his Gospel is no longer sufficiently lived.
The first service that the Church must render to the cause of justice and
peace is to call upon men to open up to Jesus Christ. In him they will
learn again their essential dignity as children of God, made in God's
image, endowed with unsuspected possibilities which make them capable
45
of facing up to the tasks of the hour, bound to one another by a
brotherhood which has its roots in God's fatherhood. In him they will
become free for a responsible service. Let them not be afraid! Jesus
Christ is not an alien or a competitor. He does not offend anything that is
authentically human, either in persons, or in their different scientific and
social achievements. Nor is the Church an alien or a competitor. "The
Church", says the Constitution Gaudium et Spes, "by reason of her role
and competence, is not identified with any political community nor
bound by ties to any political system. It is at once the sign and the
safeguard of the transcendental dimension of the human person."
(Gaudium et Spes, 76). Opening man up to God, the Church prevents him
from shutting himself up in any ideological system whatsoever; it opens
him up to himself and to others and makes him available to create
something new in the dimensions of the present requirements of the
evolution of mankind.
With the central gift of Jesus Christ, the Church brings to the common
work, not a prefabricated model, but a dynamic inheritance—doctrinal
and practical—which developed in contact with the changing situations
of this world, under the impulse of the Gospel as the source of renewal,
with a disinterested will for service and attention for the poorest (cf. Paul
VI, Octogesima Adveniens, 42). The whole Christian community takes
part in this service. But the Council opportunely desired, and Paul VI
effected with the Pontifical Commission "Iustitia et Pax", the creation of
an "organization of the universal Church whose task it would be to arouse
the Catholic community to promote the progress of areas which are in
want and foster social justice between nations" (Gaudium et Spes, 90).
It is to this universal service that you are called, beside the Pope and
under his guidance. You exercise it in a spirit of service and in a
dialogue—which it will be necessary to develop—with the episcopal
Conferences and different organisms which, in communion with them,
are pursuing the same task. You exercise it in an ecumenical spirit by
tirelessly seeking and adapting the forms of cooperation calculated to
further the Unity of Christians in thought and in action.
Without prejudice to the numerous questions to which the Commission
gives its attention, you have dedicated this general Assembly to the
subject of the development of peoples. The Church has been present from
the outset at this immense effort and she has followed its hopes,
46
difficulties and disappointments. A serene appreciation of the positive
results, even when insufficient, must help to overcome the present
hesitations. You have made a point of studying the whole range of
problems which the necessary pursuit of the work begun raises at the
level of the international community, in the internal life of each people, at
the level also of elementary communities, in the way of conceiving and
realizing new ways of life. In order that the Church may be able to say
the word of hope which is expected of her and to strengthen the spiritual
and moral values, without which there cannot be any development, she
must listen, patiently and with sympathy, to the men and institutions that
are working hard at the task at all levels, and measure the obstacles to be
overcome. There can be no trickery with the reality which it is desired to
change.
Priority attention for those who are suffering from radical poverty, for
those who are suffering from injustice, certainly coincides with a
fundamental concern of the Church; similarly the concern to conceive
models of development which, in order to ask for sacrifices, are careful
not to sacrifice essential personal and social freedoms and rights, without
which, moreover, they would soon condemn themselves to a dead end.
And Christians will want to be in the vanguard in order to bring forth
convictions and ways of life which will break decisively with a frenzy for
consumption, so exhausting and joyless.
Thank you, Lord Cardinal, for the words through which you expressed to
me the filial and devoted sentiments of the whole Commission. Your
presence at the head of this organism is a pledge that peoples that are
poor, but rich in humanity, will be at the heart of its concerns. Thank you,
brother bishops, thank you all, dear friends, who bring to the Commission
and to myself your human and apostolic competence and experience.
Thank you, all members of the Curia present here: due to you, the
dimension of human and social advancement can better penetrate the
activity of the other Congregations and Departments; in return, the
activity of the Commission "Iustitia et Pax" will be able to be integrated
better and better in the Church's overall mission.
You know, in fact, to what extent the Council and my Predecessors took
it to heart to set the action of the Church in favor of justice, peace,
development, and liberation, in the frame of reference of its evangelizing
mission. Against confusion which is always springing up again, it is
47
important not to reduce evangelization to its fruits for the earthly city: the
Church owes it to men to give them access to the source, to Jesus Christ.
So the dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium remains the "magna carta"
of the Council: in its light all the other texts take on their full dimension.
The pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes and everything it inspires are
not minimized, but strengthened, by it.
In Christ's name, I bless you, yourself and your collaborators, those who
are dear to you and your beloved countries, and especially those who are
sorely tried. Turning again to the subject of the audience last Wednesday,
may the Lord help us, may he help all our brothers to set out along the
ways of justice and peace!
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To A Group Of Christian Workers
Pope John Paul II, December 9, 1978
As you know, I, too, have been a worker: for a short period of my life,
during the last world conflict I, too, had direct experience of factory
work. I know, therefore, what the commitment of daily toil in the
employment of others means. I know how heavy and monotonous it is; I
know the needs of the workers and their just demands and legitimate
aspirations. And I know how necessary it is that work should never be
alienating and frustrating, but should always correspond to man's superior
spiritual dignity.
You know, too, how much the Church, following the example of the
divine Master, has always esteemed, protected and defended man and his
work, from the condemnation of slavery to the systematic presentation of
the "Christian social doctrine", from the teaching of evangelical charity
as the supreme commandment, to the great social Encyclicals, such as
Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum, Pius XI's Quadragesimo Anno, John XXIII's
Mater et Magistra and Paul VI's Populorum Progressio. In the midst of
the trials and tribulations of human history, in the dramatic process of the
social and political settlement of peoples, the Church has always
defended the worker, upholding the urgency of real social justice,
together with Christian charity, in an atmosphere of freedom, mutual
respect and brotherhood. In this connection, I would just like to recall
Pope John XXIII's Broadcast Message to Polish workers, on 26 May
48
1963, a few days before his death: "We will spare no effort, as long as we
live, in order that there may be solicitude and care for you. Have
confidence in the love of the Church and entrust yourselves to her
tranquilly, in the certainty that her thoughts are thoughts of peace and not
of affliction".
And now what shall I say to you in particular, Christian workers, which
may serve as a memory of our meeting?
In the first place, it is my earnest wish that work may be a real right for
every human person. Today the national and international situation is so
difficult and complicated, that it is not possible to oversimplify. But,
since we know that work is life, serenity, commitment, interest, meaning,
we must wish everyone to have it.
He who has a job, feels he is useful, sound, engaged in something which
gives his own life value. To be without a job is psychologically negative
and dangerous, particularly for the young and for those who have a
family to support. Therefore, while we must thank the Lord if we have
work, we must also feel the grief and distress of the unemployed and, as
far as is in our power, endeavor to meet these painful situations. Words
are not enough! It is necessary to help concretely, in a Christian way!
While I appeal to those responsible for society, I also address each of you
directly: commit yourselves, you, too, in order that everyone may find
work!
In the second place, I urge the implementation of social justice. Here, too,
there are many problems, enormous ones; but I appeal to the conscience
of everyone, employers and workers. Rights and duties are on both sides
and, for society to be able to keep itself in the balance of peace and
common prosperity, everyone must make an effort to fight and overcome
selfishness. This is certainly a difficult undertaking, but the Christian
must make a point of being just in everything and with everyone, both in
remunerating and protecting work and in spending his own strength. He
must be, in fact, a witness to Christ everywhere, and therefore also at
work.
Finally, I call upon you to sanctify work. Work is not always easy,
pleasant, satisfying; it may sometimes be heavy, not esteemed, not well
paid, even dangerous. It is then necessary to remember that all work is
49
collaboration with God to perfect the nature he created, and it is a service
to brothers. It is necessary, therefore, to work with love and out of love!
Then one will always be content and serene, and even if work tires, one
takes up the cross together with Jesus Christ and bears the fatigue
courageously.
Beloved workers!
Know that the Pope loves you, follows you in your factories and your
workshops, keeps you in his heart! Keep high the name of “Christian" in
your places of work, together with that of your, or rather our, Italy!
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Redemptor Hominis
Pope John Paul II, 1979
Men and among men, is there a growth of social love, of respect for the
rights of others-for every man, nation and people-or on the contrary is
there an increase of various degrees of selfishness, exaggerated
nationalism instead of authentic love of country, and also the propensity
to dominate others beyond the limits of one's legitimate rights and merits
and the propensity to exploit the whole of material progress and that in
the technology of production for the exclusive purpose of dominating
others or of favoring this or that imperialism?
What is in question is the advancement of persons, not just the
multiplying of things that people can use. It is a matter-as a contemporary
philosopher has said and as the Council has stated-not so much of
"having more" as of "being more". Indeed there is already a real
perceptible danger that, while man's dominion over the world of things is
making enormous advances, he should lose the essential threads of his
dominion and in various ways let his humanity be subjected to the world
and become himself something subject to manipulation in many wayseven if the manipulation is often not perceptible directly-through the
whole of the organization of community life, through the production
system and through pressure from the means of social communication.
Man cannot relinquish himself or the place in the visible world that
belongs to him; he cannot become the slave of things, the slave of
economic systems, the slave of production, the slave of his own products.
A civilization purely materialistic in outline condemns man to such
50
slavery, even if at times, no doubt, this occurs contrary to the intentions
and the very premises of its pioneers. The present solicitude for man
certainly has at its root this problem. It is not a matter here merely of
giving an abstract answer to the question: Who is man? It is a matter of
the whole of the dynamism of life and civilization. It is a matter of the
meaningfulness of the various initiatives of everyday life and also of the
premises for many civilization programs, political programs, economic
ones, social ones, state ones, and many others.
Man's situation today is certainly not uniform but marked with numerous
differences. These differences have causes in history, but they also have
strong ethical effects. Indeed everyone is familiar with the picture of the
consumer civilization, which consists in a certain surplus of goods
necessary for man and for entire societies-and we are dealing precisely
with the rich highly developed societies-while the remaining societies-at
least broad sectors of them-are suffering from hunger, with many people
dying each day of starvation and malnutrition. Hand in hand go a certain
abuse of freedom by one group-an abuse linked precisely with a
consumer attitude uncontrolled by ethics -and a limitation by it of the
freedom of the others, that is to say those suffering marked shortages and
being driven to conditions of even worse misery and destitution.
This pattern, which is familiar to all, and the contrast referred to, in the
documents giving their teaching, by the Popes of this century, most
recently by John XXIII and by Paul VI, represent, as it were, the gigantic
development of the parable in the Bible of the rich banqueter and the
poor man Lazarus. So widespread is the phenomenon that it brings into
question the financial, monetary, production and commercial
mechanisms that, resting on various political pressures, support the world
economy. These are proving incapable either of remedying the unjust
social situations inherited from the past or of dealing with the urgent
challenges and ethical demands of the present. By submitting man to
tensions created by himself, dilapidating at an accelerated pace material
and energy resources, and compromising the geophysical environment,
these structures unceasingly make the areas of misery spread,
accompanied by anguish, frustration and bitterness.
We have before us here a great drama that can leave nobody indifferent.
The person who, on the one hand, is trying to draw the maximum profit
and, on the other hand, is paying the price in damage and injury is always
51
man. The drama is made still worse by the presence close at hand of the
privileged social classes and of the rich countries, which accumulate
goods to an excessive degree and the misuse of whose riches very often
becomes the cause of various ills. Add to this the fever of inflation and
the plague of unemployment -these are further symptoms of the moral
disorder that is being noticed in the world situation and therefore requires
daring creative resolves in keeping with man's authentic dignity.
Such a task is not an impossible one. The principle of solidarity, in a
wide sense, must inspire the effective search for appropriate in situations
and mechanisms, whether in the sector of trade, where the laws of
healthy competition must be allowed to lead the way, or on the level of a
wider and more immediate redistribution of riches and of control over
them, in order that the economically developing peoples may be able not
only to satisfy their essential needs but also to advance gradually and
effectively.
This difficult road of the indispensable transformation of the structures of
economic life is one on which it will not be easy to go forward without
the intervention of a true conversion of mind, will and heart. The task
requires resolute commitment by individuals and peoples that are free
and linked in solidarity. All too often freedom is confused with the
instinct for individual or collective interest or with the instinct for combat
and domination, whatever be the ideological colors with which they are
covered. Obviously these instincts exist and are operative, but no truly
human economy will be possible unless they are taken up, directed and
dominated by the deepest powers in man, which decide the true culture of
peoples. These are the very sources for the effort which will express
man's true freedom and which will be capable of ensuring it in the
economic field also. Economic development, with every factor in its
adequate functioning, must be constantly programmed and realized
within a perspective of universal joint development of each individual
and people, as was convincingly recalled by my Predecessor Paul VI in
Populorum Progressio. Otherwise, the category of "economic progress"
becomes in isolation a superior category subordinating the whole of
human existence to its partial demands, suffocating man, breaking up
society, and ending by entangling itself in its own tensions and excesses.
It is possible to undertake this duty. This is testified by the certain facts
and the results, which it would be difficult to mention more analytically
52
here. However, one thing is certain: at the basis of this gigantic sector it
is necessary to establish, accept and deepen the sense of moral
responsibility, which man must undertake. Again and always man.
This responsibility becomes especially evident for us Christians when we
recall-and we should always recall it-the scene of the last judgment
according to the words of Christ related in Matthew's Gospel.
This eschatological scene must always be "applied" to man's history; it
must always be made the "measure" for human acts as an essential
outline for an examination of conscience by each and every one: "I was
hungry and you gave me no food ... naked and you did not clothe me... in
prison and you did not visit me". These words become charged with even
stronger warning, when we think that, instead of bread and cultural aid,
the new States and nations awakening to independent life are being
offered, sometimes in abundance, modern weapons and means of
destruction placed at the service of armed conflicts and wars that are not
so much a requirement for defending their just rights and their
sovereignty but rather a form of chauvinism, imperialism, and
neocolonialism of one kind or another. We all know well that the areas of
misery and hunger on our globe could have been made fertile in a short
time, if the gigantic investments for armaments at the service of war and
destruction had been changed into investments for food at the service of
life.
This consideration will perhaps remain in part an "abstract" one. It will
perhaps offer both "sides" an occasion for mutual accusation, each
forgetting its own faults. It will perhaps provoke new accusations against
the Church. The Church, however, which has no weapons at her disposal
apart from those of the spirit, of the word and of love, cannot renounce
her proclamation of "the word ... in season and out of season". For this
reason she does not cease to implore each side of the two and to beg
everybody in the name of God and in the name of man: Do not kill! Do
not prepare destruction and extermination for men! Think of your
brothers and sisters who are suffering hunger and misery! Respect each
one's dignity and freedom!
53
Excerpts From A Message To The United Nations Conference On
Trade And Development
Pope John Paul II, 1979
For development to be both effective and worthy, peoples have to count
first of all on their work and on exchange. And this poses, at the basis of
practically all the items on the Agenda of the Conference, the
fundamental questions of the just price and the just contract.
These are eminently human and moral questions, and they have to be
considered in all their constitutive dimensions.
One of these dimensions is, of course, remuneration for the work actually
done by each individual. It is not the only dimension. It is also important
to take into account the right of each people to make use of the goods
which are more directly entrusted to its management, and whose
reasonable and farsighted utilization conditions its free development. In
addition, since work concerns human beings, their remuneration must
enable them to live as befits human beings, to face all the tasks that fall to
them, all the needs of human existence, beginning with the need to
create, through employment, the very possibility of working.
Furthermore, individuals and peoples live in solidarity: their
remuneration should manifest this solidarity, within each country and
between countries, and it must be seen to be a fair sharing in the material
and cultural goods which are produced at a given stage of human history
and which always have a universal destination.
It is necessary that all these exigencies, without exception, should be
taken into account concretely in the contractual processes which seek to
determine the amount of just prices. These processes cannot simply be
left to the play of the market forces—which in fact are never natural but
always constructed by people—nor to the dominant influence of small
groups or to that of number. Every contract is a human matter, conducted
by people and directed towards serving people. Only then will the market
forces, set up, and periodically revised and diversified, be able to play
their beneficial role: for they will function under the responsibility of
individuals and peoples who are free, equal and linked by solidarity, and
under the regulation of moral norms that are binding upon everybody.
54
Healthy competition of this sort is in its turn conditioned by "a wider and
more immediate redistribution of riches and of control over them"
(Redemptoris Hominis, 16). It is thus in this perspective that one must
clarify and resolve the painful problem of the debts that weigh upon the
poorer countries, the problem of common funds, the problem of a more
adequate and more effective institutional framework of worldwide
solidarity.
While the universal destination of goods is effected in part, through the
medium of responsible appropriations and of exchanges, it also calls for
institutions that more immediately express solidarity and sharing. What
still exists, often in such an exemplary way, in the practice of hospitality
and mutual help by the less advanced peoples, what has been reinstated
elsewhere through national budgets and social security systems—namely,
the desire to set aside an important part of wealth in order to make it
directly available for common use and needs, quite apart from any logic
of competition and exchange—all this must likewise find its place in the
development of the worldwide human community.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, January 25, 1979
The Church, an expert in humanity, faithful to the signs of the times, and
in obedience to the pressing call of the last Council, wishes to continue
today her mission of faith and defense of human rights. She calls upon
Christians to commit themselves to the construction of a more just,
human, and habitable world, which is not shut up within itself, but opens
to God.
To construct this more just world means, among other things, making
every effort in order that there will be no children without sufficient food,
without education, without instruction; that there will be no young people
without a suitable preparation; that, in order to live and to develop in a
worthy way, there will be no peasants without land; that there will be no
workers ill-treated or deprived of their rights; that there will be no
systems that permit the exploitation of man by man or by the State; that
there will be no corruption; that there will be no persons living in
superabundance, while others through no fault of their own lack
55
everything; that there will not be so many families badly formed, broken,
disunited, receiving insufficient care; that there will be no injustice and
inequality in the administration of justice; that there will be no one
without the protection of the law, and that law will protect all alike; that
force will not prevail over truth and law, but truth and law over force;
and that economic or political matters will never prevail over human
matters.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Meeting With Mexican Indios
Pope John Paul II, January 29, 1979
Beloved Brothers, Indios and Peasants,
I greet you with joy and I am grateful for your enthusiastic presence and
the words of welcome you have addressed to me. I cannot find a better
greeting to express to you the sentiments that now fill my heart than the
sentence of St Peter, first Pope of the Church: "Peace to all of you that
are in Christ". Peace to you, who form such a large group.
You, too, inhabitants of Oaxaca, Chiapas, Culiacán and those who have
come from so many other parts, heirs to the blood and the culture of your
noble ancestors—particularly the Mixtecs and the Zapotecs—were
"called to be saints together with all those who call on the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ" (l Cor 1:2).
The Son of God "dwelt among us" to make sons of God those who
believe in his name (cf. Jn 1:11 ff.); and he entrusted to the Church the
continuation of this mission of salvation wherever there are men. So it is
not surprising that one day, in the already distant sixteenth century,
intrepid missionaries arrived here out of faithfulness to the Church, eager
to assimilate your lifestyle and customs in order to reveal better, and give
a living expression to the image of Christ. Let our grateful memory go to
the first Bishop of Oaxaca, Juan José López de Zára—to and the many
other missionaries—Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians, and
Jesuits—men whose faith and human generosity are worthy of
admiration.
56
They were well aware how important culture is as a vehicle to transmit
the faith, in order that men may progress in knowledge of God. In this
there can be no distinction of race or of culture, "there cannot be Greek
and Jew, ...slave, freeman, but Christ is all, and in all" (cf. Col 3:9-11).
This is a challenge and a stimulus for the Church, since, being faithful to
the genuine and complete message of the Lord, she must open up and
interpret the whole human reality in order to instill the strength of the
Gospel into it (cf. Evangelii Nuntiandi, 20, 40).
Beloved Brothers, my presence among you wishes to be a living and
authentic sign of this universal concern of the Church. The Pope and the
Church are with you and love you: they love your persons, your culture,
your traditions; they admire your marvelous past, they encourage you in
the present and they hope so much for the future.
But it is not just of this that I want to speak to you. Through you, Indios
and peasants, there appears before me the immense multitude of the rural
world, which is still the prevalent part in the Latin-American continent
and a very large sector, even nowadays, in our planet.
Before this imposing spectacle reflected in my eyes, I cannot but think of
the identical picture that my predecessor Paul VI contemplated, ten years
ago, in his memorable visit to Colombia and, more concretely, in his
meeting with the peasants.
I want to repeat with him—if it were possible in an even stronger tone of
voice—that the present Pope wishes "to be in solidarity with your cause,
which is the cause of humble people, of the poor" (Paul VI, Address to
Peasants, 23 August 1968). The Pope is with these masses of the
population that are "nearly always abandoned at an ignoble level of life
and sometimes harshly treated and exploited" (ibidem).
Adopting the line of my predecessors John XXIII and Paul VI, as well as
that of the Second Vatican Council (cf. Mater et Magistra; Populorum
Progressio; Gaudium et Spes, 9, 71 etc.), and in view of a situation that
continues to be alarming, not often better and sometimes even worse, the
Pope wishes to be your voice, the voice of those who cannot speak or
who are silenced, in order to be the conscience of consciences, an
invitation to action, in order to make up for lost time which is often time
of prolonged suffering and unsatisfied hopes.
57
The depressed rural world, the worker who with his sweat waters also his
affliction, cannot wait any longer for full and effective recognition of his
dignity, which is not inferior to that of any other social sector. He has the
right to be respected and not to be deprived, with maneuvers which are
sometimes tantamount to real spoliation, of the little that he has. He has
the right to be rid of the barriers of exploitation, often made up of
intolerable selfishness, against which his best efforts of advancement are
shattered. He has the right to real help—which is not charity or crumbs of
justice—in order that he may have access to the development that his
dignity as a man and as a son of God deserves.
Therefore it is necessary to act promptly and in depth. It is necessary to
carry out bold changes, which are deeply innovatory. It is necessary to
undertake urgent reforms without waiting any longer (Populorum
Progressio, 32).
It cannot be forgotten that the measures to be taken must be adequate.
The Church does indeed defend the legitimate right to private property,
but she also teaches no less clearly that there is always a social mortgage
on all private property, in order that goods may serve the general purpose
that God gave them. And if the common good requires it, there should be
no hesitation even at expropriation, carried out in the due form
(Populorum Progressio, 24).
The agricultural world has great importance and great dignity. It is just
this world that offers society the products necessary for its nutrition. It is
a task that deserves the appreciation and grateful esteem of which is a
recognition of the dignity of those engaged in it.
A dignity that can and must increase with the contemplation of God,
contemplation encouraged by contact with nature, reflection of the divine
action which looks after the grass in the fields, makes it grow, nourishes
it; which makes the land fertile, sending it rain and wind, so that it may
feed also animals, which help man, as we read at the beginning of
Genesis.
Work in the fields involves great difficulties because of the effort it
demands, the contempt with which it is sometimes considered and the
obstacles it meets with; difficulties which only a far-reaching action can
solve. Otherwise, the flight from the countryside to the cities will
58
continue, frequently creating problems of extensive and distressing
proletarization, overcrowding in houses unworthy of human peoples, and
so on.
An evil that is quite widespread is the tendency to individualism among
rural workers, whereas a better coordinated and united action could be of
great help. Think of this too, dear sons.
In spite of all this, the rural world possesses enviable human and
religious riches: a deep-rooted love of the family; the sense of friendship;
help for the needy; deep humanism; love of peace and civil society; a
deep religious sense; trust and opening to God; promotion of love for the
Blessed Virgin; and so many others. It is a well-deserved tribute of
recognition that the Pope wishes to express to you, and for which society
is indebted to you. Thank you, rural workers, for your precious
contribution to social good; mankind owes you a great deal.
On your side, leaders of the peoples, powerful classes which sometimes
keep unproductive lands that hide the bread that so many families lack,
human conscience, the conscience of peoples, the cry of the destitute, and
above all the voice of God, the voice of the Church, repeat to you with
me: It is not just, it is not human, it is not Christian to continue with
certain situations that are clearly unjust. It is necessary to carry out real,
effective measures—at the local, national, and international level—along
the broad line marked by the encyclical Mater et Magistra (part three). It
is clear that those who must collaborate most in this, are those who can
do most.
Beloved Brothers and Sons, work at your human elevation, but do not
stop here. Make yourselves more and more worthy in the moral and
religious field. Do not harbor feelings of hatred and violence, but look
towards the Master and Lord of all, who gives each one the reward that
his acts deserve. The Church is with you and encourages you to live your
condition as sons of God, united with Christ, under the gaze of Mary, our
Holy Mother.
The Pope asks you for your prayer and offers you his. And blessing all of
you and your families, he takes leave of you with the words of the
Apostle St Paul: "Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss". Let this be a
call to hope, Amen.
59
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Meeting With Workers In Guadalajara
Pope John Paul II, January 30, 1979
Friends, worker brothers, there is a Christian conception of work, of
family and social life. It contains great values, and demands moral
criteria and norms in order to direct those who believe in God and in
Jesus Christ; in order that work may be carried out as a real vocation to
change the world, in a spirit of service and of love for brothers; in order
that the human person may reach fulfillment here and contribute to the
growing humanization of the world and its structures.
Work is not a curse, it is a blessing from God who calls man to rule the
earth and transform it, in order that the divine work of creation may
continue with man's intelligence and effort. I want to tell you with all my
soul and with all my might that I suffer at the lack of work, I suffer at the
ideologies of hate and of violence that are not evangelical and that cause
so many wounds in mankind today.
It is not enough for the Christian to denounce injustices, he is asked to be
a real witness and promoter of justice; he who works has rights that he
must defend legally, but he also has duties which he must carry out
generously. As Christians you are called to be architects of justice and of
real freedom as well as forgers of social charity. Modern technique
creates a whole set of new problems and sometimes produces
unemployment. But it also opens great possibilities that ask of the worker
increasing qualifications, as also the contribution of his human capacities
and his creative imagination. For this reason, work must not be a mere
necessity, but it must be considered a real vocation, a call from God to
build a new world in which justice and brotherhood dwell, a foretaste of
the Kingdom of God, in which there will certainly not be shortages or
limitations.
Work must be the means in order that the whole of creation will be
subjected to the dignity of the human being and son of God. Work offers
the opportunity to commit oneself with the whole community without
resentment, without bitterness, without hatred, but with the universal love
of Christ that excludes no one and embraces everyone.
___________________________________________________________
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Excerpts From An Address To The Young People Gathered In The
Vatican Basilica
Pope John Paul II, February 21, 1979
This service of truth, participation in the prophetic service of Christ, is a
task of the Church, which tries to carry it out in the different historical
contexts. It is necessary to call clearly by name injustice, the exploitation
of man by man, the exploitation of man by the state, or by the
mechanisms of systems and regimes. It is necessary to call by name all
social injustice, all discrimination, all violence inflicted on man with
regard to his body, his spirit, his conscience, his dignify as a person, his
life.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Bangladesh
Pope John Paul II, July 13, 1979
And from this centre of international activity, the Church endeavors to
put all her energies at the service of humanity. What she does in the field
of social justice, development and world peace is oriented to the concrete
good of each people and of all the peoples of the earth. By the means
proper to her she works to encourage and support the efforts being made
throughout the world to enlist the grass-roots participation of everyone in
the cause of human advancement. This support and encouragement and
service find concrete expression also for Bangladesh and for all its
citizens.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The World Conference On Agrarian
Reform And Rural Development
Pope John Paul II, July 14, 1979
The divine command to master nature in the service of life of course
implies that the reasonable improvement and use of natural resources
should be directed towards attaining fundamental human aims. This is
also in conformity with the basic principle that all the goods of the earth
61
are meant to benefit all the members of the human family. Undoubtedly,
"development demands bold transformations, innovations that go deep".
With conditions as they are within the individual countries, one foresees
a land reform involving a reorganization of land holdings and the stable
and direct assigning of productive areas to the agricultural workers,
together with the elimination of forms and structures that are
unproductive and damaging to the community.
The Second Vatican Council’s Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes has
already done justice to these requirements, by including the legitimate
quest for a more effective productive use of the land within the more
basic preoccupation that the work of agricultural workers should be
carried out in conditions and ways that harmonize with their dignity as
persons, and for objectives that are similarly in harmony therewith.
The words that I addressed in Mexico to the Indios at Cuilapan hold good
here: "The depressed rural world, the worker who with his sweat waters
also his affliction, cannot wait any longer for full and effective
recognition of his dignity, which is not inferior to that of any other social
sector. He has the right to be respected and not deprived, with maneuvers
which are sometimes tantamount to real spoliation, of the little that he
has. He has the right not to be impeded in his aspirations to share directly
in his own advancement. He has the right to be rid of the barriers of
exploitation, often made up of intolerable selfishness, against which his
best efforts of advancement are shattered. He has the right to real help –
which is not charity or crumbs of justice – in order that he may have
access to the development that his dignity as a person and as a child of
God deserves".
As I said on another occasion, the right to ownership of land always
involves a social mortgage. Therefore, in the reform of structures, I
permit myself to invite you to take into the deepest consideration all
forms of agrarian contracts that make possible efficient use of the land
through work, and guarantee the primary rights of workers.
Reference is made not only to the possibility of working the land
efficiently but also to the guarantee of an adequate return from
agricultural work.
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It is urgently necessary to attain the objective of the right to work, with
all the presuppositions required for widening the possibilities of
absorbing the available resources of agricultural manpower and of
reducing unemployment. Equally, one must promote among the workers
a responsible attitude in the functioning of agricultural enterprises. This
will also have the aim of creating, as far as possible, a special
relationship between the worker of the land and the land that he works.
Furthermore, this right to work the land must be guaranteed together with
the greatest possible improvement of human and civil life in rural
conditions. This in the only way of ensuring the active presence above all
young people in the economy of agricultural development, and of
avoiding excessive flight from the land.
Agrarian reform and rural development also demand that consideration
be given to reforms aimed at reducing the gap between the prosperity of
the rich and the anxiety and need of the poor.
However, it has to be borne in mind that to overcome imbalances and the
strident inequalities in living conditions between the agricultural sector
and the other sectors of the economy, or between the social groups within
a given country, the public authorities must have a well-planned policy,
one that is committed to the redistribution of income to the advantage of
the very poor.
I think it fitting to repeat what I said on another occasion, namely that a
wider reform and a more just and equitable distribution of wealth is
foreseen "also in the world in general, ensuring that the stronger countries
do not use their power to the detriment of the weaker ones".
The reform necessarily extends therefore to that of a new regulation of
relationships between countries.
But for reaching such an objective "it is necessary, in international life, to
call upon ethical principles, the demands of justice... Primacy must be
given to what is moral... to what springs from the full truth concerning
man".
In brief, it is a question of restoring to agriculture its proper place in the
sphere of internal and international development, and of modifying the
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tendency which, in the process of industrialization, has until recent times
tended to give a privileged position to the secondary and tertiary sectors.
One is pleased to note that it is now clear, on the basis of experience,
how necessary it is to correct the one sided industrialization of a country,
and to abandon the utopian expectation that industrialization will
certainly and directly lead to economic development and civil progress
for everyone.
The great importance of agriculture and the rural world is obvious from
the decisive contribution made by agriculture in providing society with
basic foodstuffs.
But today there is also a growing awareness of the decisive function of
agriculture both in preserving the environment and as a valuable source
of energy.
Love for the land and for work on the land is not an invitation to a
nostalgic return to the past, but an affirmation of agricultures as the basis
of a healthy economy in the totality of the development and civil progress
of each country and of the whole world.
Active collaboration by the rural population in the whole process of the
growth of the community is taking on increasing importance.
It is obvious that it is always preferable and desirable that collaboration
in economic, labor-related and political decision should take place in a
personal and responsible way. This certainly constitutes, in the different
economic and political systems, the gradual maturing of an authentic
expression of that freedom which is an essential ingredient of true
progress.
One likewise notes the ever clearer importance of various form of
associations which can lead to new expressions of solidarity between
rural workers, and facilitate the inclusion of qualified young people, as
well as women, in agricultural activity and the civic community.
Naturally, one always has to bear in mind that the suggesting and
carrying out of real and effective reforms presuppose good will and a
fundamental change of attitude on the part of everybody, as was
recognized by John XXIII in his words to the Directors and Officials of
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FAO on 4 May 1960: "We are all jointly responsible for the
undernourished peoples; people’s consciences must be trained to the
sense of responsibility that weighs upon the community and upon each
individual, especially those who are most favored".
I appeal to all of you who are responsible for the choices and orientations
of internal and international policies.
I appeal to all who are in a position to act as experts, officials and
promoters of undertakings that will aid development.
I appeal especially to all those who are able to work for education and
training, particularly of the young.
Permit me to express my firm confidence that everyone will be moved by
this appeal to the generosity of each individual.
Finally, I ask almighty God to assist all of you, the members of this
World Conference assembled in the name of human solidarity and
fraternal concern. I pray that the efforts that you are making before the
witness of history and in the face of the pressing challenges of this
generation will bear abundant fruit for the betterment of humanity – fruit
that will last.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Dives In Misericordia
Pope John Paul II, 1980
Together with awareness of the biological threat, therefore, there is a
growing awareness of yet another threat, even more destructive of what is
essentially human, what is intimately bound up with the dignity of the
person and his or her right to truth and freedom.
All this is happening against the background of the gigantic remorse
caused by the fact that, side by side with wealthy and surfeited people
and societies, living in plenty and ruled by consumerism and pleasure,
the same human family contains individuals and groups that are suffering
from hunger. There are babies dying of hunger under their mothers' eyes.
In various parts of the world, in various socio-economic systems, there
exist entire areas of poverty, shortage and underdevelopment. This fact is
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universally known. The state of inequality between individuals and
between nations not only still exists; it is increasing. It still happens that
side by side with those who are wealthy and living in plenty there exist
those who are living in want, suffering misery and often actually dying of
hunger; and their number reaches tens, even hundreds of millions. This is
why moral uneasiness is destined to become even more acute. It is
obvious that a fundamental defect, or rather a series of defects, indeed a
defective machinery is at the root of contemporary economics and
materialistic civilization, which does not allow the human family to break
free from such radically unjust situations.
This picture of today's world in which there is so much evil both physical
and moral, so as to make of it a world entangled in contradictions and
tensions, and at the same time full of threats to human freedom,
conscience and religion-this picture explains the uneasiness felt by
contemporary man. This uneasiness is experienced not only by those who
are disadvantaged or oppressed, but also by those who possess the
privileges of wealth, progress and power. And, although there is no lack
of people trying to understand the causes of this uneasiness, or trying to
react against it with the temporary means offered by technology, wealth
or power, still in the very depth of the human spirit this uneasiness is
stronger than all temporary means. This uneasiness concerns-as the
analyses of the Second Vatican Council rightly pointed out-the
fundamental problems of all human existence. It is linked with the very
sense of man's existence in the world, and is an uneasiness for the future
of man and all humanity; it demands decisive solutions, which now seem
to be forcing themselves upon the human race.
It is not difficult to see that in the modern world the sense of justice has
been reawakening on a vast scale; and without doubt this emphasizes
that which goes against justice in relationships between individuals,
social groups and "classes," between individual peoples and states, and
finally between whole political systems, indeed between what are called
"worlds." This deep and varied trend, at the basis of which the
contemporary human conscience has placed justice, gives proof of the
ethical character of the tensions and struggles pervading the world.
The Church shares with the people of our time this profound and ardent
desire for a life which is just in every aspect, nor does she fail to
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examine the various aspects of the sort of justice that the life of people
and society demands. This is confirmed by the field of Catholic social
doctrine, greatly developed in the course of the last century. On the lines
of this teaching proceed the education and formation of human
consciences in the spirit of justice, and also individual undertakings,
especially in the sphere of the apostolate of the laity, which are
developing in precisely this spirit.
And yet, it would be difficult not to notice that very often programs
which start from the idea of justice and which ought to assist its
fulfillment among individuals, groups and human societies, in practice
suffer from distortions. Although they continue to appeal to the idea of
justice, nevertheless experience shows that other negative forces have
gained the upper hand over justice, such as spite, hatred and even
cruelty. In such cases, the desire to annihilate the enemy, limit his
freedom, or even force him into total dependence, becomes the
fundamental motive for action; and this contrasts with the essence of
justice, which by its nature tends to establish equality and harmony
between the parties in conflict. This kind of abuse of the idea of justice
and the practical distortion of it show how far human action can deviate
from justice itself, even when it is being undertaken in the name of
justice. Not in vain did Christ challenge His listeners, faithful to the
doctrine of the Old Testament, for their attitude which was manifested in
the words: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." This was the form
of distortion of justice at that time; and today's forms continue to be
modeled on it. It is obvious, in fact, that in the name of an alleged justice
(for example, historical justice or class justice) the neighbor is
sometimes destroyed, killed, deprived of liberty or stripped of
fundamental human rights. The experience of the past and of our own
time demonstrates that justice alone is not enough, that it can even lead
to the negation and destruction of itself, if that deeper power, which is
love, is not allowed to shape human life in its various dimensions. It has
been precisely historical experience that, among other things, has led to
the formulation of the saying: summum ius, summa iniuria. This
statement does not detract from the value of justice and does not
minimize the significance of the order that is based upon it; it only
indicates, under another aspect, the need to draw from the powers of the
spirit which condition the very order of justice, powers which are still
more profound.
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__________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Diplomatic Community In
Nairobi, Kenya
Pope John Paul II, May 6, 1980
Development will be one-sided and lacking in humanity if materialism,
the profit motive or the selfish pursuit of wealth or of power takes the
place of the values that are so highly practiced in African society values such as mutual concern, solidarity, and the recognition of God’s
presence in all life.
A growing sense of brotherhood, of social love, of justice, the banishing
of every form of discrimination and oppression, the fostering of
individual and collective responsibility, respect for the sanctity of human
life from its very conception, the preservation of a strong family spirit these will be the hallmarks of successful development and the strength
of the people as they more towards the third millennium.
Ladies and Gentlemen, in the pursuit of the well-being of peoples and
nations, choices have to be made constantly. There are choices to be
made on the basis of political principles and priorities, on the basis of
economic laws, or in the light of practical necessities. But there is one
choice that must always be made, whatever the context or the field: it is
a fundamental choice - the choice for or against humanity. Whatever his
or her responsibility or authority is, nobody escapes this choice: Shall
we work for the good of man or against it? Will the total good of the
human person be the ultimate criterion for our actions and our
programs? Will the African in his human dignity be the path towards a
just and peaceful future of this continent?
__________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Meeting With Muslim Leaders, Nairobi, Kenya
Pope John Paul II, May 7, 1980
Prayer, almsgiving and fasting are highly valued in both of our
respective traditions and are beyond doubt a splendid witness to a world
that runs the risk of being absorbed by materialism. Our relationship of
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reciprocal esteem and the mutual desire for authentic service to
humanity urge us on to joint commitments in promoting peace, social
justice, moral values and all the true freedoms of man.
It is in this perspective that our meeting today offers us much hope. May
it prove beneficial to humanity and give glory to God, who made us in
his image and likeness, and who has revealed himself to us.
With renewed sentiments of brotherhood I would ask you to carry my
greetings to all the communities from which you come. Thank you
again.
__________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The General Assembly Of The
United Nations
Pope John Paul II, August 22, 1980
There is a paramount need for a greater and more equitable sharing of
resources. This includes the transfer of science and technology, which
was the subject of the UN meeting in Vienna last year. It means a
technology that is appropriate to the needs and best interests of the
people and nations involved. But it means much more than just material
sharing. There is an urgent need for a sharing of the resources of the
mind and the spirit, of scientific knowledge and cultural and artistic
expression. Such a sharing is not one-way. It is mutual and multilateral,
and it implies that the cultural, ethical and religious values of peoples
must always be respected by the parties involved in this sharing. It
implies mutual openness to learn from one another and to share with one
another.
In this sharing, there is no question that technological development and
economic growth will involve some change in the social and cultural
patterns of a people. To a certain extent this is inevitable and must be
faced realistically for the sake of the growth of a people. But if we are
honest when we say that man is not just homo economicus, then all of us
must take care to see that any harmful change wherein positive values
are sacrificed is minimized and that ethic-moral, cultural and religious
values are placed ahead of the merely economic indicators of growth.
In this sharing, finally, it is good to recognize and to support the many
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new ways of cooperation among peoples and nations. Not only is there
sharing between one group and another; developing nations are also
learning to share among themselves, and regional groups are aiding one
another to help find the best means to further their mutual interests.
You member States of this Assembly cannot rest content with lofty
perspectives or ethical ideals alone. You have the responsibility to
negotiate together in good faith and mutual respect. The negotiations
you carry out should be as all-inclusive as possible, taking into account
the advantages to be had from the most complete and far-reaching
agreement possible on all the items before you for negotiation. This kind
of enlightened realism will do much to construct the necessary
modifications for our common future built on our common hope.
My predecessor Paul VI called on the developed nations to contribute
1% of their Gross National Product (GNP) to the cause of development.
The figure that is actually set aside today for this purpose seems very
much lower. I recognize that inflation is a worldwide problem affecting
the industrialized as well as the developing countries. However, the
Holy See wishes to reiterate the appeal of Paul VI that 1% of the GNP is
not an unrealistic goal. The contribution of this percentage would greatly
aid the Common Fund agreed to through the UNCTAD negotiations as
well as a possible World Development Fund.
For initiatives of this kind to be effective, there must be a renewed effort
on the part of all nations, developed and developing, to end all waste,
whether material or human.
On the material level the questions of the environment carried on by
UNEP and other agencies deserve renewed study and action. The whole
problem of energy might well be seen in this context so that the most
effective and appropriate energy resources are made available without
unnecessary waste and exploitation of materials.
On the human level, many UN conferences have highlighted concern for
children, for women, for the handicapped, for so many categories and
peoples whose resources are being exploited or not used for their good
and the good of society. Once again the commitment to various aspects
of human development for the common good can rekindle hope for
people, giving them the prospect of a fuller and more fruitful existence.
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Finally I would be untrue to my charge if I did not call attention to the
poor and to those on the margin of society throughout the world. There
are countries rich in cultural and other spiritual and human resources,
but which are among the poorest economically and among those who are
suffering most from the current situation. We all know the staggering
statistics about the real horror of famine that afflicts so many around the
globe. Suffering peoples in various regions cry out to us to give them
relief now so that they can survive.
Can all of us who have so much, at least commit ourselves to giving new
hope to these poor of the world by realizing a pledge first to relieve their
plight and then to provide for their most basic needs, such as food,
water, health and shelter. To relieve the immediate suffering and to
provide those elements that will help people become more self-reliant
would be a sure indication that we are contributing to the hope that this
earth and its peoples need.
In so many of these matters, what will be needed is the political will that
goes beyond immediate self-interest. Such a political will has in the past
led to great achievements such as the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. Such a will must be constantly guided by criteria that exalt the
human and social, the ethical and cultural, the moral and spiritual over
the solely economic and technological.
Such a will needs to be developed not only among world leaders but
among all peoples at every level of life. Many issues can be solved only
on the global level, and you at this Assembly have these tasks before
you. But many can and ought to be brought to fruitful agreement on the
continental or regional or other intermediate level. The need for global
solutions to many problems should not blind us to the possibilities of
resolving problems and building a better future on less than allencompassing levels of life. In fact, applying the notion of subsidiarity,
we can see that there are many groups and peoples who can solve their
own problems better at a local or intermediate level, and that such action
moreover gives them a direct sense of participation in their own
destinies. This is a positive advance and one to which we all should be
sensitive.
In my pastoral visits in Europe, in North and South America and in
Africa, I have spoken often and in varying ways of the need for the
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conversion of hearts. I have stressed the need for each one of us to be
converted, to see in the other person a brother or a sister united by the
bond of a common humanity under God. My predecessor Paul VI in his
Encyclical "Populorum Progressio", a document which remains one of
the enduring and valid contributions to the work of development, said:
"There can be no progress towards the complete development of man
without the simultaneous development of all humanity in a spirit of
solidarity... ‘Man must meet man, nation must meet nation, as brothers
and sisters, as children of God. In this mutual understanding and
friendship, in this sacred communion, we must also begin to work
together to build the common future of the human race’".
May I complete this message to you today by recalling these words and
this perspective to your reflection. May I ask that as you seek a change
in the structures that will better serve the common good in justice and
equity, you will not forget the education and inspiration of your peoples
that will help bring about the conversion of hearts. Only through the
conversion of hearts can brothers and sisters "build the common future
of the human race", and construct the great and lasting edifice of peace.
And it is to this peace - the new name of which aptly remains
"development" - that all the efforts of this Special Session must be
directed. With God’s help may it be so!
__________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For The Celebration Of The Day Of
Peace
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1980
On the social level, it is hard to describe as truly free those men and
women who lack the guarantee of honest and adequate employment, or
all those people in country villages who are still the victims of
regrettable servitude, of the heritage of a dependent past or colonial
mentality. Nor is there enough freedom for those who, as the result of
uncontrolled industrial, urban or bureaucratic development, find
themselves caught up in a gigantic machine, in a tangle of unwanted or
unmanageable procedures that leave no room for a social development
worthy of man. Freedom is also reduced - and more than appears at first
sight - in a society that lets itself be guided by the dogma of indefinite
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material growth, by the pursuit of wealth or by the arms race. The
economic crisis now affecting all societies, if it is not faced with
principles of another order, could easily lead to the adoption of measures
that would reduce still further the measure of freedom that peace needs
if it is to blossom and flourish.
Some kinds of "freedom" do not really deserve the name, and we must
take care to defend true freedom against various counterfeits. For
example, the consumer society - that excess of goods not needed by man
- can in a way constitute an abuse of freedom, when the more and more
insatiable pursuit of goods is not subjected to the law of justice and of
social love. Such consumerism involves a limitation of the freedom of
others; and from the viewpoint of international solidarity it even affects
whole societies which are unable to obtain the minimum of goods
required for their essential needs. The existence of areas of absolute
poverty in the world and the existence of hunger and malnutrition pose a
serious question to the countries that have developed freely, without
regard for those countries lacking even the minimum and perhaps at
times at their expense. It could even be said that within the rich countries
the uncontrolled pursuit of material goods and all kinds of services
offers only an apparent increase of freedom to those who benefit from
them, since it sets up as a basic human value the possession of things,
instead of aiming at a certain material prosperity as the condition and
means for the full development of the talents of the individual in
collaboration with and in harmony with his fellowmen.
Likewise, a society built on a purely materialistic basis denies people
their freedom when it submits individual freedoms to economic
domination, when it represses man's spiritual creativity in the name of a
false ideological harmony, when it denies people the exercise of their
right of association, when in practice it reduces to nothing the power to
participate in public affairs or acts in such a way that in this field
individualism and civic and social non-participation become the general
attitude.
Respect for the freedom of peoples and nations is an integral part of
peace. Wars continue to break out and destruction has fallen upon
peoples and whole cultures because the sovereignty of a people or a
nation was not respected. Every continent has seen and suffered from
fratricidal wars and struggles caused by one nation's attempts to limit
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another's autonomy. One can even wonder if war may not become - or
remain - a normal fact of our civilization, with "limited" armed conflicts
going on for long periods without exciting public concern, or with a
succession of civil wars. The direct causes are many and complex:
territorial expansionism, ideological imperialism for the triumph of
which weapons of total annihilation are stockpiled, economic
exploitation deliberately perpetuated, obsession with territorial security,
ethnic differences exploited by arms dealers, and many other causes as
well. Whatever their reason, these wars contain elements of injustice,
contempt or hatred, and attacks on freedom. I stressed this when
speaking last year to the General Assembly of the United Nations: "The
spirit of war, in its basic primordial meaning, springs up and grows to
maturity where the inalienable rights of man are violated. This is a new
and deeply relevant vision of the cause of peace, one that goes deeper
and is more radical. It is a vision that sees the genesis, and in a sense the
substance, of war in the more complex forms emanating from injustice
viewed in all its various aspects: this injustice first attacks human rights
and thereby destroys the organic unity of the social order and it then
affects the whole system of international relations".
Without a willingness to respect the freedom of every people, nation and
culture, and without a worldwide consensus on this subject, it will be
difficult to create the conditions for peace. But we must have the
courage to believe they are possible. This presupposes a conscious
public commitment on the part of each nation and its government to
renounce claims and designs injurious to other nations. In other words, it
presupposes a refusal to accept any doctrine of national or cultural
supremacy. There must also be a willingness to respect the internal
processes of other nations, to recognize their personality within the
human family, and therefore to be ready to question and correct any
policy that would in fact be an interference or an exploitation in the
economic, social or cultural spheres. In this context I would plead for a
greater effort by the community of nations to aid young or developing
nations to attain true control of their resources and self-sufficiency in
food and the essential needs of life. I beg the rich countries to direct their
aid with the primary aim of actively eliminating absolute poverty.
The preparation of juridical documents has its place in improving
relations between nations. In order that freedom may be respected, it is
also necessary to contribute to the progressive codification of the
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applications that flow from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In this matter of respecting the identity of each people, I would like to
include particularly the right to see its religious traditions respected both
internally and by other nations, and the right to participate in free
exchanges in the religious, cultural, scientific and educational spheres.
__________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Laborem Exercens
Pope John Paul II, 1981
History teaches us that organizations of this type [unions] are an
indispensable element in social life, especially in industrialized societies.
Catholic social teaching does not see unions as reflecting only a "class"'
structure, and even less as engaged in a "class" struggle. They are indeed
engaged in the struggle for social justice, but this is a struggle for the
common good, and not against others. Its aim is social justice and not the
elimination of opponents.
Human work is the key to the solution ... of the whole "social question."
To consider work is of decisive importance when trying to make life
"more human."
Yet the workers' rights cannot be doomed to be the mere result of
economic systems aimed at maximum profits. The thing that must shape
the whole economy is respect for the workers' rights within each country
and all through the world's economy.
Created in God's image, we were given the mandate to transform the
earth. By their work people share in God's creating activity .... Awareness
that our work is a sharing in God's work ought to permeate even the most
ordinary daily activities.
By our labor we are unfolding the Creator's work and contributing to the
realization of God's plan on earth. The Christian message does not stop
us from building the world or make us neglect our fellow human beings.
On the contrary it binds us more firmly to do just that.
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But above all we must remember the priority of labor over capital: labor
is the cause of production; capital, or the means of production, is its mere
instrument or tool.
Workers not only want fair pay, they also want to share in the
responsibility and creativity of the very work process. They want to feel
that they are working for themselves -- an awareness that is smothered in
a bureaucratic system where they only feel themselves to be "cogs" in a
huge machine moved from above.
The most profound motive for our work is this knowing that we share in
creation. Learning the meaning of creation in our daily lives will help us
to live holier lives. It will fill the world with the spirit of Christ, the spirit
of justice, charity, and peace.
The justice of a social and economic system is finally measured by the
way in which a person's work is rewarded. According to the principle of
the common use of goods, it is through the remuneration for work that in
any system most people have access to these goods, both the goods of
nature and those manufactured. A just wage is a concrete measure -and in
a sense the key one- of the justice of a system.
Through work people must earn their daily bread and contribute to the
continual advance of science and technology and, above all, to elevating
unceasingly the cultural and moral level of the society within which he
lives in community with those who belong to the same family. And work
means any activity by human beings, whether manual or intellectual,
whatever its nature or circumstances; it means any human activity that
can and must be recognized as work, in the midst of all the many
activities of which people are capable and to which they are predisposed
by their very nature, by virtue of humanity itself.
The purpose of unions is not simply to defend the existing wages and
prerogatives of the fraction of workers who belong to them, but also to
enable workers to make positive and creative contributions to the firm,
the community, and the larger society in an organized and cooperative
way.
The workers' rights cannot be doomed to be the mere result of economic
systems aimed at maximum profits. The thing that must shape the whole
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economy is respect for the workers' rights within each country and all
through the world's economy.
We must pay more attention to the one who works than to what the
worker does. The self-realization of the human person is the measure of
what is right and wrong.
Work is in the first place "for the worker" and not the worker "for work."
Work itself can have greater or lesser objective value, but all work should
be judged by the measure of dignity given to the person who carries it
out.
We must consequently continue to study the situation of the worker.
There is a need for solidarity movements among and with the workers.
The church is firmly committed to this cause, in fidelity to Christ, and to
be truly the "church of the poor."
The means of production cannot become a separate property, called
capital, as opposed to labor. They cannot be owned against labor or to
exploit labor. They cannot be owned just for the sake of owning them.
The only title to their ownership - whether private, public, or collectiveis that they serve labor. This means that under suitable conditions the
socialization of certain means of production could be compatible.
Work is a duty, because our Creator demanded it and because it
maintains and develops our humanity. We must work out of regard for
others, especially our own families, but also because of the society we
belong to and in fact because of the whole of humanity.
We inherit the work of the generations before us, and we share in the
building of the future of all those who will come after us. All this should
be kept in mind when considering the rights that come with work or the
duty to work.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Landowners And Workers Of
Sugar Cane Plantations, Bacolod, Philippines
Pope John Paul II, February 20, 1981
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To you people of Bacolod, and through you to all the people of the
Philippines, who are sons and daughters of a nation engaged in the search
for a better life for all its citizens, I repeat what I said once before : that
"the world willed by God is a world of justice. That this order must be
continually realized in the world, and even that it must always be realized
anew, as situations and social systems grow and develop, in proportion to
new conditions and economic possibilities, new possibilities and
necessities of distributing goods". The dignity of man and the common
good of society demand that society be based on justice.
There are in today's world too many situations of injustice. Injustice
reigns when some nations accumulate riches and live in abundance while
other nations cannot offer the majority of people the basic necessities.
Injustice reigns when within the same society some groups hold most of
the wealth and power while large strata of the population cannot decently
provide for the livelihood of their families even through long hours of
backbreaking labor in factories or in the fields.
Injustice reigns when the laws of economic growth and ever greater
profit determine social relations, leaving in poverty and destitution those
that have only the work of their hands to offer. Being aware of such
situations, the Church will not hesitate to take up the cause of the poor
and to become the voice of those who are not listened to when they speak
up, not to demand charity, but to ask for justice.
Yes, the preference fοr the poor is a Christian preference! It is a
preference that expresses the concern of Christ who came to proclaim a
message of salvation to the poor, for the poor are indeed loved by God,
and God it is who guarantees their rights. The Church proclaims her
preference for the poor within the totality of her mission of
evangelization that is directed to all people sο that all may come to know
Christ and find in the love of God and of neighbor their highest
fulfillment.
The Church wants to be of service to all people, in whatever social
condition they may be; she wants to be close to all human beings, since
all are poor and in need of salvation and all ought to be "poor in spirit".
But she shows a special solidarity with those that are suffering and in
need, with those that weep and are humiliated, with those that have been
left at the margin of society and of life; she does this so that they may be
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helped to become aware of their dignity as human beings and as children
of God.
Nο area of her pastoral mission will be omitted in her concern for the
poor: she will preach to them the Gospel, she will invite them to the
sacramental life of the Church and to prayer, she will speak to them about
sacrifice and resurrection, she will include them in her social apostolate.
I have been told that many of you here present are connected with the
agricultural sector, and more specifically with the sugar cane cultivation,
either as landowners, planters or laborers. You all live close to the land
and the land provides your livelihood. To all of you I would address
some special words in order to apply to you and your particular situation
the social message of the Church.
You lοve the land, you cherish the fertile plains. You belong to this land
and this land belongs to you. I myself have always been close to nature
and I understand your attachment to your rural setting. During my
pastoral visits to other parts of the globe, I have insisted on meeting every
time the people who live from the land : at Cuilapan and Oaxaca in
Mexico, at Nowy Targ in my native Poland, at Des Moines in the United
States of America, at Kisangani in Zaire, at Recife and Teresina in Brasil.
To all of them I have repeated the same message : that the land is a gift of
God to all humanity, a gift entrusted to man by the Creator, a gift of
divine love.
In his gratuitous love, God did not only create man and woman, but the
gave them the earth so that human life could be sustained through their
efforts. From the beginning, and for the benefit of all, God has willed the
interaction of land and labor sο that the full dignity of man may always
be protected and promoted.
Yes, human dignity must be promoted by the land. Because the land is a
gift of God for the benefit of all, it is not admissible to use this gift in
such a manner that the benefits it produces serve only a limited number
of people, while the others—the vast majority—are excluded from the
benefits which the land yields. It is not admissible that in the general
development process of a nation there should continue to exist the
injustice whereby progress worthy of man does not reach precisely those
people who live in the rural areas, who in sweat and toil make the land
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productive, and who must rely on the work of their hands for the
sustenance of their family.
It is not admissible that people who work the land must continue to live
in a situation that offers them no hope for a better future. No, in giving
the land to humanity, God had a different purpose, for his gift was a gift
of love to humanity.
A truly Christian challenge is therefore presented to those that own or
control the land. I know that many of you who are plantation-owners or
who are planters are truly concerned with the welfare of your workers,
but the Church, aware of her responsibilities, feels impelled to hold up
before you again and again the ideal of love and justice, and to encourage
yοu to compare constantly your actions and attitudes with the ethical
principles regarding the priority of the common good and regarding the
social purpose of economic activity.
The right of ownership is legitimate in itself but it cannot be separated
from its wider social dimension. In his Encyclical Populorum Progressio,
Paul VI, echoing the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, stated this
principle very clearly when he wrote : "God intended the earth and all it
contains for the use of every human being and people. Thus, as all people
follow justice and unite in charity, created goods should abound for them
on a reasonable basis. All other rights whatsoever, including those of
property and of free commerce, are to be subordinated to this principle.
They should not hinder but on the contrary favor its application. It is a
grave and urgent social duty to redirect them to their primary finality".
The landowners and the planters should therefore not let themselves be
guided in the first place by the economic laws of growth and gain, nor by
the demands of competition or the selfish accumulation of goods, but by
the demands of justice and by the moral imperative of contributing to a
decent standard of living and to working conditions which make it
possible for the workers and for the rural society to live a life that is truly
human and to see all their fundamental rights respected.
Likewise the workers, either duma-ans, sacadas or industrial workers,
must be guided by a truly human and Christian concept of their task.
Human labor remains the superior element in the economic enterprise,
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for through it man exerts his dominion over the material world for the
building up of his own human dignity.
The man or the woman who works becomes a cooperator of God. Made
to the image of God, man received the mission of governing the universe
so that its riches can be developed and used for the benefit of all, in order
to grant every human person the possibility to live according to his or her
own dignity and thus give glory to God.
To all the sugar cane workers I say, as I say to all workers everywhere :
never forget the great dignity that God has granted you, never let your
work degrade you but remember always the mission that God has
entrusted to you : to be, by the work of your hands, his collaborators in
the continuation of the work of creation. See in your work a labor of love,
for yοur daily work expresses love for yοur dear ones and yοur
commitment to the well-being of yοur family. Be prοud to be workers of
the land.
At the same time, know that the Church supports you in yοur endeavors
to have yοur rights as workers respected. Ninety years ago already, the
great social Encyclical Rerum Novarum spelled out very clearly that the
worker is entitled to wages that give him a just share in the wealth he
helps to produce, and that working conditions should be geared not to the
ever increasing economic profit of the enterprise but to the inviolable
dignity of man as an individual, as a provider for his family and as a
builder of the society to which he belongs.
It has been the constant teaching of the Church that workers have a right
to unite in free associations for the purpose of defending their interest and
contributing as responsible partners to the common good. Such
associations should be protected by appropriate laws which, rather that
restrict their activities, should guarantee the free pursuit of the social
welfare of all their members and of the workers in general.
Wherever people work together, inspired by the aim of securing the
dignity of every human being and of building a society based on justice,
the hope for a better future will be kept alive, and ways and means will
be found to share the fruits of progress with all in the community. When
the legitimate rights of every category are respected, peaceful ways will
be devised to achieve the common good and no one will hesitate to put
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the full wealth of his talents, skills and influence at the service of his
brothers and sisters in the common pursuit of a just society.
Government agencies that are guided by a true concern for the dignity of
the human person will not become instruments of oppression or power
tools for one class or category. Free associations of workers that base
their action on the peerless dignity of man will inspire confidence as
partners in the search for just solutions.
Workers and employers who learn to see each other as brothers will not
get locked in bitter disputes that leave the problems unsolved and human
solidarity weakened or in ruins. When man himself, man with his
unsurpassed dignity, is the measure that is applied to the social problems,
then there will be no room for violence in the struggle for justice. To
adopt man as the criterion of all social activity means committing oneself
to the transformation of every unjust situation without destroying what
one seeks to protect : a society based on brotherhood, justice and love.
Violence can never be a means for solving social conflict, and class
struggle which opposes one group to another cannot create justice since
its premise is destruction and contempt for man. To construct a truly
human society in the Philippines, every man and woman must make a
choice for justice and love, for solidarity and brotherhood against
selfishness and hatred. Choose human dignity and a better future will be
yours!
My dear friends of Bacolod, of Negros Occidental, and all of you who
have come from far away to be with me today, I know that you are not
lacking in generosity and courage. In your communities, in the cities and
in the villages, you keep alive a, marvelous heritage of values and
qualities that is yοur strength for the future.
Remain true to what you are : preserve always yοur joy, your love of the
family, your solidarity within each community, and above all your
determination to share whatever you are and whatever you have—evens
if it be little or humble—with those of yοur brothers and sisters who are
in need. In doing so, your community will be graced by the mark of
humanity !
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To all my brothers and sisters in Christ I say : keep alive in yοur hearts
yοur confidence in Gοd, yοur faithfulness to the Church and your
devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The moment has now come for me to take leave of yοu. I would have
liked to stay longer with you but others are waiting to celebrate with me
in the bond of lοve that unites us in Jesus Christ. Thank you for yοur
presence here and for the sharing of this hour. I feel so much richer for
having met you and for having seen yοur pride as Filipinos and as
Christians.
When you return to yοur villages and yοur families, take with yοu the
blessing of the Pope. And tell all those that could not be here today, tell
you old people and your sick, that the Pope loves them and carries them
always in his heart and his prayers. I bless you all in the name of Jesus
Christ, our merciful and loving Savior.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Homily, Legazpi, Philippines
Pope John Paul II, February 21, 1981
I have been eagerly waiting to meet you, in order to give you this twin
message: the land as God's gift for all men, and the beautiful mystery of
work.
Why to you, my dear farm-workers? Because you are important and have
a special place in God's plan for the world: you provide food for your
fellowman. It is a task that deserves the appreciation and grateful esteem
of all; it is a task which deserves the recognition of the dignity of those
engaged in it. You have every right therefore to expect from the Pope,
who is your father and brother and servant in Christ, a word of
encouragement and hope, of guidance and support.
But I wanted so very much to meet yοu not only for this reason, but also
to proclaim the important values to which your lives bear witness. The
rural world truly possesses enviable human and religious riches: a deeprooted love of the family and of peace, a religious sense, an appreciation
of friendship, trust and openness to God, and devotion to the Blessed
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Virgin Mary, particularly in your case under the title of Our Lady of
Peñafrancia.
It is a well-deserved tribute of recognition that the Pope wishes to express
to you, for society is indeed indebted to you. Thank yοu, my dear farmworkers, for your precious contribution to the social well-being of
mankind; society owes yοu a great deal.
Your distinct contribution to society rests on your deep and living
awareness that the land is a gift of God, a gift that he makes to all human
beings, whom he wishes to see gathered in a single family and treating
one another as brothers and sisters. Is not this gift emphasized in the first
chapter of Genesis? "And God said, 'Behold, I have given you every
plant yielding seed ... and every tree with seed in its fruit : you shall have
them for food'". The land belongs to man because God entrusted it to
man, and by his work man subdues it and makes it yield fruit.
What follows from this? That it is not the will of God—it is not
according to his plan—for this gift to be used in such a way that its
benefits are to the advantage of only a few, while others, the vast
majority, are excluded. And when this vast majority are in fact excluded
from sharing the benefits of the land, and consequently condemned to a
state of want, poverty and borderline existence, then it is a very serious
matter.
For in this case, the land is not serving the dignity of human persons—
human persons called to the fullness of life in Christ Jesus ! But this is
what you are and must always remain, in your own eyes and in the eyes
of others, in theory and in practice. Consequently, you must be able to
realize your human potentialities—potentialities for "being more". You
have the right to live and to be treated in accordance with your human
dignity; at the same time you have the corresponding duty to treat others
in the same way. You should then be able to draw from your work on the
farms the necessary and sufficient means to meet your family and social
responsibilities in a worthy human and Christian way.
In the Book of Genesis we see that "the Lord God took the man and put
him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it". And in our reading today
we heard God's command: Fill the earth and subdue it; and have
dominion over creation.
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What do these texts tell us? The clear language of the Bible is telling us
that it is our Creator's will that man should communicate with nature as
an intelligent and noble master and guardian, and not as a reckless
exploiter. This is what is meant when we are told "to have dominion", "to
till" the earth: the principle that dictates the obligatory line of action for
all those who are responsible for, and interested in, the problem of the
earth: persons invested with public authority, technicians, entrepreneurs,
and workers.
Recalling here what I said on another occasion, but adapting it to yοu and
your country, let me urge yοu to till the land of your beloved Philippines
and to preserve it. Make the most of the goods of nature; ensure that they
will yield more in favor of man, the man of today and of tomorrow. As
regards the use of God's gift of the land, it is necessary to think a great
deal of the future generations, to pay the price of austerity in order not to
weaken or reduce—or worse still, to make unbearable—the living
conditions of future generations. Justice and humanity require this too.
Our response to God's gift is made with human effort and work. These
characterize man's struggle in time and space to subdue nature; they are
the subject of my special message to yοu, my dear workers, tricycle and
jeepney drivers.
I feel deep joy when I meet workers like you, for you remind me of those
years in my youth when I too experienced the grandeur and severity, the
happy hours and the moments of anxiety, the achievements and the
frustrations that a worker's condition entails. Thank you then most
especially for giving me this opportunity to meet you.
Let us reflect together on the dignity of work, the nobility of work. Do I
have to tell you about it? You know the dignity and the nobility of your
work—you who work to live, to improve your life, to provide for your
children's sustenance, education and well-being. Your work is noble
because it is a service for your families and for the wider community,
which is society. Work is a service in which man himself grows to the
extent to which he gives himself for others.
For this reason, a fundamental concern of one and all—rulers, labor
leaders and businessmen—must be this : to give work to everyone. But
there is a deeper reason why every man has the right to work; it is in
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order to be in a position to fulfill completely his human vocation, that is,
to become in Christ a co-creator with God. Man becomes more fully man
by means of work freely undertaken and performed. Work is not
punishment, but an honor. It has become difficult and burden-some only
because of sin: "With sweat on your brow shall you eat bread", but it
always retains its uplifting dignity.
Let us not deceive ourselves. Providing employment must not be taken
lightly, or considered a secondary aspect of the economic order and of
development. It should be a central element in the aims of economic
theory and practice.
But it is not only employment that justice requires. Justice also requires
that workers be paid a wage that is sufficient to maintain their families in
a manner consonant with human dignity.
It requires, moreover, that working conditions should be as worthy as
possible, and that social security should be perfected sο as to enable
everyone, on the basis of growing solidarity, to face up to risks, difficult
situations and social burdens; that wages should be regulated in their
various and complementary forms; that workers should have a real and
just share in the wealth that they help to produce in enterprises, in
professions and in the national economy.
You can be sure that your Pope is with yοu on this issue and on similar
issues, because what is at stake is man and his dignity.
There are many more reflections that I would like to make with yοu, my
dear brothers and sisters. But it is time to continue the Holy Sacrifice of
the Mass. Before I do so, however, let me once more make this appeal :
never forget the great dignity which, as human beings and as Christians,
you should imprint on your work, even the most ordinary work, even the
most insignificant tasks.
Never let yourselves be degraded by work, but rather try to live
thoroughly your real dignity, according to the word of God and the
teaching of the Church. Yes, from the viewpoint of faith, work
corresponds to the will of God the Creator. It is part of God's plan for
man and for the fulfillment of the human person; by work man is indeed
given a share in God's own work of creation. And from the viewpoint of
faith, work is immeasurably ennobled by Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of
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man. By his work as a carpenter in Nazareth and by his many other
labors he sanctified all human work, thus conferring on workers a special
solidarity with himself and giving them a share in his own redemptive
work of uplifting humanity, transforming society, and leading the world
to the praise of his Father in heaven. All of this shows too the need for
work to be performed well, and the obligation on the part of workers to
fulfill their duties conscientiously and in accordance with the
requirements of justice and love.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The 21st Conference Of The Food
And Agriculture Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 13, 1981
The importance of your Organization is self-evident, since its objective is
to promote agricultural development and the provision of sufficient food
for every human being. In this respect, the world situation today is far
from satisfactory even though there are factors of hope. Famine and
malnutrition are still all too real for millions of people.
The fight against hunger and malnutrition can and must be continued
through the tenacious and harmonious efforts of all: of individuals,
groups and volunteer associations, of private and public institutions, of
governments and international organizations, especially those that carry
out programs and activities which are multilateral or even totally
altruistic, for the sake of those countries which are the weakest and most
in need of help.
As the absolute priority, the strenuous efforts of all should be directed to
the elimination of “absolute poverty”, that poverty which afflicts the
populations of many developing countries.
Absolute poverty is a condition in which life is so limited by lack of
food, malnutrition, illiteracy, high infant mortality and low life
expectancy as to be beneath any rational definition of human decency.
The persistence of such degrading poverty, and especially the lack of the
absolutely basic minimum of food, is a scandal of the modern world, in
which one finds enormous contrasts of income and standards of living
between rich countries and countries that are materially poor.
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The conditions of under-development and real dependence which
characterize developing countries cannot be attributed solely to a lack of
will and commitment on the part of the populations concerned, nor to
corruption and undue enrichment on the part of a few people within
communities which have recently attained independence. For these
conditions are also maintained and fostered by rigid and backward
economic and social structures, both national and international, structures
which cannot be changed suddenly, but which need to be changed
through a long and gradual process, the fruit of a sustained and united
effort following the criteria of justice in the relationships between the
peoples of the entire world.
It should never be forgotten that the true purpose of every economic,
social and political system and of every model of development is the
integral advancement of the human person. Development is clearly
something much more fundamental than merely economic progress
measured in terms of the gross national product. True development takes
as its criterion the human person with all the needs, just expectations and
fundamental rights that are his or hers.
This is the central idea that I presented in my recently published
Encyclical Laborem Exercens. Its purpose is to highlight “the man who
works” and who thus contributes to the economic development and the
civil progress of his own country and of the whole world. Human work
constitutes in fact the “essential key” of the whole social question. It is a
fundamental criterion for a critical evaluation of the choices of internal
and international politics which you are called upon to carry out at this
General Conference of FAO. It is a criterion for the reform of economic
relationships and systems at the worldwide level, always from the point
of view of the good of man.
The present XXI Session of the Conference of FAO, among other agenda
items, is examining and striving to put into effect the concluding
resolutions of the World Conference on Land Reform and Rural
Development. I have already had the opportunity of expressing my
thoughts in this regard during a meeting held on that occasion.
At this moment I wish only to confirm, with the words of Laborem
Exercens, that “In many situations radical and urgent changes are...
needed in order to restore to agriculture – and to rural people – their just
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value as the basis for a healthy economy, within the social community’s
development as a whole”.
Therefore I appreciate in a particular way the call which your Assembly
intends to make for the recognition of the primacy of agricultural
development and food production on a national, regional and worldwide
level. This is particularly important at the present time, when we are
seeking to devise a strategy for worldwide development in the Eighties.
Furthermore, great importance must be attached to present political
planning for worldwide development, whereby it is desired to encourage
developing countries to become self-reliant, and to define and put into
effect their own national strategy for development, with a model adapted
to actual conditions, capacities and the unique culture of each country.
But this should not provide a convenient excuse for more prosperous
countries to evade their responsibilities, as though they could leave the
burden of development to the needy countries alone: on the contrary,
these latter must be guaranteed adequate external support, of a kind
which respects their dignity and autonomy of initiative.
There can be no doubt that the developing countries stand in need of
technical and financial assistance in order to become self-sufficient in
agricultural production and so be able to feed their own people.
A few developing countries are beginning to reach a level of selfsufficiency, at least in some basic products, often thanks to their own
efforts aided by more prosperous countries. This is an encouraging sign;
but there are many other countries with small resources and with serious
food shortages, which need large-scale and urgent help in order to
overcome their poverty.
The ever more obvious interdependence among the different countries of
this world demands that differences of economic and political interests be
overcome and that greater expression be given to the solidarity which
binds all peoples in the one family.
But the demands of justice in world solidarity cannot be satisfied merely
by the distribution of “surpluses”, even if these are adequate and timely.
For the demands of solidarity call for an ever greater and more effective
willingness to place at the disposal of all people, especially those most in
need of help for their development, “the various riches of nature: those
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beneath the ground, those in the sea, on land or in space”. The primary
destination of the resources of the earth to the common good demands
that the necessities of life be provided for all human beings before
individuals or groups appropriate for themselves the riches of nature or
the products of human skill.
Hence the need to bring about effective cooperation between highly
advanced countries and countries that need their limited capacities and
resources to be supplemented from outside.
Therefore forms of help must be sought which avoid a continuous
recourse to investments obtained through burdensome loans from private
sources, or from sources not as sufficiently disinterested as the
multilateral methods of the Intergovernmental Organizations.
I wish above all to make the most earnest appeal possible to people’s
moral conscience for the concrete affirmation of the objective criteria of
justice which must govern relationships between the subjects of the civil
community, whether they be individuals, or groups and enterprises, or
sovereign countries. In this sense recognition must be given to the
obligations which bind, in the first place from the ethical point of view,
the more advanced countries such as those of the so-called “North” to the
developing countries of the so-called “South”. Justice demands that each
nation should assume its part of responsibility for the development of the
needy nations in true international solidarity, aware that all peoples have
equal dignity, and that, together, all the nations constitute a worldwide
community. Hard decisions must be taken, with regard to the share that
the economically rich nations will have to the structures that must jointly
be set up in order to create new and just relationships in all areas of
development. All nations have a claim on the solidarity of all others, but
the nations that see the very existence and dignity of their people
threatened have a priority claim. Responding to this claim is not a luxury.
It is a duty.
In offering these thoughts to your reflection, I wish to assure you once
again of my esteem for your persons and of my total support for your
work. As one whose entire ministry is to represent Christ on earth – the
historical compassionate Christ who was solicitous for the needy and
who fed the hungry – I cannot but testify to my profound admiration for
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the contribution that you are making, through concerted efforts, to the
cause of humanity. May Almighty God sustain you in your mission.
With reference to the agenda item dealing with energy in agriculture and
for rural development, I have pleasure in offering to the Chairman of this
Conference and to the Director General of FAO a copy of the preceding
of the Study Conference convened by the Pontifical Academy of
Sciences in November 1980 on “Mankind and Energy”.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Ambassador Of Zambia
Pope John Paul II, February 8, 1982
The establishment of true peace is essential for preserving and advancing
that dignity.
Peace, as we are all aware, is not merely the absence of war. Rather, in its
fullest meaning, peace points to the deepest desire that is found in the
heart of every human being. Peace challenges that which is noblest in
man. In this regard I stated in this year’s Message for the World Day of
Peace that peace “springs from the dynamism of free wills guided by
reason towards the common good that is to be attained in truth, justice
and love”.
From this it is clear that peace must necessarily involve more than a
consideration of material or economic values. It requires values of the
spiritual realm as well. In fact, the pre-eminence of spiritual values must
be acknowledged, in order to ensure that material development and
economic growth serve the authentic destiny of the whole person. For
this reason the unimpeded access to truth, the equitable distribution of the
riches of creation, and the right of acceptance in society without
discrimination on the basis of origin, race, sex, nationality, religion,
political convictions and the like must be upheld and defended as
essential elements, in building a lasting peace.
On the other hand, wherever selfishness, greed or exploitation are
allowed to exist, by law or by custom, there human suffering will be most
intensely experienced and the way to peace most severely blocked. These
situations will only be overcome by a willingness to communicate, to
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understand the condition of those who are being manipulated and by a
readiness to forgive the wrongs of the past in favor of a common search
for future harmony.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The General Assembly Of The United
Nations
Pope John Paul II, June 7, 1982
The production and the possession of armaments are a consequence of an
ethical crisis that is disrupting society in all its political, social and
economic dimensions. Peace, as I have already said several times, is the
result of respect for ethical principles. True disarmament, that which will
actually guarantee peace among peoples, will come about only with the
resolution of this ethical crisis. To the extent that the efforts at arms
reduction and then of total disarmament are not matched by parallel
ethical renewal, they are doomed in advance to failure.
The attempt must be made to put our world aright and to eliminate the
spiritual confusion born from a narrow-minded search for interest or
privilege or by the defense of ideological claims: this is a task of first
priority if we wish to measure any progress in the struggle for
disarmament. Otherwise we are condemned to remain at face-saving
activities.
For the root cause of our insecurity can be found in this profound crisis of
humanity. By means of creating consciences sensitive to the absurdity of
war, we advance the value of creating the material and spiritual
conditions which will lessen the glaring inequalities and which will
restore to everyone that minimum of space that is needed for the freedom
of the spirit.
The great disparity between the rich and the poor living together on this
one planet is no longer supportable in a world of rapid universal
communications, without giving birth to a justified resentment that can
turn to violence. Moreover the spirit has basic and inalienable rights. For
it is with justice that these rights are demanded in countries where the
space is denied them to live in tranquility according to their own
convictions. I invite all those struggling for peace to commit themselves
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to the effort to eliminate the true causes of the insecurity of man of which
the terrible arms race is only one effect.
To reverse the current trend in the arms race involves, therefore, a
parallel struggle on two fronts: on the one side, an immediate and urgent
struggle by governments to reduce progressively and equally their
armaments; on the other hand, a more patient but nonetheless necessary
struggle at the level of the consciences of peoples to take their
responsibility in regard to the ethical cause of the insecurity that breeds
violence by coming to grips with the material and spiritual inequalities of
our world.
With no prejudice of any kind, let us unite all our intellectual and
spiritual forces, those of statesmen, of citizens, of religious leaders, to put
an end to violence and hatred and to seek out the paths of peace.
Peace is the supreme goal of the activity of the United Nations. It must
become the goal of all men and women of good will. Unhappily still in
our days, sad realities cast their shadows across the international horizon,
causing the suffering of destruction, such that they could cause humanity
to lose the hope of being able to master its own future in harmony and in
the collaboration of peoples.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 16, 1982
On the occasion of the observance of World Food Day 1982, I wish to
express to you my full and wholehearted support of the Food and
Agriculture Organization in its unremitting efforts to alleviate hunger and
malnutrition.
The struggle to remedy these ills which deeply affect immense numbers
of our brothers and sisters deserves the active solidarity of all nations and
all men and women of good will.
It is my hope that the attention of the world will once again be directed to
the urgency of feeding all the members of the human family.
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In praising all those who work perseveringly to improve food supplies
and to assist farmers, foresters and fishermen in their vital role of service.
I offer the unflagging support of the catholic church and the full
encouragement of the Holy See.
I ask the God of Mercy to sustain FAO in meeting this constant
challenge.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Trilateral Commission
Pope John Paul II, April 18, 1983
You all come from the wealthy parts of this world, and for this reason
your have a responsibility for encouraging people to face their duty of
international human solidarity, for, as my predecessor Paul VI said in his
Encyclical Populorum Progressio, “This duty is the concern especially of
better-off nations” (PAULI VI Populorum Progressio, 44).
Again, when one speaks of human solidarity and politics, and
international solidarity and politics in particular, one cannot forget the
words of John XXIII: “the same moral law, which governs relations
between individual human beings, serves also to regulate the relations of
political communities with one another” (IOANNIS XXIII Pacem in
Terris, III). International solidarity applies not only to the relations
between nations but also to all the instruments of relations between
nations, including those at the level of government and of multinational
companies. In every sphere there are ethical and moral exigencies. These
ethical and moral exigencies touch the many factors of technology and
bear directly on the productivity and profit of enterprises, as I have
alluded to in Laborem Exercens (Cfr. IOANNIS PAULI PP. II Laborem
Exercens, 17). In a word, all activity must be at the service of life - the
life of individuals and communities wherever they may be - and this
activity must not violate the laws of life, the generation of life, the
dignity of life, especially the life of the poor.
I am pleased to learn that you are spending these days discussing a study
of strategies of development - a study which must emphasize the double
effort to be made: on the one hand by the poorer countries, to secure their
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self-development; and on the other hand by the richer countries, to create
economic and trading conditions that will help to meet the essential needs
of the people in the developing regions, and that will also favor a more
just sharing of resources.
But here I ask myself a question - a question that I put to you as well:
why, at the end of the first third of the Third Development Decade is the
global situation of North-South relations more alarming than it was at the
beginning of the sixties? Why is the gap between rich and poor
constantly growing wider? In reply, one may point to the energy crisis of
the seventies, which brought the developed world itself face-to-face with
a striking number of social challenges. Permit me to mention, as a
complement to this, the inadequate attention given to one of the main
themes of Populorum Progressio: “The integral development of the
human person”.
It is an illusion to pursue solely material development. Everything,
including the dynamisms of production and profit themselves, is rooted
in the awareness of human dignity. Attacking this dignity weakens all
efforts for development. On the other hand, creating social, cultural and
spiritual conditions which protect people from all situations of
oppression, exploitation and degrading dependence is a guarantee of the
success of development projects. “In brief, to seek to do more, know
more and have more in order to be more” (PAULI VI Populorum
Progressio, 6).
In addition, peaceful relations between peoples equally figure among
your concerns. This is a matter much more closely connected with
development than appears at first sight, for the ethical truth that I have
just evoked is at the root of authentic peace. Certainly, one must not
neglect the patient efforts of negotiators, or studies full of technical
solutions that would make it possible to fix the balance of power at an
ever lower level. On numerous occasions, I have encouraged them. At the
beginning of the year, I devoted a Message to the importance of dialogue
as a means for guaranteeing security. This presupposes, of course, that
such dialogue is sincere, is without deception, and is free of any intention
of deceiving the other party.
Here I would repeat in your presence what has already been proclaimed
before the United Nations: “The production and the possession of
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armaments are a consequence of an ethical crisis that is disrupting society
in all its political, social and economic dimensions”. Peace, as I have
already said several times, is the result of respect for ethical principles.
True disarmament, that which will actually guarantee peace among
peoples, will come about only with the resolution of the ethical crisis. To
the extent that the efforts at arms reduction and then of total disarmament
are not matched by parallel ethical renewal, they are doomed in advance
to failure.
“The attempt must be made to put our world aright and to eliminate the
spiritual confusion born from a narrow-minded search for interest or
privilege or by the defense of ideological claims: this is a task of first
priority if we wish to measure any progress in the struggle for
disarmament. Otherwise we are condemned to remain at face-saving
activities” (IOANNIS PAULI PP. II Nuntius scripto datus de apparatus
militaris imminutione ex condicto facienda, ab Augustino S.R.E.
Presbytero Cardinali Casaroli, a publicis Ecclesiae negotiis, in plenario
conventu organismi ONU nuncupati, recitatus, 12, die 7 iun. 1982:
Insegnamenti di Giovanni Paolo II, V/2 [1982] 2141).
As you see, in the spheres with which you concern yourselves with
competence, it is impossible to separate technology and ethics. Without
the aid of ethics, political activity does not secure the common good but
becomes an unbearable and detestable exploitation of man by man.
And so I would urge you to continue with good will your efforts and
researches without ever neglecting or transgression the moral dimension
of international relation - and to do everything for the service of the
human person.
And many God, the Creator of the human person and the Lord of life,
render effective your contribution to humanity and implant peace in your
own hearts.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The United Nations Conference On
Trade And Development
Pope John Paul II, May 25, 1983
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The sixth United Nations Conference on Trade and Development is
meeting at a time when many questions of grave importance claim the
attention of leaders and specialists in the fields of politics, social
problems, economics and development. In such an atmosphere in which
problems are many and solutions not easy, often enough it is difficult to
bring together sufficient resources and energies combined with the
necessary political commitment to face up adequately to the many
specific challenges in the areas that will be examined by your
Conference. Mindful of the very real human factor and informed about
the history of previous Conferences, I am writing to you, Mr Secretary
General, to offer this important meeting words of support and
encouragement which stem from my profound wish that this Conference
might contribute to the betterment of the conditions of life and thus to the
present and future well-being of the developing countries, especially the
countries that have the most need for concrete help.
As you know, the task of the Church is spiritual and religious in nature.
Animated by the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, the Church, consistent
with that spiritual mission, never hesitates to speak a word and to lend a
hand, in order to collaborate in the responsibilities we all must face to
enhance life and secure a better future for all peoples, especially those
who are in the greatest need.
In my Encyclical Letter Laborem Exercens, I spoke of the importance of
international collaboration, pointing out that they “must let themselves be
guided by an exact diagnosis of the complex situations and of the
influence exercised by natural, historical, civil and other such
circumstances. They must also be more highly operative with regard to
plans for action jointly decided on, that is to say, they must be more
effective in carrying them out” (IOANNIS PAULI PP. II, Laborem
Exercens, 18).
Many and varied are the studies and analyses that have been carried on
by various agencies and governments in the past twenty years concerning
development and trade around the world and within individual nations.
These have been utilized with varying degrees of success by those
responsible. However, what I would want to emphasize today is the need
to move from the studies which are already available, or which might be
readily available where needed, and to arrive at the next point. Aware of
their mutual dependence, and in a spirit of solidarity, international
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organizations and nations should bend their efforts at this UNCTAD VI
to plan for action jointly decided upon that might be more effective in
furthering the well-being of nations and peoples who come to this forum
looking for help.
To this end, there is a need, I believe, for a re-launching of the NorthSouth dialogue with fresh perspectives and with a renewed political will
to carry out programs that will be mutually helpful. Everyone is aware of
the domestic problems that for some time have beset all the nations of the
world without exception. Great as these are, it would be a pity if the
internal difficulties of a developed nation were to be used as an excuse to
avoid responsibilities in the international sphere. Thus one can see that in
the area of development the fundamental step must be the initiation of a
dialogue that accepts the other as an equal partner and that seeks to find
the ways through sincere and honest negotiations to resolve real and
concrete problems. There can be no substitute for this dialogue. There is
no nation which has the right to exempt itself from the demands that such
a dialogue presents.
If the North-South dialogue can be renewed and given new impetus and
direction - and this Conference can play an important role in such an
endeavor - then a first fruit of that process will be the discovery of a new
quality of interdependence. The interdependence of nations is expressed
in a number of ways, from the most simple bartering to the most
complicated of international economic and trade agreements. These are,
however, the plain facts of interdependence which indicate to us that no
one nation is able to live solely by itself, looking only to its own interests.
Yet in these facts one can discover a more important reality, namely the
quality of interdependence or interchange that must be expressed and
developed beyond the mere facts. This must be fostered in the renewal of
the North-South dialogue: the quality of the dialogue must be improved.
The vision of a world living together in harmony must be emphasized.
Esteem for the values of one another’s cultures must be deepened. Above
all the full dignity and value of the human person in society must be
protected and fostered. The dialogue which you in this Conference must
conduct about economics and trade, about development and appropriate
technology, will be guided by and expressive of the value you place upon
the peoples and nations with whom you are dealing. This is, need I add, a
mutual discovery and a mutual obligation: to develop a North-South
dialogue that embodies and expresses a quality of interdependence that
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gives to all those involved their true worth and thus opens up the concrete
steps to be taken in order to arrive at that sense of the worth of the human
person and the common good of all.
It is my earnest hope that UNCTAD VI will make a real and lasting
contribution to this dialogue, a contribution that will find its way into
programs that overcome the current disparities and give new hope to the
lives of peoples and nations most in need - a contribution that will press
forward to a world in which the worth of every person and nation is fully
respected and honored.
I pray that God, our common Father, will bless this Conference, your
deliberations and the fruit of your work.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The International Congress Of
Science And Technology Against Word Hunger In the World
Pope John Paul, II, October 7, 1983
The study of ways and means to feed the population of this generation
and generations yet to come must draw upon the resources of every field
of science and technology. It must attack the problem on different fronts
in order to arrive at solutions which are both adequate for the present and
will meet the demands of the future.
The problem of hunger in the world assumes grave proportions when
seen from the point of view of those developing peoples and nations
which are desperately seeking to meet basic human needs, but which fail
in this pursuit due to the social, economic and political factors arrayed
against them. The urgency of this situation demands concerted action,
based on both bilateral and multilateral collaboration, and this action
presupposes a clear vision of the social and economic aspects of the
question, as well as the cultural and spiritual ones.
This is so because the survival of millions of our fellow human beings
cannot be reduced to a matter of vested national interests or political
expediency. Their survival must be seen rather in its full significance: as
the responsibility, the solemn duty of all humanity united in a spirit of
fraternal solidarity. This obligation stems from a common brotherhood
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under the fatherhood of God, and must be expressed in a charity that is
universal - a charity that seeks to bring about a world that is “more
human towards all people, where all will be able to give and receive,
without one group making progress at the expense of the other”
(Populorum Progressio, 44).
It is clear that the moral challenges facing those responsible for the
technical application of the solutions to the problem of world hunger are
immense. They involve acquiring and utilizing all the technological and
scientific knowledge available and placing it at the service of man as he
fights to arrest the causes and effects of this age-old yet ever increasing
problem.
The Church has repeatedly lent her support to initiatives which work for
the reduction of hunger in the world. The Holy See in particular follows
with lively interest the activities of all international organizations which
undertake programs in this regard. I wish to offer you the assurance of
my own encouragement for this noble goal which you pursue. I do so
because by your working to eliminate hunger you are also making the
world a more human place in which to live; you are helping to build a
world where every person can live a more fully human life, a life based
on that common dignity which is in keeping with the nature given to us
by the Creator.
May your efforts to banish hunger from the world be crowned with
success, as you labor on behalf of the whole human family.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 1983
Although the tension between East and West, with its ideological
background, monopolizes the attention and fuels the apprehension of a
great number of countries, especially in the northern hemisphere, it
should not overshadow another more fundamental tension between North
and South which affects the very life of a great part of humanity. Here it
is the question of the growing contrast between the countries that have
had an opportunity to accelerate their development and increase their
wealth, and the countries locked in a condition of underdevelopment.
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This is another gigantic source of opposition, bitterness, revolt or fear,
especially as it is fed by many kinds of injustice.
It is in the face of these enormous problems that I propose the theme of a
renewal of "heart". It may be thought that the proposal is too simple and
the means disproportionate. And yet, if one reflects well on it, the
analysis outlined here permits us to go to the very depths of the problem
and is capable of calling into question the presuppositions that precisely
constitute a threat to peace. Humanity's helplessness to resolve the
existing tensions reveals that the obstacles, and likewise the hopes, come
from something deeper than the systems themselves.
It is my deep conviction, it is the leitmotiv of the Bible and of Christian
thought, and is, I hope, the intuition of many men and women of good
will, that war has its origins in the human heart. It is man who kills and
not his sword, or in our day, his missiles.
The "heart" in the biblical sense is the innermost depth of the human
person, in his or her relationship to good, to others, to God. It is not
primarily a question of affectivity, but of conscience, of convictions, of
the system of thought to which one is bound, as also the passions which
influence one. In his heart, man is sensitive to the absolute values of
good, to justice, brotherhood and peace.
The disorder of the heart is notably the disorder of the conscience when
the latter calls good or bad what it intends to choose for the satisfaction
of its material interests or its desire for power. Even the complex nature
of the exercise of power does not exclude that there exists always the
responsibility of the individual conscience in the preparation, beginning
or extension of a conflict. The fact that responsibility is shared by a group
does not alter this principle.
But this conscience is often solicited, not to say subjugated, by sociopolitical and ideological systems that are themselves the work of the
human spirit. To the extent to which people allow themselves to be
seduced by systems that present a global vision of humanity that is
exclusive and almost Manichean, to the extent that they make the
struggle against others, their elimination or enslavement the condition of
progress, they shut themselves up within a war mentality which
aggravates tensions and they reach the point of being almost incapable of
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dialogue. Sometimes their unconditional attachment to these systems
becomes a form of power-worship, the worship of strength and wealth, a
form of slavery that takes away freedom from the leaders themselves.
Over and above ideological systems properly so-called, the passions that
disturb the human heart and incline it to war are also of many kinds.
People can allow themselves to be carried away by a sense of racial
supremacy and by hatred of others for this reason, or by jealousy, envy of
the land and resources of others, or in a general way, by the desire for
power, by pride, by a desire to extend their control over other peoples
whom they despise.
Certainly, passions are often born of the real frustrations of individuals
and peoples when others have refused to guarantee their existence or
when social conditions are slow to adopt democracy or the sharing of
wealth. Injustice is already a great vice in the heart of the exploiter. But
passions are sometimes fed deliberately. It is difficult for wars to start if
the people on both sides do not have powerful feelings of mutual
hostility, or if they are not convinced that the claims of their opponents
threaten their vital interests. This explains the ideological manipulations
resorted to by those with aggressive intentions. Once fighting has begun,
hostility is bound to increase, for it is nourished by the sufferings and
atrocities experienced by each side. Psychoses of hatred can then result.
In the final analysis, therefore, the fact of recourse to violence and to war
comes from man's sin, from his blindness of spirit and the disorder of his
heart, which invoke the motive of injustice in order to spread or harden
tension or conflict.
Yes, war is born from the sinful heart of man, ever since the jealousy and
violence that filled the heart of Cain when he met his brother Abel,
according to the ancient biblical narrative. Is it not a question really of an
even more profound rupture, when people become incapable of agreeing
on what is good and evil, on the values of life of which God is the source
and guarantor? Does not this explain the drifting of man's "heart", when
he fails to make peace with his fellowman on the basis of truth, with
uprightness of spirit and goodness of heart?
The re-establishment of peace would itself be of short duration and quite
illusory if there were not a true change of heart. History has taught us
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that, even in the case of countries that have been occupied or where rights
have been suppressed, the "liberation" for which people had yearned for
so long has proved a disappointment, in that the leaders and the citizens
have held on to their narrowness of spirit, their intolerance and their
hardness, without overcoming their antagonisms. In the Bible itself, the
Prophets denounced these ephemeral liberations when there was no real
change of heart, no real "conversion".
If the present systems generated by the "heart" of man turn out to be
incapable of ensuring peace, then it is the "heart" of man that must be
renewed, in order to renew systems, institutions and methods. Christian
faith has a word for this fundamental change of heart: it is "conversion".
Speaking generally, it is a matter of rediscovering clear sightedness and
impartiality with freedom of spirit, the sense of justice with respect for
the rights of man, the sense of equity with global solidarity between the
rich and the poor, mutual trust and fraternal love.
In the first place individuals and nations must acquire a true freedom of
spirit in order to become conscious of the sterile attitudes of the past, of
the biased and partial character of philosophical and social systems which
begin from debatable premises and which reduce man and history to a
closed system of materialistic forces, which rely on nothing but the force
of arms and the power of the economy, which shut human beings into
categories in opposition to each other, which present one-sided solutions,
which ignore the complex reality of the life of nations and hinder their
being treated as free. So a re-examination is needed of these systems that
manifestly lead to deadlock, that freeze dialogue and understanding,
develop mistrust, increase threats and dangers, without resolving the real
problems, without offering true security, without making people truly
happy, peaceful and free. This transformation in depth of the spirit and
the heart certainly calls for great courage, the courage of humility and
clear mindedness. It must influence the collective mind, by first touching
the conscience of the individual. Is this an impossible hope? The
impotence and danger in which our contemporaries find themselves urge
them not to put off this return to the truth which alone will make them
free and capable of better systems. This is the first condition for creating
the "new heart".
The other positive elements are well known. It is enough to mention
them. Peace is authentic if it is the fruit of justice, Opus iustitiae pax, as
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the Prophet Isaiah said (cf. Is 32, 17): justice between social partners and
between peoples. And a society is just and human if it respects the
fundamental rights of the human person. Moreover, the spirit of war rises
and grows strong where the inalienable rights of man are violated. Even
if dictatorship and totalitarianism temporarily suppress the complaint of
exploited and oppressed human beings, the just person clings to the
conviction that nothing can justify this violation of the rights of man; he
has the courage to intercede for others who suffer and he refuses to
surrender in the face of injustice, to compromise with it; and likewise,
however paradoxical it may appear, the person who deeply desires peace
rejects any kind of pacifism which is cowardice or the simple
preservation of tranquillity. In fact those who are tempted to impose their
domination will always encounter the resistance of intelligent and
courageous men and women, prepared to defend freedom in order to
promote justice.
Equality also demands a strengthening of the relationships of justice and
solidarity with poor countries, and especially those experiencing poverty
and famine. The phrase of Paul VI has become henceforth the conviction
of many: "Development is the new name for peace". The rich countries
then emerge from their collective egoism in order to think in new terms
about exchanges and mutual aid, opening themselves to a worldwide
horizon.
Still more, the new heart seeks to banish the fear and psychosis of war. It
replaces the axiom which holds that peace results from the balance of
arms, with the principle that true peace can be built up only in mutual
trust (cf. Ioannis XXIII, Pacem in Terris, 113 ). Certainly, it remains
alert and clear sighted in order to detect lies and manipulation, and in
order to go forward with prudence. But it dares to undertake and
ceaselessly resume dialogue, which was the subject of my message last
year.
In a word, the new heart is the heart which allows itself to be inspired by
love. Already Pius XI stated that there cannot "be true external peace
between individuals and peoples where the spirit of peace does not
possess minds and hearts..., minds, in order to recognize and respect the
rights of justice; hearts, in order that justice be linked with charity and
that charity may even prevail over justice, for if peace must be the work
and fruit of justice..., it belongs rather to charity than to justice" (Pii XI,
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Allocutio, die 24 dec. 1930: AAS 22 [1930], p. 535). It is a question of
renouncing violence, falsehood and hatred, of becoming - in intentions,
feelings and whole conduct - a fraternal being, one who recognizes the
dignity and the needs of the other person, and seeks to cooperate with
him or her in order to create a world of peace.
As it is necessary to acquire a new heart, to promote a new mentality of
peace, all men and women, whatever their place in society, truly can and
must assume their share of responsibility in the construction of a true
peace, in the circle where they live, in the family, at school, in business,
in the city. In their cares, conversations and actions, they must feel
concerned for all their brothers and sisters who are part of the same
human family, even if they live at the other end of the world.
But obviously responsibility has various degrees. The responsibility of
Heads of State, of political leaders, is primary for the establishment and
development of peaceful relations between the different parts of the
nation and between peoples. They more than others must be convinced
that war is in itself irrational and that the ethical principle of the peaceful
settlement of conflicts is the only way worthy of man. Of course, one is
obliged to take into consideration the massive presence of violence in
human history. It is the sense of reality in the service of the fundamental
concern for justice which forces one to maintain the principle of
legitimate defence in this history. But the dreadful risks of the arms of
massive destruction must lead to the working out of processes of
cooperation and disarmament which will make war in practice
unthinkable. Peace must be won. All the more so, the conscience of
political leaders must forbid them to allow themselves to be carried away
in dangerous adventures in which passion overrides justice. They must
not sacrifice uselessly the lives of their fellow-citizens in such
adventures, or provoke conflicts among others, or use the pretext of the
precariousness of peace in one region in order to extend their authority
into new territories. These leaders must weigh all this in their minds and
consciences, and exclude political opportunism; they will render account
for this to their peoples and to God.
But I say again that peace is the duty of everyone. The International
Organizations also have a large role to play in order to make universal
solutions prevail, above partisan points of view. And my appeal is
directed especially to all those who exercise through the media an
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influence on public opinion, all those who are engaged in the education
of young people and adults: it is to them that is entrusted the formation of
the spirit of peace. In society, can one not count especially on the young?
In the face of the threatening future which they foresee, they certainly
aspire more than others to peace, and many of them are prepared to
devote their generosity and their energies to peace. Let them show
inventiveness at its service, without abandoning clear sightedness, and so
let them show the courage to weigh up all the aspects of long-term
solutions! In short, everyone, all men and women, must contribute to
peace, contributing their particular sensitivities and playing their
particular roles, Thus women, who are intimately connected to the
mystery of life, can do much to advance the spirit of peace, in their care
to ensure the preservation of life and in their conviction that real love is
the only power which can make the world liveable for everyone.
Christians, disciples of Jesus, caught up in the tensions of our age, we
must recall that there is no happiness except for the "peacemakers" (cf.
Mt 5, 9).
Peace has many different forms. There is peace between nations, peace in
society, peace between citizens, peace between religious communities,
peace within undertakings, neighbourhoods, villages and, especially,
peace inside families. In addressing myself to Catholics, and also to other
Christian brethren and to men and women of good will, I have deplored a
certain number of obstacles to peace. They are grave, they present serious
threats. But since they depend on the spirit, the will, the human "heart",
with the help of God people can overcome them. They must refuse to
give in to fatalism and discouragement. Positive signs are already
piercing the darkness. Humanity is becoming aware of the indispensable
solidarity which links peoples and nations, for the solution of the
majority of the great problems: employment, the use of terrestrial and
cosmic resources, the advancement of less favoured nations, and security.
The reduction of arms, controlled and worldwide, is considered by many
a vital necessity. There are many calls to use every means in order to
banish war from the horizon of humanity. There are also many new
appeals for dialogue, cooperation and reconciliation, and numerous fresh
initiatives. The Pope is anxious to encourage them. "Blessed are the
peacemakers!" Let us always unite clear sightedness with generosity! Let
peace be more genuine and let it take root in man's very heart! Let the cry
of the afflicted who await peace be heard! Let every individual commit
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all the energy of a renewed and fraternal heart to the building of peace
throughout the universe!
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The 22nd Conference Of The Food
And Agriculture Organization
Pope John Paul II, December 10, 1983
I am glad to have the present opportunity to say once more how deeply I
esteem the work being done by FAO, and how much I appreciate the
recent documentation on the world food situation and on the work
programs and operational aspects of FAO. I am sure that you are more
and more aware of the Holy See's very special interest in the problem of
overcoming hunger and malnutrition, and of the fact of its close study of
all undertakings and activities directed towards this humanitarian goal.
The right to have enough to eat is certainly an inalienable human right,
and it imposes the obligation to ensure that everyone really does have
enough food, It is obvious that the food problem cannot be considered
from the point of view of occasional assistance or of the mere increase of
production.
I know that the subject of food security is at the centre of the working
program of FAO and has been so especially during the last ten years
since the World Food Conference of November 1974. But today a more
detailed view of food security is rightly being built up. It includes three
specific objectives: to guarantee sufficient production; to stabilize as far
as possible the flow of resources, especially for meeting emergencies; to
make all the resources necessary for continuous and organic development
available to all those needing them.
In order permanently to guarantee adequate supplies for the whole world
population, two things must be done: favor the production and
availability of food, at accessible prices, for a population that is
continually expanding; and, more immediately, face the difficulties and
crises in particular countries and regions.
According to the evaluations provided by your documentation, over the
last ten years food production has increased by a growth index higher
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than the increase of population. From the sum of many data on different
aspects of production and consumption, there emerges a comforting
affirmation of a global sufficiency of food in relation to the present and
future demands of the world population, even though this latter is
increasing. But with regard to individual countries or certain areas, one
cannot remain silent about the seriousness of the present situation, which
is also confirmed by the forecasts, for the coming decades, of the real
problem of the imbalance between population and actual food
availability.
Particular concern is caused by the ever more obvious divergence, in
practically the whole of the developing countries, between the food
production growth index and the rate of population growth. This is in
particular contrast with the fact that, in the developed countries taken as a
whole, food production will continue to increase, resulting in surpluses
with respect to the internal demand of these countries with a stable
population.
But it is important to note the statement contained in a study with which
you are familiar: "The lands of the Developing World as a whole
(excluding East Asia) are capable of producing sufficient food to sustain
twice their year 1975 population and one and a half times their year 2000
population, even with low level of inputs". (FAO/UNFPA/IIASA Report
FPA/INT/513).
This contradictory situation leads one to emphasize the moral duties
deriving from the relationships between States and which must be borne
in mind as criteria that should also inspire the decisions of your present
Session of the Conference of FAO.
The reaffirmation of the primacy of agriculture and of the whole series of
problems concerning the increase of food production certainly continues
to be important. But it is clear that, over and above an increase of world
production considered on a worldwide scale, what is urgently needed is
to ensure an effective increase in the individual developing countries. It
seems extremely significant that today emphasis is placed upon the
objective of the food self-sufficiency of these countries, secured by their
self-development, also with external support, but attained according to
the now classical definition of self-reliance. Added to this is justified
concern to avoid the aggravation of the phenomenon of the new form of
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dependence upon the developed countries, a phenomenon which has
become more marked particularly in recent years, with the developing
countries needing to import foodstuffs.
I therefore repeat a central subject of the Message which I sent for the
third World Food Day: it is a fresh appeal for solidarity, addressed to the
Governments and peoples of all the continents, and involving the
"accelerated establishment of an international economic order that is truly
more just and fraternal on the level both of production and the
distribution of goods" (Message of 16 October 1983).
There remains the need to restate the duty of all countries to increase
production: this holds good also for the most advanced. It must also be
noted that the concentration of reserve stocks, which also exceed the limit
considered by FAO as necessary for minimum security, is found in a
restricted geographical area, in which a small number of countries hold
almost a half of the world grain reserves. In addition, there are signs of a
reduction of the area of cultivated land, not only as a result of erosion and
the encroachment of deserts, but also through an artificial reducing of
production. An effort must be made to avoid the situation whereby the
abandonment of cultivation would lessen the capacity to provide needy
countries with basic foodstuffs.
But it is clear that in this phase the most obvious objective is certainly
that of distribution. This implies a distribution which is favorable to the
developing countries, and an efficient control of commercial exchanges,
above all with a reversal of protectionist tendencies.
Making foodstuffs available on acceptable conditions demands a
reduction of excessive consumption in certain countries. It also requires
an abandonment of the excessive defense of food prices by the highproduction countries. Also called for are special measures in favor of
countries with a low income and a food deficit, in order to assist ordinary
importation of agricultural food products, and especially to facilitate
imports required by emergency needs.
It is sad to have to note that in this phase there is a constant reduction in
food aid.
One notes a contraction of the resources made available through the
preferable multilateral means, while at the same time one does not see a
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corresponding increase of bilateral aid. Also with regard to reserves, one
notes the praiseworthy favoring of the setting up of national reserves in
the developing countries. But this does not mean an abandonment of the
willingness to establish effectively international reserves placed at the
disposal of multilateral organisms, or at least a system of coordinated
national reserves.
But a fair distribution also calls for a wider access of all countries to all
the factors, both proximate and remote, required for concrete
development: these especially include loans on favorable terms to the
poorer countries, thus bringing about an effective redistribution of
income between the peoples.
In my Message of 16 October I explicitly stated: "It is clearly all the
countries most advanced in their development, and their Governments,
that are the first to be faced by the urgency of this international
solidarity".
I would like to add that this also implies the acceptance of binding
commitments. As in other matters, one cannot fail to call for renewed
goodwill in patiently seeking Agreements and Conventions, if possible
also on points that are clearly delineated but concretely fixed and put into
practice. In this sense one repeats the invitation to resume the necessary
initiatives in the appropriate forums, for renewing the Conventions on
grain trade and on the connected food assistance programs; or at least the
adoption even in a partial form of the objectives for food security, as in
the proposal formulated by FAO.
The remarks made so far hold good not only for the produce of the land
but also, especially at the present moment, they concern the aspects of
fish products, in connection with the acceptance and putting into practice
of the international norms sanctioned in the Convention on the new law
of the sea.
A recent proof of the Holy See's continuing willingness to collaborate in
all suitable initiatives has been given on the occasion of the meeting of
scientists of world renown on the relationship between science and the
fight against hunger.
The Pontifical Academy of Science has borne and continues to bear
witness to the Church's willingness, also on the level of science, to
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collaborate even in the specific objectives of agricultural and food
development (cf. L'emploi des fertilisants et leur effet sur l'accroissement
des récoltes, notamment par rapport à la qualité et à l'économie, P.A.S.
Scripta Varia, 38, 1973; and Humanité et Energie, P.A.S. Scripta Varia,
46, 1981.
Among the points on the agenda of this Session of the Conference of
FAO particular emphasis is given to the urgent need for more training: to
develop the abilities of people to share in their own development, and to
prepare competent professionals. In this sphere too I would like to repeat
that the Church's institutions and associations are very willing to make
available their various resources for assisting in teaching and formation.
I would also add that the Church is able to collaborate in the proper
forming of public opinion, so that not only the developing countries but
still more the advanced ones will be able to assume the sacrifices
demanded by solidarity and will work together constructively, using the
resources placed at their disposal.
As I express the hope that the present Session will favor the effective
accomplishment of the work program of FAO for the next two years, I
invoke upon your labors the light and the enthusiasm that come from
Almighty God, in whom "we live and move and have our being" (Acts
17:28).
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Excerpts From An Address To The Members Of Different Churches
And Christian Communions, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Pope John Paul II, September 14, 1984
As the third millennium of Christianity approaches, we are faced with a
rapidly expanding technology which raises numerous opportunities as
well as obstacles to evangelization. While it engenders a number of
beneficial effects for humanity, it has also ushered in a technological
mentality which challenges Gospel value. The temptation exists of
pursuing technological development for its own sake, as if it were an
autonomous force with built-in imperatives for expansion, instead of
seeing it as a resource to be placed at the service of the human family. A
second temptation exists which would tie technological development to
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the logic of profit and constant economic expansion without due regard
for the rights of workers or the needs of the poor and helpless. A third
temptation is to link technological development to the pursuit or
maintenance of power instead of using it as an instrument for freedom.
To avoid these dangers, all such developments need to be examined in
terms of the objective demands of the moral order and in the light of the
Gospel message. United in the name of Christ, we need to ask critical
questions and assert basic moral principles which have a bearing on
technological development. For instance, the needs of the poor must take
priority over the desires of the rich; the rights of workers over the
maximization of profits; the preservation of the environment over
uncontrolled industrial expansion; production to meet social needs over
production for military purposes. These challenges present us with
important areas of ecumenical collaboration and form a vital part of our
mission of proclaiming the Gospel of Christ. And before all of this we lift
up our hearts to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I know that major efforts of ecumenical collaboration have been taking
place in Canada for a number of years; in more recent years there have
been an increasing intensity and a growing longing for complete union in
Christ. The various theological dialogues between the Churches have
been very significant, and several inter-church coalitions for social justice
and human rights have proven to be particularly important in view of the
special problems of our technological age. I deeply admire the Christian
spirit which has produced these generous efforts. And I urge you to
continue, despite incomplete results, and despite the unfair criticisms
which you may at times encounter on the part of those who do not
understand the importance of ecumenical activity. I willingly reiterate the
position of the Catholic Church that all worthy efforts for promoting
unity among Christians are a response to the will of God and the prayer
of Christ. They are an essential part of our mission to live the truth in
charity and to proclaim the Gospel of Christ.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Reconciliation And Penance
Pope John Paul II, December 2, 1984
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Careful observers, studying the elements that cause division, discover
reasons of the most widely differing kinds: from the growing
disproportion between groups, social classes and-countries, to ideological
rivalries that are far from dead; from the opposition between economic
interests to political polarization; from tribal differences to discrimination
for social and religious reasons. Moreover, certain facts that are obvious
to all constitute as it were the pitiful face of the division of which they
are the fruit and demonstrate its seriousness in an inescapably concrete
way. Among the many other painful social phenomena of our times one
can noted.
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The trampling upon the basic rights of the human person, the first of
these being the right to life and to a worthy quality of life, which is all the
more scandalous in that it coexists with a rhetoric never before known on
these same rights.
Hidden attacks and pressures against the freedom of individuals and
groups, not excluding the freedom which is most offended against and
threatened: the freedom to have, profess and practice one's own faith.
The various forms of discrimination: racial, cultural, religious, etc.
Violence and terrorism.
The use of torture and unjust and unlawful methods of repression.
The stockpiling of conventional or atomic weapons, the arms race with
the spending on military purposes of sums which could be used to
alleviate the undeserved misery of peoples that are socially and
economically depressed.
An unfair distribution of the world's resources and of the assets of
civilization, which reaches its highest point in a type of social
organization whereby the distance between the human conditions of the
rich and the poor becomes ever greater.(2) The overwhelming power of
this division makes the world in which we live a world shattered(3) to its
very foundations.
The term social can be applied to sins of commission or omission-on the
part of political, economic or trade union leaders, who though in a
position to do so, do not work diligently and wisely for the improvement
and transformation of society according to the requirements and potential
of the given historic moment; as also on the part of workers who through
absenteeism or non-cooperation fail to ensure that their industries can
continue to advance the well-being of the workers themselves, of their
families and of the whole of society.
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___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Members Of The Agency Of The
United Nations
Pope John Paul II, August 18, 1985
It is a requirement of our human dignity, and therefore a serious
responsibility, to exercise dominion over creation in such a way that it
truly serves the human family. Exploitation of the riches of nature must
take place according to criteria that take into account not only the
immediate needs of people but also the needs of future generations. In
this way, the stewardship over nature, entrusted by God to man, will not
be guided by short-sightedness or selfish pursuit; rather, it will take into
account the fact that all created goods are directed to the good of all
humanity. The use of natural resources must aim at serving the integral
development of present and future generations. Progress in the field of
ecology, and growing awareness of the need to protect and conserve
certain non-renewable natural resources, are in keeping with the demands
of true stewardship. God is glorified when creation serves the integral
development of the whole human family.
With the rapid acceleration of science and technology in recent decades,
the environment has been subjected to far greater changes than ever
before. As a result, we are offered many new opportunities for
development and human progress; we are now able to transform our
surroundings greatly, even dramatically, for the enhancement of the
quality of life. On the other hand, this new ability, unless it is used with
wisdom and vision, can cause tremendous and even irreparable harm in
the ecological and social spheres. The capacity for improving the
environment and the capacity for destroying it increase enormously each
year.
The ultimate determining factor is the human person. It is not science and
technology, or the increasing means of economic and material
development, but the human person, and especially groups of persons,
communities and nations, freely choosing to face the problems together,
who will, under God, determine the future. That is why whatever
impedes human freedom or dishonors it, such as the evil of apartheid and
all forms of prejudice and discrimination, is an affront to man’s vocation
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to shape his own destiny. Eventually it will have repercussions in all
areas requiring human freedom and as such can become a major
stumbling block to the improvement of the environment and all of
society.
Threats to the environment today are numerous: deforestation, water and
air pollution, soil erosion, desertification, acid rain and many more.
Ecological problems are especially acute in the tropical regions of the
world, and in particular here in Africa. Nearly all the nations affected by
these problems are developing nations which are, with great difficulty,
undergoing various stages of industrialization. A severe shortage of
energy and natural resources impedes progress and results in harsh living
conditions. And the problems are often complicated by the tropical
environment which makes people especially susceptible to serious
endemic diseases.
Since every country has its own particular set of problems and varying
amounts of natural resources, it is easy to see the difference between the
problems faced by developing nations and those of developed nations.
While modern industry and technology offer great hope of advancement,
steps must be taken to ensure that the economic, material and social
development which are so important include proper consideration of the
impact on the environment, both immediate and in the future.
The Catholic Church approaches the care and protection of the
environment from the point of view of the human person. It is our
conviction, therefore, that all ecological programs must respect the full
dignity and freedom of whoever might be affected by such programs.
Environment problems should be seen in relation to the needs of actual
men and women, their families, their values, their unique social and
cultural heritage. For the ultimate purpose of environment programs is to
enhance the quality of human life, to place creation in the fullest way
possible at the service of the human family.
Perhaps nowhere do we see more clearly the interrelatedness of the world
today than in questions concerning the environment. The growing
interdependence between individuals and between nations is keenly felt
when it is a question of facing natural disasters such as droughts,
typhoons, floods and earthquakes. The consequences of these stretch far
beyond the regions directly affected. And the vastness and complexity of
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many ecological problems demand not only a combined response at local
and national levels but also substantial assistance and coordination from
the international community. As Pope Paul VI wrote to the Stockholm
Conference: “Interdependence must now be met by joint responsibility;
common destiny by solidarity”. One could hardly overstate the
international character of ecological problems or the international
benefits of their solution.
These problems often require the expertise and assistance of scientists
and technicians from industrialized countries. Yet the latter cannot solve
them without the cooperation at every step of scientists and technicians
from the countries being helped. The transfer of technological skills to
developing countries cannot be expected to have lasting results if training
is not provided for technicians and scientists from these countries
themselves. The training of local personnel makes it possible to adapt
technology in a way that fully respects the cultural and social fabric of
the local communities. Local experts possess the necessary bonds with
their own people to ensure a balanced sensitivity to local values and
needs. They can evaluate the continuing validity of the newly transferred
skills. Only when this trained personnel finally exists locally can one
speak of full collaboration between countries.
I would now like to say a few words to those engaged in the work of the
United Nations Centre for Human Settlements, and to all who are trying
to improve the living conditions of the poor and provide shelter for the
homeless. This work is of course closely related to the ecological
problems of which I have been speaking. In fact it is at its very heart. As
Pope Paul VI stated in his message to the United Nations Conference on
Human Settlements in Vancouver in 1976: “The home, that is to say, the
centre of warmth in which the family is united and the children grow in
love, must remain the first concern of every program relative to the
human environment” (Pauli VI Epistula ad Exc.mum Virum Berney
Danson Canadensem Administrum pro Urbanis Negotiis eundemque
Praesidem Conferentiae Unitarum Nationum in urbe Vancuverio
instructae ad dignas hominum fovendas habitaiones, die 24 maii 1976:
Insegnamenti di Paolo VI, XIV (1976) 401 ss.). For this reason, the
Church’s primary concern for the human person in problems of the
environment includes the problems of housing and shelter as well.
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Those who believe in Jesus Christ cannot forget his words: “Foxes have
holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to
lay his head” (Matth. 8, 20). Thus we see in the faces of the homeless the
face of Christ the Lord. And we feel impelled, by love of him and by his
example of generous self-giving, to seek to do everything we can to help
those living in conditions unworthy of their human dignity. At the same
time, we gladly join hands with all people of good will in the worthy
efforts being made to provide adequate housing for the millions of people
in today’s world living in absolute destitution. Nor can we remain passive
or indifferent as the rapid increase of urbanization and industrialization
creates complex problems of housing and the environment. I assure you
then of the Church’s great interest in and support for your commendable
endeavors to provide housing for the homeless and to safeguard the
human dimension of all settlements of people.
Five years ago, on the occasion of my first Pastoral Visit to Africa, I went
to Ouagadougou in the heart of the Sahel region and there launched a
solemn appeal on behalf of all those suffering from the devastating
drought. In the wake of that appeal there was a most generous response,
so generous in fact that it became possible to set up a special program to
assist the suffering in a more formal way. Thus, the John Paul II
Foundation for the Sahel was officially begun in February 1984. This
Foundation is a sign of the Church’s love for the men, women and
children who have been stricken by this continuing tragedy. Even though
the project seems small and inadequate in the face of such vast needs,
nonetheless it is a concrete effort to help the people there and to
contribute in some degree to the future of the African continent, a future
which ultimately rests in the hands of the African peoples themselves.
I wish to take this opportunity to renew my solemn appeal on behalf of
the people of the Sahel and of other critical regions where the drought is
still continuing and there is a clear need for international assistance and
solidarity in order to provide food, drink and shelter and to solve the
conflicts which are hindering efforts to help. Thus I repeat what I said in
Ouagadougou five years ago: “I cannot be silent when my brothers and
sisters are threatened. I become here the voice of those who have no
voice, the voice of the innocent, who died because they lacked water and
bread; the voice of fathers and mothers who saw their children die
without understanding, or who will always see in their children the aftereffects of the hunger they have suffered; the voice of the generations to
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come, who must no longer live with this terrible threat weighing upon
their lives. I launch an appeal to everyone! Let us not wait until the
drought returns, terrible and devastating! Let us not wait for the sand to
bring death again! Let us not allow the future of these peoples to remain
jeopardized for ever”! (Ioannis Pauli PP. II Vehemens incitamentum ad
homines aquarum penuria afflictos sublevandos, in urbe Uagaduguensi
ante cathedrale templum elatum, 7, die 10 maii 1980: Insegnamenti di
Giovanni Paolo II, III, 1 (1980) 1295) The solidarity shown in the past
has proved, by its extent and effectiveness, that it is possible to make a
difference. Let our response now be even more generous and effective.
Two kinds of assistance are needed: assistance which meets the
immediate needs of food and shelter, and assistance which will make it
possible for the people now suffering to resume responsibility for their
own lives, to reclaim their land and to make it once more capable of
providing a stable, healthy way of life. Such long-range programs make it
possible for people to regain hope for the future and a feeling of dignity
and self-worth.
Ladies and Gentlemen, as I speak to you today, I am reminded of the
words of Paul VI which have become so well known: “Development is
the new name for peace” (Pauli VI Populorum Progressio, 87). Yes,
indeed, integral development is a condition for peace, and environment
programs for food and housing are concrete ways of promoting peace.
All who serve the basic needs of their neighbors contribute building
blocks to the great edifice of peace.
Peace is built slowly through good will, trust and persevering effort. It is
built by international agencies and by governmental and nongovernmental organizations when they engage in common efforts to
provide food and shelter for the needy, and when they work together to
improve the environment.
Peace is built by Heads of States and politicians when they rise above
divisive ideologies and co-operate in joint efforts free of prejudice,
discrimination, hatred and revenge. Peace is the fruit of reconciliation,
and the peace of Africa depends also on the reconciliation of people in
each individual country. It requires the solidarity of all Africans as
brothers and sisters at the service of the whole African family and at the
service of the integral development of all mankind.
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Peace is built up when national budgets are finally diverted from the
creation of more powerful and deadlier weapons to provide food and raw
materials to meet basic human needs. And peace is consolidated with
each passing year as the use of nuclear weapons becomes a fading
memory in the conscience of humanity. And today we thank God again
that forty years have passed without the use of those weapons that
devastated human life, together with its environment and shelter, in
Hiroshima and Nagasaki - forty years of hope and determination, forty
years in a new era for humanity.
Peace is built by the men and women of the mass media when they bring
to the attention of the public the facts about those who suffer, about
refugees and the dispossessed, when they stir up in others a determination
and generosity to respond to all those in need. Yes, “development” and “a
new heart” are new names for peace. And those who make peace and
promote conditions for peace shall for ever be called children of God!
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The 23rd Conference Of The Food
And Agriculture Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 10, 1985
"The Lord keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives
food to the hungry" (Ps 145 (146) :6-7).
These words of the Responsorial Psalm, which we have listened to in
today's liturgy, are more significant than ever in the context of the
celebration of the Fortieth Anniversary of the founding of the Food and
Agriculture Organization. I have accepted with great pleasure the
invitation extended to me to take part in this celebration.
I address a cordial and respectful greeting to the experts representing the
Member States of FAO, and to the senior officials, and I express my
appreciation for their work and for the lofty purposes to which they are
directing their efforts.
I greet all the other personalities and the members of the faithful who
have wished to join us in this Eucharistic Liturgy of thanksgiving.
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Your presence, distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen and dear Brothers
and Sisters, reminds us of the efforts made by FAO to eliminate the
obstacles and imbalances which impede the dynamism of production,
such as is required for a proper distribution of the basic necessities of life.
There is no need to say how close the Church is to you in this work of
human solidarity. Having as her mission the continuation in time of the
teachings and actions of the Divine Master, she does not cease to hear
anew that moving exclamation that rose from his heart at the sight of the
hungry multitude: "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have...
nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they
faint on the way" (Mt 15:32).
There is no doubt that the present world situation confirms the most
important and irreplaceable function of FAO.
There is first of all the matter of supporting the continued development of
the food self-sufficiency of each people, especially by increasing
production and bringing about a fairer distribution of the resources
available.
In addition to this basic action are the exceptional operations for
emergency aid. Unfortunately, at present there are ever increasing
requests for urgent interventions in particular zone and continents, such
as the request of many African countries stricken by drought and famine.
Food crises are increasing in number not only as a result of adverse
climatic conditions and natural disasters, but also as a result of conflicts
caused by economic policies which are not always suitable and by the
forced transfers of populations.
Thus there are added ever greater commitments in order to meet in an
adequate way the obvious needs of the population, including the people
yet to be born, to respond to the requests of Governments and to establish
lines of joint and agreed action between Member States of the
Organization.
This solemn celebration also reminds me of the Fortieth Anniversary of
the United Nations Organization, around which we see the harmonious
operating of the whole system of specialized Inter-Governmental
Organizations. The Holy See very willingly associated itself with the
commemoration of this anniversary, which recalls the coming into force
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of the Charter of the United Nations. Through the Cardinal Secretary of
State, I have sent to Mr Jaime De Piniés, President of the Fortieth
General Assembly of the UN, a message reaffirming the moral support
that the Holy See has always given to this Organization from its very
beginning, and I have encouraged specific cooperation aimed at
promoting true peace and fruitful understanding between individuals and
national communities.
On various occasions, the Church has expressed her esteem for and
affirmation of this supreme forum of the families of peoples, and she
constantly supports its functions and initiatives aimed at favoring sincere
collaboration between the Nations. On this Fortieth Anniversary, I wish
to express once again my gratitude for the invitation extended to me in
October 1979 to speak before the Representatives of that General
Assembly. That invitation was especially significant for me because, as I
said at that solemn meeting, it "shows that the United Nations
Organization accepts and respects the religious and moral dimension of
those human problems that the Church attends to, in view of the message
of truth and love that it is her duty to bring to the world" (AAS 71, p.
1146). During these forty years the international community has seen the
Church and the United Nations Organization in ever increasing
cooperation and solidarity, in defense "of man in his wholeness, in all the
fullness and manifold riches of his spiritual and material existence' (Ibid.,
p. 1146).
At a moment in history when technology was being directed to the
purposes of war, hegemony and conquest, and when man was killing man
and nations destroying nations, the birth of this Organization was greeted
by those preoccupied about humanity's destiny as a new safeguard of
peace and hope, and as the real way destined to lead to the recognition
and respect of the inalienable rights of individuals and of the
communities of peoples.
It is my hope that this Anniversary will strengthen that conviction and in
particular - as I said in the Message of 14 October last - reinforce the
moral and juridical authority of this Organization for the safeguarding of
peace and for international cooperation in favor of the development and
freedom of all peoples.
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The United Nations will fulfill its high mission all the more effectively if
in each Member State the conviction grows that to govern people means
to serve a plan of higher justice. The courageous and hope-filled vision
that inspired those who drew up the 1945 Charter must never be
disavowed, in spite of the difficulties and obstacles which it has
encountered during these forty years. That vision will remain the ideal
point of reference until those obstacles have been overcome. This is the
fervent desire that I wish to renew at this liturgical celebration, as I pray
to the Lord for the success of all efforts in favor of the cause of peace.
The scene presented by today's Gospel underlines the relationship
between rich and poor by illustrating the difference of behavior between
the Scribes and the widow. In the modern world this contrast is being
repeated by the disproportionate stages of development in different
countries, a contrast which is currently referred to as the North-South
relationship.
The Messiah utters a negative judgment in regard to those who live in
luxury and wealth and who despise the poor; in regard to the rich who do
not give to the poor as much as they might, or who, even when they do
give, do so with an ostentation that betrays the fact that they are seeking
their own glory: "Beware of the scribes who like to accept marks of
respect in public and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places
of honor at banquets" (Mk 12:38-39).
The words of the Responsorial Psalm, "The Lord upholds the widow and
the orphan", (Ps 145(146):9) contrast with what the Gospel says about the
Scribes, dismissing their external appearance of piety which is
contradicted by the arbitrary judgments and injustices which they
practice: "They devour the houses of widows and recite long prayers for
appearances sake" (Mk 12:40).
On the other hand Jesus gives very high praise to the hidden gesture of
the poor widow, who generously gives even what she needs for herself,
and he contrasts this act with the offerings of so many rich people who
give "sizable amounts", but with ostentation.
Jesus' warning invites us today to examine ourselves: to ask ourselves,
that is, if the coming of the Kingdom has really caused the situations of
power and extravagance existing in the world to be overturned. This
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could have happened if each individual had matched his or her faith with
logical action, especially with regard to efforts in favor of the very poor,
the marginal people and the despised.
Individuals and whole peoples will be finally judged by history in
relation to how they actually fulfill their obligation to contribute to the
good of their fellow human beings, in proportion to their own prosperity
and in an effective spirit of worldwide shared responsibility according to
justice.
It is to be hoped that everyone - individuals, groups, private undertakings
and public bodies - will take proper care of the most needy, beginning
with the basic right to satisfy one's own hunger.
Each individual should prepare, by present actions, so as to be ready to
welcome the Messiah when he appears a second time and says: "Come,
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world" (Mt 25:34).
What is being proposed is an examination of conscience that certainly
begins with the personal life of each individual, concerning each one's
awareness of wealth and poverty.
Today you are called to acknowledge the privilege of collaborating
actively and loyally within the structures of international society. A true
sense of responsibility in the proper use of the resources placed at the
disposal of FAO demands above all that each person should possess and
perfect his or her own professional skill and apply it seriously and
accurately to the fulfillment of daily duties.
But the examination of conscience also extends to the level of the
obligation of the Member States of FAO to work together in the selection
of internal and international policies with concrete proposals that will
lead to timely decisions and adequate results.
It is very important to achieve relationships based on international justice
between the peoples of the whole world and their States. But it is
urgently necessary that solidarity between wealthier countries should be
intensified, with a wider application of multilateral arrangements.
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Reflection on one's obligations as a Member of FAO, and more broadly
within the United Nations system, should lead to an affirmation of the
duty of each people to contribute in proportion both to its own conditions
of prosperity and to the needs of others.
It is desirable that a "World Treaty of Food Security" - such as the one
which will be placed before the FAO Conference for its approval - should
be considered and recognized as having the value not only of an ethical
requirement but also as having juridical force. It is to be hoped that the
Act which the Assembly approves will be given such effectiveness, at
least vis-à-vis the Member States, in the forms considered appropriate
according to present day international law.
On the other hand, it has to be recognized that there are recurring
episodes of distrust and a frequent unwillingness to assume real and
definite commitments which would adequately respond to needs and
would subsequently be effectively maintained.
Too often, various forms of nationalism and protectionism hinder both
the availability of foodstuffs vital to all without discrimination, and the
transfer of the same from high-producing countries to countries less well
provided. Such obstacles and modes of conduct openly contradict the
principles of real justice in a spirit of solidarity and the putting into
practice of the asserted readiness to cooperate with the providential
power of God.
The Eucharistic Liturgy reminds us that Christ, Priest and Victim, offers
himself also today without any limits. "But as it is, he has appeared once
for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself"
(Heb 9:26). He immolated himself on the Cross for all humanity, "to bear
the sins of many" (Heb 2:28). He gave himself in order to conquer the sin
of selfishness that often makes itself felt in the history of human society.
The Eucharist, which renews the supreme offering of Christ and his
immolation for the salvation of his, brethren, demands and effects
purification of the heart from selfishness, so that the heart opens to others
with a spirit of solidarity and of effective fraternal love.
It is necessary to go beyond the limits of strict justice, in imitation of the
exemplary conduct of the widow, who teaches us to give with generosity
even that which is meant for our own needs.
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Above all one must remember that God does not measure human actions
by a standard which stops at the appearances of "how much" is given.
God measures according to the standard of the interior values of "how"
one places oneself at the disposal of one's neighbor: he measures
according to the degree of love with which one freely dedicates oneself to
the service of the brethren.
The Church, which continues the religious mission of Christ, offers the
necessary strength for constantly working according to justice in
solidarity. Through Christ, who fully assumes a human nature and links it
to the divine richness, living communion with God as Love is possible.
This innermost strength of God can sustain human endeavors, in order
that the fundamental law of life and of human co-existence according to
the twofold principle of love of God and love of neighbor can be realized.
Just as the Prophet Elijah does not hesitate to ask the widow for her own
share of her sustenance, the Pope does not hesitate today to ask the
Representatives of FAO to continue to support and develop the ordinary
activities and the operations to be practically set in motion in favor of the
poorest of the world.
The Church offers the initiatives of her own institutions and associations
which operate among the various peoples and on the different continents.
Above all the Church claims as her obligation and inalienable right the
corporal and spiritual works of mercy, especially those charitable works
of mutual assistance intended for the alleviation of every human need (cf.
Apostolicam Actuositatem, 8).
The Church likewise encourages every activity of the Non-Governmental
Organizations. In recent time these Organizations have been asserting
themselves through their growing strength, and they are proving an
efficient element in the concerted action that the whole of humanity must
undertake for the benefit of the poorest of the poor. The Church hopes
however that those voluntary activities will be carried out in a truly
disinterested manner and beyond all partisan spirit.
Finally, the Church wants to share in the updated awareness of the work
done by FAO in order to form public opinion in such a way that the latter
will encourage the public authorities and private individuals in each
Nation to undertake ever broader initiatives in support of food and
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agricultural development and will secure active and constant sharing by
all in worldwide action.
With this celebration we wish to thank the Lord for the good
accomplished and for the generous contributions made hitherto.
I hope that this will also be an occasion for a renewed commitment of
each individual to ever more efficient and timely action in the future,
according to the obligations and degrees of responsibility that each
individual has in contemporary society.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For The Celebration Of The World Day
Of Peace
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1985
Between the countries which form the "North bloc" and those of the
"South bloc" there is a social and economic abyss that separates rich from
poor. The statistics of recent years show signs of improvement in a few
countries but also evidence of a widening of the gap in too many others.
Added to this is the unpredictable and fluctuating financial situation with
its direct impact on countries with large debts struggling to achieve some
positive development.
In this situation peace as a universal value is in great danger. Even if
there is no actual armed conflict as such, where injustice exists, it is in
fact a cause and potential factor of conflict. In any case a situation of
peace in the full sense of its value cannot coexist with injustice. Peace
cannot be reduced to the mere absence of conflict; it is the tranquility and
completeness of order. It is lost by the social and economic exploitation
by special interest groups which operate internationally or function as
elites within developing countries. It is lost by the social divisions that pit
rich against poor between States or within States. It is lost when the use
of force produces the bitter fruit of hatred and division. It is lost when
economic exploitation and internal strains on the social fabric leave the
people defenseless and disillusioned, a ready prey to the destructive
forces of violence. As a value, peace is continually endangered by vested
interests, by diverging and opposing interpretations, and even by clever
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manipulations for the service of ideologies and political systems that
have domination as their ultimate aim.
Any new international system capable of overcoming the logic of blocs
and opposing forces must be based on the personal commitment of
everyone to make the basic and primary needs of humanity the first
imperative of international policy. Today countless human beings in all
parts of the world have acquired a vivid sense of their fundamental
equality, their human dignity and their inalienable rights. At the same
time there is a growing awareness that humanity has a profound unity of
interests, vocation and destiny, and that all peoples, in the variety and
richness of their different national characteristics, are called to form a
single family. Added to this is the realization that resources are not
unlimited and that needs are immense. Therefore, rather than waste
resources or devote them to deadly weapons of destruction, it is
necessary to use them above all to satisfy the primary and basic needs of
humanity.
It is likewise important to note that an awareness is gaining ground of the
fact that reconciliation, justice and peace between individuals and
between nations given the stage that humanity has reached and the very
grave threats that hang over its future - are not merely a noble appeal
meant for a few idealists but a condition for survival of life itself.
Consequently, the establishment of an order based on justice and peace is
vitally needed today, as a clear moral imperative valid for all people and
regimes; above ideologies and systems. Together with and above the
particular common good of a nation, the need to consider the common
good of the entire family of nations is quite clearly an ethical and
juridical duty.
The right path to a world community in which justice and peace will
reign without frontiers among all peoples and on all continents is the path
of solidarity, dialogue and universal brotherhood. This is the only path
possible. Political, economic, social and cultural relations and systems
must be imbued with the values of solidarity and dialogue which, in turn,
require an institutional dimension in the form of special organisms of the
world community that will watch over the common good of all peoples.
It is clear that, in order effectively to achieve a world community of this
kind, mental outlooks and political views contaminated by the lust for
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power, by ideologies, by the defense of one's own privilege and wealth
must be abandoned, and replaced by an openness to sharing and
collaboration with all in a spirit of mutual trust.
That call to recognize the unity of the human family has very real
repercussions for our life and for our commitment to peace. It means first
of all that we reject the kind of thinking that divides and exploits. It
means that we commit ourselves to a new solidarity, the solidarity of the
human family. It means looking at the North-South tensions and
replacing them with a new relationship, the social solidarity of all. This
social solidarity faces up honestly to the abyss that exists today but it
does not acquiesce in any kind of economic determinism. It recognizes
all the complexities of a problem that has been allowed to get out of hand
for too long, but which can still be rectified by men and women who see
themselves in fraternal solidarity with everyone else on this earth. It is
true that changes in economic growth patterns have affected all parts of
the world and not just the poorest. But the person who sees peace as a
universal value will want to use this opportunity to reduce the differences
between North and South and foster the relationships that will bring them
closer together. I am thinking of the prices of raw materials, of the need
for technological expertise, of the training of the work force, of the
potential productivity of the millions of unemployed, of the debts poor
nations are carrying, and of a better and more responsible use of funds
within developing countries. I am thinking of so many elements which
individually have created tensions and which combined together have
polarized North-South relations. All this can and must be changed.
If social justice is the means to move towards a peace for all peoples,
then it means that we see peace as an indivisible fruit of just and honest
relations on every level - social, economic, cultural and ethical - of
human life on this earth. This conversion to an attitude of social
solidarity also serves to highlight the deficiencies in the current EastWest situation. In my message to the Second Special Session of the
United Nations General Assembly on Disarmament, I explored many of
the elements that are needed to improve the situation between the two
major power blocs of East and West. All of the measures recommended
then and reaffirmed since that time rest on the solidarity of the human
family travelling together along the path of dialogue. Dialogue can open
many doors closed by the tensions that have marked East-West relations.
Dialogue is a means by which people discover one another and discover
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the good hopes and peaceful aspirations that too often lie hidden in their
hearts. True dialogue goes beyond ideologies, and people meet in the
reality of their human lives. Dialogue breaks down preconceived notions
and artificial barriers. Dialogue brings human beings into contact with
one another as members of one human family, with all the richness of
their various cultures and histories. A conversion of heart commits
people to promoting universal brotherhood; dialogue helps to effect this
goal.
To you, businessmen, to you who are responsible for financial and
commercial organizations, I appeal: to examine anew your
responsibilities towards all your brothers and sisters.
To you, the suffering, the handicapped, those who are physically limited,
I appeal: to offer your prayers and your lives in order to break down the
barriers that divide the world.
To all of you who believe in God I appeal that you live your lives in the
awareness of being one family under the fatherhood of God.
To all of you and to each one of you, young and old, weak and powerful,
I appeal: embrace peace as the great unifying value of your lives.
Wherever you live on this planet I earnestly exhort you to pursue in
solidarity and sincere dialogue:
Peace as a value with no frontiers:
North-South, East-West,
everywhere one people united in only one Peace.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Jamaica
Pope John Paul II, January 16, 1986
The destiny of the world community is so tightly interwoven that the
social, economic and political events of any country are bound to affect
the stability and well-being of the others.
___________________________________________________________
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Excerpts From An Address To The Representatives Of Other
Religions In The College Of Saint Francis Xavier, Calcutta, India
Pope John Paul II, February 3, 1986
It is a deep religious intuition that the "service of men is service of God"
– as expressed by Swami Vivekananda, one of the renowned figures
connected with this city – and That when we go out to our brothers and
sisters in fraternal love we receive from them more than we give them.
This is an intuition which is also deeply Indian, as witnessed by your
holy books and by the testimony of so many religious men and women.
I wish to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s commitment to the processes of
development which lead to greater justice for all.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address On the Occasion Of The Prayer Meeting,
Trichur, India
Pope John Paul II, February 7, 1986
The Diocese of Trichur, in co-operation with the Government’s housing
scheme for the poor, is donating a large number of houses to people in
need. You have expressed the wish that I should hand over the key of one
of the houses as a token of what is being done and of what still remains to
be done. Here is a sign of development, the result, of praiseworthy
collaboration for the benefit of society as a whole.
This particular gesture underlines the connection between socioeconomic realities and the promotion of the dignity and total vocation of
the human person. For individuals and families effectively to enjoy the
degree of stability and freedom necessary for personal growth, certain
minimum standards of living and working are absolutely required. There
is an increasing awareness in the world that progress is not the exclusive
right of some privileged individuals or even nations, but that the benefits
of development should extend to all. In a world of great inequalities,
where patterns of thought and behavior change ever so slowly, it is
imperative that all sectors of society feel duty-bound to hasten the
achievement of that measure of social justice which consists in ensuring
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the basic necessities of life for every citizen. The efforts of governments
and other agencies in this field are to be encouraged.
The role of religious bodies in this matter is above all to enlighten
consciences regarding social rights and duties, and to ensure that human
dignity and the spiritual nature of human life and activity are everywhere
recognized and promoted. This is the work of justice which we must
carry out under the inspiration of charity.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address During The Prayer Meeting At The
Airport Of Trivandrum, India
Pope John Paul II, February 8, 1986
The Church here, and throughout India, is a servant Church. She sees her
poor and suffering Founder in the faces of all those, young or old, who
are victims of poverty in any of its forms: hunger and malnutrition,
unacceptable living conditions, disease, illiteracy, injustices at work and
in society, the privation of fundamental freedoms, discrimination because
of race, religion, sex, community or language.
In this Messianic Kingdom of Christ the poor and the suffering have a
special place. Indeed, the Kingdom belongs to them: "Blessed are you
poor, for yours is the kingdom of God". The signs of the presence of
God’s Kingdom are the preaching of the Good News to the poor, the
proclaiming of sight by the blind, the setting free of those who are
oppressed, the proclamation of the acceptable year of the Lord. All these
mean that the Church’s service to the Kingdom of God is accomplished
in her service to the poor and to the suffering.
The Church excludes no one from her compassion and loving service.
Like a good mother she loves all: children, youth, the aged, the workers,
the homeless, the hungry, the handicapped, the spiritually deprived, and
those who recognize their sinfulness and so experience through her the
healing touch of Christ. To everyone, but to the poor in particular, the
Church offers the Good News of man’s human and supernatural dignity.
In Christ, man has been elevated to the state of divine sonship. He is a
child of God, called to live in dignity in this world and destined for
eternal life.
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The Church is the home of the poor and the rich alike, for "God shows no
partiality". However, each community in the Church is required to make
a special effort so that the poor feel fully at home in her. For this reason
the Church herself, "in humility and self-sacrifice" , must be willing to
walk the paths of the dispossessed and those who seek after justice. In
this way she walks in the footsteps of her Lord, who "emptied himself,
taking the form of a servant".
Twenty years ago the Second Vatican Council clearly recognized that
"we are at a moment in history when the development of economic life
could diminish social inequalities if that development were guided and
coordinated in a reasonable and human way". But at the same time the
Council fore saw – and rightly – that material development too often
serves only to intensify such inequalities. What is needed for greater
social justice is this: that economic development and the technical
instruments it produces should be placed at the service of man: at the
service of the whole man, and of every man – every man, woman and
child – without intolerable forms of discrimination. In his social
Encyclical "Mater et Magistra", Pope John XXIII vindicated a principle
which is entirely valid today: "Economic progress must be accompanied
by a corresponding social progress, so that all classes of citizens can
participate in the increased productivity.
Furthermore, economic and social progress must be directed to the
integral well-being of the human person. This means that people must not
be considered as mere instruments of production. They must be treated in
accordance with their human dignity and in accordance with their needs,
which are not material but also cultural and spiritual.
India understands the spiritual nature of the human person. Your culture
causes you to be sensitive to the transcendental values that are an
inseparable part of human activity and all relationships. The world is
faced by this challenge: development must be truly harmonized with the
promotion of the spiritual dignity of individuals and their inalienable
rights. You possess an ancient wisdom which claims that it is not just
material progress which benefits a people and a nation, but rather the
resulting social peace and freedom, including freedom of conscience and
religion.
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Brothers and sisters of the Catholic Church: as citizens of your country
you have the right and duty to contribute to the progress of the civil
society to which you belong. I encourage you to do this in a spirit of
service, in the spirit of Christ who taught us the fullest meaning of love.
As Saint John says: "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for
us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But if any one
has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart
against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not
love in word or speech, but in deed and in truth".
In co-operation with all people of good will, the local Churches have a
vital part to play in relieving hardship and suffering. Much can be done,
as the Council says, "to help people gain a sharper insight into their full
destiny, so that they can fashion the world more to man’s surpassing
dignity, search for a brotherhood which is universal and more deeply
rooted, and meet the urgencies of our age with a gallant and unified effort
born of love". As far as possible, educational activities should be
intensified in order to enable the younger generation to face the realities
of life with courage and to take a responsible part in working to improve
them. The Church also has a special duty to support the holiness of
family life, essential for the well-being of individuals and of society.
By working for the common good, which includes both the material and
spiritual welfare of all sectors of the population, the Church fulfils her
servant role. In all your efforts I commend you to the Blessed Virgin
Mary and to Saint Joseph, to whom the Cathedrals of Trivandrum are
dedicated. Mary and Joseph encouraged Jesus to serve. By their prayers
and example they do the same for us today.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address During The Prayer Meeting At St.
Augustine High School, Vasai, India
Pope John Paul II, February 9, 1986
I am also aware of the many co-operative endeavors undertaken
especially by the laity in Vasai which have as their objective the welfare
of the people and the apostolate of the Church. These co-operative
ventures in the banking, agricultural, fishing, health and educational
fields bear testimony to the growing maturity of the social conscience of
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the Christian community in Vasai. Overcoming self-interest and wishing
to promote the common good, you seek to pool your human and financial
resources in ways that will accrue to the benefit of Church and society.
May such co-operative efforts flourish, resist every form of factionalism
and every semblance of selfish interest, and truly be a work of justice in
love.
May all the healthy initiatives that you take to bring about greater social
justice and increased social and economic development truly promote the
betterment of the poor in your respective surroundings.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For World Communication Day
Pope John Paul II, May 11, 1986
There is need for the formation of a strong public opinion in favor of the
solution of the very distressing problems of social justice, of hunger and
underdevelopment. What is required, in fact, is that these problems
should be better known today in their tremendous reality and gravity, so
that a strong and very widespread public opinion in favor of finding
solutions to them shall be created. It is only under the vigorous and
unrelenting pressure of such public opinion that the responsible
politicians and economists of the rich countries will be induced to help
the developing countries.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, November 24, 1986
My predecessor John XXIII, with truly prophetic vision, emphasized this
point twenty-five years ago. In his famous Encyclical "Mater et
Magistra", he wrote: "The solidarity which binds all people together as
members of a common family makes it impossible for wealthy nations to
look with indifference upon the hunger, misery and poverty of other
nations whose citizens are unable to enjoy even elementary human rights.
The nations of the world are becoming more and more dependent on one
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another, and it will not be possible to preserve a lasting peace so long as
glaring economic and social imbalances persist".
Peace in the world can never be won so long as injustice controls the
relationships among peoples, and social and economic imbalances are
allowed to continue. The antidote to these problems consists in building a
justice that incorporates the ideals of social solidarity and that patterns
itself on the righteousness of God.
The Fathers at the Second Vatican Council expressed it this way: "Peace
cannot be obtained on earth unless personal values are safeguarded and
people freely and trustingly share with one another their spiritual riches
and their talents. A firm determination to respect other individuals and
peoples and their dignity, and the assiduous practice of human solidarity,
are absolutely necessary for building peace. Hence peace is likewise the
fruit of love, which goes beyond what justice can provide".
Dear friends gathered with me here today to praise the Lord: let us
respond to Christ’s call to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect so
that we may truly be "children of our Father in heaven". Let us help each
other for we are fellow pilgrims on the path of justice. Let us walk that
"extra mile" with one another and "give to anyone who asks", so that he
or she may not be turned away, but may find in each of us a true brother
or sister. So will it be that the justice we practice with one another will
become the path to the peace we all yearn for.
Now we can see that the vision of Isaiah begins to come true.
Righteousness and peace will spring forth in this land and in this whole
area of the world. For here "justice will come to live, and integrity". This
"integrity will bring peace" . . . and you "will live in a peaceful home, in
safe houses, in quiet dwellings". Your justice, born of the desire "to be
perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect", will "give lasting
security" to you and to all whose lives are touched by your love.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Workers In The Factory
“Transfield Limited,” Sydney, Australia
Pope John Paul II, November 26, 1986
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You may know that I, too, was a worker for some years in a quarry and in
a factory. These were important and useful years in my life. I am grateful
for having had that opportunity to reflect deeply on the meaning and
dignity of human work in its relationship to the individual, the family, the
nation, and the whole social order. Those years allowed one to share in a
specific way in God’s creative activity and to experience work in the
light of the Cross and Resurrection of Christ.
One of my reasons for coming here is to tell you, and all the workers of
Australia, how much I admire faithfulness and dedication to ordinary
work. Australia is a great country because working people like
yourselves go about their tasks day after day with both cheerfulness and
seriousness, earning their bread by the sweat of their brow, producing
goods and services for their fellow citizens, and thus gradually bringing
to perfection a world that was created by a good and loving God.
No doubt many of you have reflected from time to time that Jesus Christ
himself, although the Son of God, chose to be an ordinary worker for
most of his earthly life, toiling away as a carpenter in Nazareth. There is
no shortage of lessons to be learned from the life of Jesus the Worker. It
is only right, then, that his Church should bring his message into the
working world and to workers. In the past, the Church has consistently
opposed ways of thinking which would reduce workers to mere " things "
that could be relegated to unemployment and redundancy if the
economics of industrial development seemed to demand it. The students
among you can consult the writings of my predecessors – going back to
Leo XIII almost a hundred years ago – who treated at length topics such
as the rights of workers, ownership, property, working hours, just wages
and workers’ associations.
Perhaps you have heard that five years ago I, too, wrote an Encyclical
Letter on Human Work. My aim was to cast new light on the whole area
of human work, an important subject where there are always fresh hopes
but also fresh fears and dangers.
Among the many new elements that affect human work I wish to mention
today the rapid development of technology. There is an aspect of this we
can admire: in technology we can see ourselves as more than ever
"subduing the earth" and gaining dominion over it. Technology itself is
the work of human hands and human minds, and it enables us to produce
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other beautiful and useful things. This is admirable if the human person is
clearly the master. But in large factories or on extended worksites, the
number, size and complexity of the machines used can make the worker
seem merely a part of the machine, just another cog in the whole process
of production.
Many machines these days require operators with specialized training.
But after being trained for a highly skilled job, the worker may suddenly
discover that a new invention has made his machine obsolete and
uneconomical. He may be too old to be trained a second time, or perhaps
the firm employing him may go out of business. The result is that whole
industries can be dislocated and individuals and families reduced to
poverty, suffering and despair.
Despite the complexity of the problem we cannot give up. All the
resources of human inventiveness and good will must be brought to bear,
in order to help solve the social problems of our day connected with
work. It is important to have clear ideas of the principles and priorities to
be followed. In this context I wish to proclaim again my own profound
conviction "that human work is a key, probably the essential key, to the
whole social question, if we try to see the question really from the point
of view of man’s good".
People need to work, not just to earn money for the necessities of life, but
also to fulfill their calling to share in the creative activity of God. The
human satisfaction that comes from work well done shows how
profoundly the Creator has inscribed the law of work in the heart of man.
The goods of the world belong to the whole human family. Normally a
person will need to work in order to have a necessary share of these good
things. In the early Christian community, Saint Paul insisted that
willingness to work was a condition for being able to eat: "If a man will
not work, let him not eat". In special situations, society can and must
assist those who are in need and cannot work. Yet even in these special
circumstances, people still have a desire for personal fulfillment, and this
can be achieved only through some form or other of worthwhile human
activity.
Thus those who are forced to retire early, as well as those who are still
young and strong but cannot find work, may experience profound
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discouragement and feel that they are useless. These feelings may lead
some to seek consolation in alcohol, drugs and other forms of behavior
harmful to themselves and to society.
We all need to feel that we are truly productive and useful members of
our community. It is our right. And since the pace of technological
change is likely to increase, it is vital for us to face all the serious
problems that affect the well-being of workers.
No one has a simple and easy solution to all the problems connected with
human work. But I offer for your consideration two basic principles.
First, it is always the human person who is the purpose of work. It must
be said over and over again that work is for man, not man for work. Man
is indeed "the true purpose of the whole process of production". Every
consideration of the value of work must begin with man, and every
solution proposed to the problems of the social order must recognize the
primacy of the human person over things. Secondly, the task of finding
solution cannot be entrusted to any single group in society: people cannot
look solely to governments as if they alone can End solutions; nor to big
business, nor to small enterprises, nor to union officials, nor to
individuals in the work force. All individuals and all groups must be
concerned with both the problems and their solutions.
The Church is profoundly convinced that "the rights of the human person
are the key element in the whole of the social moral order". She has long
recognized the right of workers to form associations. The purpose of such
associations is to promote social justice by defending the vital interests of
workers and by contributing to the common good. It is important for the
members to play an active and responsible role in these associations.
Hence you must make sure that the leaders of your workers’ associations
really have at heart all the material and human needs of the members.
They must also remember that the solution to any dispute must be fair to
all sides, must serve the common good of society, and must take into
account the economic and social situation of the country. Only if the
economy as a whole is healthy will it be possible to make sufficient work
available for workers, especially the young.
People are realizing more and more clearly that what happens in one part
of the world has effects elsewhere. Worldwide problems demand
worldwide solutions through the solidarity of all. No country can isolate
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itself from the common challenge. Union leaders and leaders of employer
associations, as well as government agencies, need to work together in
order to face the wide range of challenges. Every partner in this common
endeavor should act on the conviction that everyone has a basic right to
work in order to have a fair share of the world’s goods. It must also be
stressed that all the partners have a duty to work for solutions that respect
the dignity of the individual and the common good of society. Economic
problems cannot be separated from the ethical and social aspects of life in
society.
On the national and local level industrial relations also require a spirit of
understanding and cooperation rather than one of opposition and conflict.
In all disputes, a just and peaceful solution will be possible only if all
parties are, and remain, ready to talk. Always keep open the lines of
communication, and remember that if disputes are not solved quickly, it
is above all the weak and need who suffer.
Fortunately for Australia, your most cherished traditions place great
value on equality and mutual support, especially in difficult times. The
word "mate" has rich and positive connotations in your language. I pray
that this tradition of solidarity will always flourish among you and will
never be looked upon as old-fashioned.
Australia also has a long and proud tradition of settling industrial
disputes and promoting cooperation by its almost unique system of
arbitration and conciliation. Over the years this system has helped to
defend the right of workers and promote their well-being, while at the
same time taking into account the needs and the future of the whole
community.
I make a special appeal to you workers to be always honest in your
collaboration with others. I appeal to you to be especially conscious of all
those in need, to give them practical help and to offer them your
solidarity. I have been told that you have an organization for promoting
development in poorer countries. For this I congratulate you, and I thank
you. But you must be active too in helping the needy in your own midst,
who include the unemployed, many young people, Aboriginal people, the
sick, the disabled, the refugees and the new settlers.
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I began by making reference to the new question and problems, fears and
dangers that surround us because of the development and rapid use of the
new technology. This technology is part of the accumulated wealth of the
human family and a part of it belongs to you too. It is to be judged by the
help it gives you in your work and lives. Always remember that the
worker is always more important than both profits and machines.
Dear friends, workers of Australia: it is up to you to make use of the new
technology and press on with the task of building a society of justice and
fraternal love – a society that extends well beyond the boundaries of
Australia. It is God himself who strengthens your arms, enlightens your
minds and purifies your hearts for this great work.
Those of you who believe in Jesus Christ and accept his Gospel as the
blueprint of your lives know that work has an even deeper meaning when
it is seen in its relationship to the Lord’s Cross an.1 Resurrection. United
with Christ in baptism, you are called to share through your work in
Christ’s mission of salvation and service to humanity. When offered to
God in union with the work of Christ, your own work takes on an even
greater value and higher dignity. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who
during his earthly life belonged so fully to the "working world", looks for
ever with love on human work.
And for all of you in this vast land, whatever may be your religious
convictions or the nature of your work, I pray that you may experience
the uplifting and exhilarating awareness of working with the Creator in
perfecting his design and plan for the world. All of this is part of the
dignity of human work, the dignity of man, and the dignity of each and
every worker in Australia!
And with the passing of each day may God give you an ever greater
awareness of this dignity, and may he fill your lives and your homes with
his peace and his joy.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 1986
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The theme I have chosen for this year's Message takes its inspiration
from that deep truth about humanity: we are one human family. By
simply being born into this world, we are of one inheritance and one
stock with every other human being. This oneness expresses itself in all
the richness and diversity of the human family: in different races,
cultures, languages and histories. And we are called to recognize the
basic solidarity of the human family as the fundamental condition of our
life together on this earth.
1987 also marks the twentieth anniversary of the publication of
Populorum Progressio. This celebrated Encyclical of Paul VI was a
solemn appeal for concerted action in favour of the integral development
of peoples (cf. Populorum Progressio, 5). Paul VI's phrase "Development is the new name for peace" ( ibid., 76, 87) - specifies one
of the keys in our search for peace. Can true peace exist when men,
women and children cannot live in full human dignity? Can there be a
lasting peace in a world ruled by relations - social, economic and political
- that favor one group or nation at the expense of another? Can genuine
peace be established without an effective recognition of that wonderful
truth that we are all equal in dignity, equal because we have been formed
in the image of God who is our Father?
This Message for the Twentieth World Day of Peace is closely linked to
the Message I addressed to the world last year on the theme North-South,
East-West: Only One Peace. In that Message, I said: " ... the unity of the
human family has very real repercussions for our life and for our
commitment to peace ... It means that we commit ourselves to a new
solidarity, the solidarity of the human family ... a new relationship, the
social solidarity of all".
To recognize the social solidarity of the human family brings with it the
responsibility to build on what makes us one. This means promoting
effectively and without exception the equal dignity of all as human
beings endowed with certain fundamental and inalienable human rights.
This touches all aspects of our individual life, as well as our life in the
family, in the community in which we live, and in the world. Once we
truly grasp that we are brothers and sisters in a common humanity, then
we can shape our attitudes towards life in the light of the solidarity which
makes us one. This is especially true in all that relates to the basic
universal project: peace.
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In the lifetime of all of us, there have been moments and events that have
bound us together in a conscious recognition of the oneness of humanity.
From the time that we were first able to see pictures of the world from
space, a perceptible change has taken place in our understanding of our
planet and of its immense beauty and fragility. Helped by the
accomplishments of space exploration, we found that the expression "the
common heritage of all mankind" has taken on a new meaning from that
date. The more we share in the artistic and cultural riches of one another,
the more we discover our common humanity. Young people especially
have deepened their sense of oneness through regional and worldwide
sports events and similar activities, deepening their bonds of brotherhood
and sisterhood.
At the same time, how often in recent years have we had occasion to
reach out as brothers and sisters to help those struck by natural disaster or
subjected to war and famine. We are witnessing a growing collective
desire - across political, geographical or ideological boundaries - to help
the less fortunate members of the human family. The suffering, still so
tragic and protracted, of our brothers and sisters in Sub-Saharan Africa is
giving rise to forms and concrete expressions of this solidarity of human
beings everywhere. Two of the reasons why I was pleased in 1986 to
confer the Pope John XXIII International Peace Prize on the Catholic
Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees (COERR) of Thailand were
first, to be able to call the attention of the world to the continuing plight
of those who are forced from their homelands; and secondly to highlight
the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that so many groups - Catholic
and otherwise - have displayed in responding to the need of these sorely
tried homeless people. Yes, the human spirit can and does respond with
great generosity to the suffering of others. In these responses we can find
a growing realization of the social solidarity that proclaims in word and
deed that we are one, that we must recognize that oneness, and that it is
an essential element for the common good of all individuals and nations.
These examples illustrate that we can and do cooperate in many ways,
and that we can and do work together to advance the common good.
However, we must do more. We need to adopt a basic attitude towards
humanity and the relationships we have with every person and every
group in the world. Here we can begin to see how the commitment to the
solidarity of the whole human family is a key to peace. Projects that
foster the good of humanity or good will among peoples are one step in
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the realization of solidarity. The bond of sympathy and charity that
compels us to help those who suffer brings our oneness to the fore in
another way. But the underlying challenge to all of us is to adopt an
attitude of social solidarity with the whole human family and to face all
social and political situations with this attitude.
Thus, for example, the United Nations Organization has designated 1987
as the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. By so doing it is
calling attention to a matter of great concern, and supporting an attitude
of solidarity - human, political and economic - towards millions of
families deprived of the environment essential for proper family life.
Examples unfortunately abound of obstacles to solidarity, of political and
ideological positions which do in fact affect the achievement of
solidarity. These are positions or policies that ignore or deny the
fundamental equality and dignity of the human person. Among these, I
am thinking in particular of:
- a xenophobia that closes nations in on themselves or which leads
governments to enact discriminatory laws against people in their own
countries;
- the closing of borders in an arbitrary and unjustifiable way so that
people are effectively deprived of the ability to move and to better their
lot, to be reunited with their loved ones, or simply to visit their family or
reach out in care and understanding to others;
- ideologies that preach hatred or distrust, systems that set up artificial
barriers. Racial hatred, religious intolerance, class divisions are all too
present in many societies, both openly and covertly. When political
leaders erect such divisions into internal systems or into policies
regarding relationships with other nations, then these prejudices strike at
the core of human dignity. They become a powerful source of
counteractions that further foster division, enmity, repression and
warfare. Another evil, which in this past year brought so much suffering
to people and havoc to society, is terrorism.
To all of these, effective solidarity offers an antidote. For if the essential
note of solidarity is to be found in the radical equality of all men and
women, then any and every policy that contradicts the basic dignity and
human rights of any person or group of persons is a policy that is to be
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rejected. On the contrary, policies and programs that build open and
honest relationships among peoples, that forge just alliances, that unite
people in honorable cooperation, are to be fostered. Such initiatives do
not ignore the real linguistic, racial, religious, social or cultural
differences among peoples; nor do they deny the great difficulties in
overcoming long-standing divisions and injustice. But they do give pride
of place to the elements that unite, however small they may appear to be.
This spirit of solidarity is a spirit that is open to dialogue. It finds its roots
in truth, and needs truth to develop. It is a spirit that seeks to build up
rather than to destroy, to unite rather than to divide. Since solidarity is
universal in its aspiration, it can take many forms. Regional agreements
to promote the common good and encourage bilateral negotiations can
serve to lessen tensions. The sharing of technology or information to
avert disasters or to improve the quality of life of people in a particular
area will contribute to solidarity and facilitate further measures on a
wider level.
Perhaps in no other sector of human endeavor is there greater need of
social solidarity than in the area of development. Much of what Paul VI
said twenty years ago in his now celebrated Encyclical is especially
applicable today. He saw with great clarity that the social question had
become worldwide (cf. Populorum Progressio, 3 ). He was among the
first to call attention to the fact that economic progress in itself is
insufficient, that it demands social progress (cf. ibid., 35). Above all, he
insisted that development must be integral, that is, the development of
every person and of the whole person (cf. ibid., 14-21 ). This was, for
him, a complete humanism: the fully-rounded development of the person
in all his or her dimensions and open to the Absolute, which "gives
human life its true meaning" (ibid., 42). Such a humanism is the common
goal that must be sought for everyone. "There can be no progress towards
the complete development of man", he said, "without the simultaneous
development of all humanity in the spirit of solidarity" (ibid., 43).
Now, twenty years later, I wish to pay tribute to this teaching of Paul VI.
In the changed circumstances of today, these profound insights,
especially regarding the importance of a spirit of solidarity for
development, are still valid and shed great light on new challenges.
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When we reflect on commitment to solidarity in the field of development,
the first and most basic truth is that development is a question of people.
People are the subjects of true development, and the aim of true
development is people. The integral development of people is the goal
and measure of all development projects. That all people are at the centre
of development is a consequence of the oneness of the human family; and
this is irrespective of any technological or scientific discoveries that the
future may hold. People must be the focus of all that is done to improve
the conditions of life. People must be active agents, not passive
recipients, in any true development process.
Another principle of development as it relates to solidarity is the need to
promote values that truly benefit individuals and society. It is not enough
to reach out and help those in need. We must help them to discover the
values which enable them to build a new life and to take their rightful
place in society with dignity and justice. All people have the right to
pursue and attain what is good and true. All have the right to choose
those things that enhance life, and life in society is by no means morally
neutral. Social choices have consequences that either promote or debase
the true good of the person in society.
In the field of development, and especially of development assistance,
programs have been offered which claim to be "value free" but which in
fact are counter-values to life. When one considers government programs
or aid packages that virtually force communities or countries to accept
contraception programs and abortion schemes as the price of economic
growth, then one has to say clearly and forcefully that these offers violate
the solidarity of the human family because they deny the values of human
dignity and human freedom.
What is true of personal development through the choice of values that
enhance life applies also to the development of society. Whatever
impedes true freedom militates against the development of society and of
social institutions. Exploitation, threats, forced subjection, denials of
opportunities by one sector of society to another are unacceptable and
contradict the very notion of human solidarity. Such activities, both
within a society and among nations, may unfortunately seem successful
for a while. However, the longer such conditions exist, the more likely
they are to be the cause of still further repression and increasing violence.
The seeds of destruction are already sown in institutionalized injustice.
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To deny the means of achieving development to any sector of a given
society or to any nation can only lead to insecurity and social unrest. It
breeds hatred and division and destroys the hope for peace.
The solidarity that fosters integral development is that which protects and
defends the legitimate freedom of every person and the rightful security
of every nation. Without this freedom and security, the very conditions
for development are missing. Not only individuals but also nations must
be able to share in the choices which affect them. The freedom that
nations must have to ensure their growth and development as equal
partners in the family of nations is dependent on reciprocal respect
among them. Seeking economic, military or political superiority at the
expense of the rights of other nations places in jeopardy any prospects for
true development or true peace.
For these reasons, I have proposed that we reflect this year on solidarity
and development as keys to peace. Each of these realities has its own
specific meaning. Both are necessary for the goals we seek. Solidarity is
ethical in nature because it involves an affirmation of value about
humanity. For this reason, its implications for human life on this planet
and for international relations are also ethical: our common bonds of
humanity demand that we live in harmony and that we promote what is
good for one another. These ethical implications are the reason why
solidarity is a basic key to peace.
In this same light, development takes on its full meaning. It is no longer a
question merely of improving certain situations or economic conditions.
Development ultimately becomes a question of peace, because it helps to
achieve what is good for others and for the human community as a
whole.
In the context of true solidarity, there is no danger of exploitation or the
misuse of development programs for the benefit of the few. Rather,
development thus becomes a process involving different members of the
same human family and enriching them all. As solidarity gives us the
ethical basis to act upon, development becomes the offer that brother
makes to brother, so that both can live more fully in all the diversity and
complementarity that are the hallmarks of human civilization. Out of this
dynamic comes the harmonious "tranquility of order" which is true peace.
Yes, solidarity and development are two keys to peace.
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Many of the problems that face the world in this beginning of 1987 are
indeed complex, and seem almost insoluble. Yet, if we believe in the
oneness of the human family, if we insist that peace is possible, our
common reflection on solidarity and development as keys to peace can
shed much light on these critical issues.
Certainly the continuing problem of the external debt of many of the
developing countries could be looked at with new eyes if everyone
concerned would consciously include these ethical considerations in the
evaluations made and the solutions proposed. Many aspects of this issue protectionism, prices of raw materials, priorities in investment, respect
for obligations contracted as well as consideration of the internal
condition of the debtor countries - would benefit from seeking in
solidarity those solutions that promote stable development.
With reference to science and technology, new and powerful divisions
are appearing between the technological haves and have-nots. Such
inequalities do not promote peace and harmonious development, but
rather compound already existing situations of inequality. If people are
the subject of development and the goal to which it tends, a more open
sharing of applicable technological advances with less technologically
advanced countries becomes an ethical imperative of solidarity, as does a
refusal to make of such countries the testing area for doubtful
experiments or a dumping ground for questionable products.
International agencies and various States are making notable efforts in
these fields. Such efforts are an important contribution to peace.
All of us who believe in God are convinced that this harmonious order
for which all peoples long cannot come about solely through human
efforts, indispensable though they be. This peace - personal peace and
peace for others - must at the same time be sought in prayer and
meditation. In saying this, I have before my eyes and in my heart the
deep experience of the recent World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi.
Religious leaders and representatives of the Christian Churches and
Ecclesial Communities and the World Religions gave living expression
to solidarity in prayer and meditation for peace. It was a visible
commitment on the part of every participant - and of the many others
who joined with us in spirit - to seek peace, to be peacemakers, to do
everything possible, in the deep solidarity of the spirit to work for a
society in which justice will flourish and peace abound (cf. Ps 72:7).
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The Just Ruler whose description the Psalmist sets before us is one who
deals out justice to the poor and suffering. " He has pity on the weak and
the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and
violence he redeems their life ..." (vv. 13-14). These words are before our
eyes today as we pray that the longing for peace which marked the
meeting in Assisi may be the moving force for all believers and in a
special way for Christians.
For Christians can discern in these inspired words of the Psalms the
figure of our Lord Jesus Christ, the One who brought his peace to the
world, the One who healed the wounded and afflicted, announced good
news to the poor and set at liberty those who were oppressed (cf. Lk
4:18). Jesus Christ is the One whom we call "our peace", and who "has
broken down the dividing wall of hostility" (Eph 2: 14), in order to make
peace. Yes. Precisely this wish to make peace, seen at the Assisi meeting,
also encourages us to give some thought to the manner of celebrating this
World Day in the future.
We too are called to be like Christ, to be peacemakers through
reconciliation, to be cooperators with him in the task of bringing peace to
this earth by furthering the cause of justice for all peoples and nations.
And we must never forget those words of his which summarize every
perfect expression of human solidarity: "Treat others the way you would
have them treat you" (Mt 7:12). When this commandment is broken,
Christians should realize that they are causing a division and committing
a sin. This sin has serious effects on the community of believers and on
the whole of society. It offends God himself, who is the creator of life
and the one who keeps it in being.
The grace and wisdom that Jesus shows even from the time of hi s hidden
lif e in Nazareth with Mary and Joseph (cf. Lk 2: 51f) is a model for our
own relations with one another in the family, in our nations, in the world.
The service of others through word and deed that marks the public life of
Jesus is a reminder to us that the solidarity of the human family has been
radically deepened. It has been given a transcendent aim that ennobles all
our human efforts for justice and peace. Finally, the ultimate act of
solidarity that the world has known - the death of Jesus Christ on the
Cross for all - opens up to us Christians the way we are to follow. If our
work for peace is to be fully effective, it must share in the transforming
power of Christ, whose death gives life to all people born into this world,
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and whose triumph over death is the final guarantee that the justice which
solidarity and development require will lead to lasting peace.
May the acceptance that Christians give to Jesus Christ as Savior and
Lord direct all their efforts. May their prayers sustain them in their
commitment to the cause of peace through the development of peoples in
the spirit of social solidarity.
At the beginning of this Message I explained that the theme of solidarity
impelled me to address this to everyone, to every man and woman in this
world. I now repeat this call to every one of you, but I wish to make a
special appeal in the following way:
To all of you, Government leaders and those responsible for international
agencies: in order to ensure peace I appeal to you to redouble your efforts
for the integral development of individuals and nations.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Instruction on Christian Freedom and Liberation
Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1986
[Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect]
Certain Christians, both lay persons and pastors, have not failed to fight
for a just recognition of the legitimate rights of workers. On many
occasions the Magisterium of the Church has raised its voice in support
of this cause.
New relationships of inequality and oppression have been established
between the nations endowed with power and those without it. The
pursuit of one's own interest seems to be the rule for international
relations, without the common good of humanity being taken into
consideration.
The reality of the depth of freedom has always been known to the
Church, above all through the lives of a multitude of the faithful,
especially among the little ones and the poor. In their faith, these latter
know that they are the object of God's infinite love.
149
Such is the dignity which none of the powerful can take away from them;
such is the liberating joy present in them. They know that to them too are
addressed Jesus' words: "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant
does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for
all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you" (Jn.
15:15).
A just social order offers man irreplaceable assistance in realizing his free
personality. On the other hand, an unjust social order is a threat and an
obstacle which can compromise his destiny.
Having become his own center, sinful man tends to assert himself and to
satisfy his desire for the infinite by the use of things: wealth, power and
pleasure, despising other people and robbing them unjustly and treating
them as objects or instruments. Thus he makes his own contribution to
the creation of those very structures of exploitation and slavery which he
claims to condemn.
The situation of the poor is a situation of injustice contrary to the
Covenant. This is why the law of the Covenant protects them by means
of precepts which reflect the attitude of God Himself when He liberated
Israel from the slavery of Egypt. Injustice to the little ones and the poor
is a grave sin and one which destroys communion with God.
Whatever the form of poverty, injustice and affliction they endure, the
"just" and the "poor of Yahweh" offer up their supplications to Him in
the psalms. In their hearts they suffer the servitude to which the "stiffnecked" people are reduced because of their sins. They endure
persecution, martyrdom and death; but they live in hope of deliverance.
Above all, they place their trust in Yahweh, to whom they commend their
cause.
Jesus proclaims the Good News of the kingdom of God and calls people
to conversion. "The poor have the good news preached to them" (Mt.
11:5). By quoting the expression of the prophet, Jesus manifests His
messianic action in favor of those who await God's salvation. Even more
than this, the Son of God who has made Himself poor for love of us
wishes to be recognized in the poor, in those who suffer or are
persecuted: "As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you
did it to me."
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Love of neighbor knows no limits and includes enemies and persecutors.
The perfection which is the image of the Father's perfection and for
which the discipline must strive is found in mercy. The parable of the
Good Samaritan shows that compassionate love, which puts itself at the
service of neighbor, destroys the prejudices which set ethnic or social
groups against one another.
Christian love, which seeks no reward and includes everyone, receives it
nature from the love of Christ who gave His life for us: "Even as I have
loved you...you also love one another" (Jn. 13:34-35). This is the "new
commandment" for the disciples. In the light of this commandment, St.
James severely reminds the rich of their duty, and St. John says that a
person who possesses the riches of this world but who shuts his heart to
his brother in need cannot have the love of God dwelling in him.
Fraternal love is the touchstone of the love of God: "He who does not
love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not
seen" (1 Jn. 4:20). St. Paul strongly emphasizes the link between sharing
in the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ and sharing with one's
neighbor who is in need.
The evil inequities and oppression of every kind which afflict millions of
men and women today openly contradict Christ's Gospel and cannot
leave the conscience of any Christian indifferent.
For the beatitudes--by teaching trust which relies on God, hope of eternal
life, love of justice, and mercy which goes as far as pardon and
reconciliation--enables us to situate the temporal order in relation to a
transcendent order which gives the temporal order its true measure but
without taking away its own nature. In the light of these things, the
commitment necessary in temporal tasks of service to neighbor and the
human community is both urgently demanded and kept in its right
perspective. The beatitudes prevent us from worshipping earthly goods
and
from
committing the injustices which their unbridled pursuit involves. They
also divert us from an unrealistic and ruinous search for a perfect world,
"for the form of this world is passing away" (1 Cor. 7:31).
It is thus by pursuing her own finality that the Church sheds the light of
the Gospel on earthly realities in order that human beings may be healed
of their miseries and raised in dignity. The cohesion of society in
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accordance with justice and peace is thereby promoted and strengthened.
Thus the Church is being faithful to her mission when she condemns the
forms of deviation, slavery and oppression of which people are victims.
Christ Jesus, although He was rich, became poor in order to make us rich
by means of His poverty. St. Paul is speaking here of the mystery of the
Incarnation of the eternal Son, who came to take on mortal human nature
in order to save man from the misery into which sin had plunged him.
Furthermore, in the human condition Christ chose a state of poverty and
deprivation in order to show in what consists the true wealth which ought
to be sought, that of communion of life with God. He taught detachment
from earthly riches so that we might desire the riches of heaven. The
Apostles whom He chose also had to leave all things and share His
deprivation. Christ was foretold by the prophets as the Messiah of the
poor; and it was among the latter, the humble, the "poor of Yahweh,"
who were thirsting for the justice of the kingdom, that He found hearts
ready to receive Him. But He also wished to be near to those who,
though rich in the goods of this world, were excluded from the
community as "publicans and sinners," for He had come to call them to
conversion. It is this sort of poverty, made up of detachment, trust in
God, sobriety and a readiness to share, that Jesus declared blessed.
But Jesus not only brought the grace and peace of God; He also healed
innumerable sick people; He had compassion on the crowd who had
nothing to eat and He fed them; with the disciples who followed Him He
practiced almsgiving. Therefore the beatitude of poverty which He
proclaimed can never signify that Christians are permitted to ignore the
poor who lack what is necessary for human life in this world. This
poverty is the result and consequence of people's sin and natural frailty,
and it is an evil from which human beings must be freed as completely as
possible.
Those who are oppressed by poverty are the object of a love of
preference on the part of the Church, which since her origin and in spite
of the failings of many of her members has not ceased to work for their
relief, defense and liberation. She has done this through numberless
works of charity which remain always and everywhere indispensable. In
addition, through her social doctrine which she strives to apply, she has
sought to promote structural changes in society so as to secure conditions
of life worthy of the human person.
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By detachment from riches, which makes possible sharing and opens the
gate of the kingdom, the disciples of Jesus bear witness through love for
the poor and unfortunate to the love of the Father Himself manifested in
the Savior. This love comes from God and goes to God. The disciples of
Christ have always recognized in the gifts placed on the altar a gift
offered to God Himself. In loving the poor, the Church also witnesses to
man's dignity. She clearly affirms that man is worth more for what he is
than for what he has. She bears witness to the fact that this
dignity cannot be destroyed, whatever the situation of poverty, scorn,
rejection or powerlessness to which a human being has been reduced.
She shows her solidarity with those who do not count in a society by
which they are rejected spiritually and sometimes even physically.
The special option for the poor, far from being a sign of particularism or
sectarianism, manifests the universality of Church's being and mission.
This option excludes no one.
As an "expert in humanity," the Church offers by her social doctrine a set
of principles for reflection and criteria for judgment and also directives
for action so that the profound changes demanded by situations of
poverty and injustice may be brought about, and this in a way which
serves the true good of humanity.
The supreme commandment of love leads to the full recognition of the
dignity of each individual, created in God's image. From this dignity
flow natural rights and duties. In the light of the image of God, freedom,
which is the essential prerogative of the human person, is manifested in
all its depth. Persons are the active and responsible subjects of social
life. Intimately linked to the foundation, which is man's dignity, are the
principle of solidarity and the principle of subsidiarity. By virtue of the
first, man with his brothers is obliged to contribute to the common good
of society at all its levels. Hence the Church's doctrine is opposed to all
forms of social or political individualism.
The recognized priority of freedom and of conversion of heart in no way
eliminates the need for unjust structures to be changed. It is therefore
perfectly legitimate that those who suffer oppression on the part of the
wealthy or the politically powerful should take action, through morally
illicit means, in order to secure structures and institutions in which their
rights will be truly respected.
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Nor can one accept the culpable passivity of the public powers in those
democracies where the social situation of a large number of men and
women is far from corresponding to the demands of constitutionally
guaranteed individual and social rights.
Christ has command us to love our enemies. Liberation in the spirit of
the Gospel is therefore incompatible with hatred of others, taken
individually or collectively, and this includes hatred of one's enemy.
These principles must be especially applied in the extreme case where
there is recourse to armed struggle, which the Church's Magisterium
admits as a last resort to put an end to an obvious and prolonged tyranny
which is gravely damaging the fundamental rights of individuals and the
common good.
The life of Jesus of Nazareth, a real "Gospel of work," offers us the living
example and principle of the radical cultural transformation which is
essential for solving the grave problems which must be faced by the age
in which we live. He, who, though he was God, became like us in all
things, devoted the greater part of His earthly life to manual labor. The
culture which our age awaits will be marked by the full recognition of the
dignity of human work, which appears in all its nobility and fruitfulness
in the light of the mysteries of creation and redemption. Recognized as
an expression of the person, work becomes a source of creative meaning
and effort.
Thus the solution of most of the serious problems related to poverty is to
be found in the promotion of a true civilization of work. In a sense, work
is the key to the whole social question. It is therefore in the domain of
work that priority must be given to the action of liberation in freedom.
Because the relationship between the human person and work is radical
and vital, the forms and models according to which this relationship is
regulated will exercise a positive influence for the solution of a whole
series of social and political problems facing each people. Just work
relationships will be a necessary pre-condition for a system of political
community capable of favoring the integral development of every
individual.
If the system of labor relations put into effect by those directly involved-154
the workers and employers--with the essential support of the public
powers, succeeds in bringing into existence a civilization of work, then
there will take place a profound and peaceful revolution in people's
outlooks and in institutional and political structures.
A work culture such as this will necessarily presuppose and put into
effect a certain number of essential values. It will acknowledge that the
person of the worker is the principle, subject and purpose of work. It will
affirm the priority of work over capital and the fact that material goods
are meant for all. It will be animated by a sense of solidarity involving
not only rights to be defended but also the duties to be performed. It will
involve participation, aimed at promoting the national and international
common good and not just defending individual or corporate interests. It
will assimilate the methods of confrontation and of frank and vigorous
dialogue. As a result, the political authorities will become more capable
of acting with respect for the legitimate freedoms of individuals, families
and subsidiary groups; and they will thus create the conditions necessary
for man to be able to achieve his authentic and integral welfare, including
his
spiritual
goal.
A culture which recognizes the eminent dignity of the worker will
emphasize the subjective dimension of work. The value of any human
work does not depend on the kind of work done; it is based on the fact
that the one who does it is a person. There we have an ethical criterion
whose implications cannot be overlooked. Thus every person has a right
to work, and this right must be recognized in a practical way by an
effective commitment to resolving the tragic problem of unemployment.
The fact that unemployment keeps large sectors of the population and
notably the young in a situation of marginalization is intolerable. For this
reason the creation of jobs is a primary social task facing individuals and
private enterprise, as well as the state. As a general rule, in this as in
other matters, the state has a subsidiary function; but often it can be
called upon to intervene directly, as in the case of international
agreements between different states. Such agreements must respect the
rights
of
immigrants
and
their
families.
Wages, which cannot be considered as a mere commodity must enable
the worker and his family to have access to a truly human standard of
living in the material, social, cultural and spiritual orders. It is the dignity
of
the
person
which
155
constitutes the criterion for judging work, not the other way around.
Whatever the type of work, the worker must be able to perform it as an
expression of his personality. There follows from this the necessity of a
participation which, over and above a sharing in the fruits of work,
should involve a truly communitarian dimension at the level of projects,
undertakings
and
responsibilities.
The priority of work over capital places an obligation in justice upon
employers to consider the welfare of the workers before the increase of
profits. They have a moral obligation not to keep capital unproductive
and, in making investments, to think first of the common good. The
latter requires a prior effort to consolidate jobs or create new ones in the
production of goods that are really useful. The right to private property is
inconceivable without responsibilities to the common good. It is
subordinated to the higher principle which states that goods are meant for
all.
This teaching must inspire reforms before it is too late. Access for
everyone to the goods needed for a human person and family life worthy
of the name is a primary demand of social justice. It requires application
in the sphere of industrial work and in a particular way in the area of
agricultural work. Indeed, rural peoples, especially in the Third World,
make
up
the
vast
majority
of
the
poor.
Solidarity is a direct requirement of human and supernatural
brotherhood. The serious socio-economic problems which occur today
cannot be solved unless new fronts of solidarity are created: solidarity of
the poor among themselves, solidarity with the poor to which the rich are
called, solidarity among the workers and with the workers. Institutions
and social organizations at different levels, as well as the state, must
share in a general movement of solidarity. When the Church appeals for
such solidarity, she is aware that she herself is concerned in a quite
special
way.
The principle that goods are meant for all, together with the principle of
human and supernatural brotherhood, express the responsibilities of the
richer countries towards the poorer ones. These responsibilities include:
solidarity in aiding the developing countries, social justice through a
revision in correct terms of commercial relationships between North and
South, a promotion of a more human world for all -- a world in which
156
each individual can give and receive, and in which the progress of some
will no longer be an obstacle to the development of others, nor a pretext
for their enslavement.
International solidarity is a necessity of the moral order. It is essential
not only in cases of extreme urgency but also for aiding true
development. This is a shared task, which requires a concerted and
constant effort to find concrete technical solutions and also to create a
new mentality among our contemporaries. World peace depends on this
to a great extent.
The unjust inequalities in the possession and use of material goods are
accompanied and aggravated by similarly unjust inequalities in the
opportunity for culture. Every human being has a right to culture, which
is the specific mode of a truly human existence to which one gains access
through the development of one's intellectual capacities, moral virtues,
abilities to relate with other human beings, and talents for creating things
which are useful and beautiful. From this flows the necessity of
promoting and spreading education, to which every individual has an
inalienable right. The first condition for this is the elimination of
illiteracy.
The right of each person to culture is assured only if cultural freedom is
respected. Too often culture is debased by ideology, and education is
turned into an instrument at the service of political and economic power.
It
is
not
within
the
competence of the public authorities to determine culture. Their function
is to promote and protect the cultural life of everyone, including that of
minorities.
The education which gives access to culture is also education in the
responsible exercise of freedom. That is why there can be authentic
development only in a social and political system which respects
freedoms and fosters them through the participation of everyone. This
participation can take different forms; it is necessary in order to guarantee
a proper pluralism in institutions and in social initiatives. It ensures,
notably by the real separation between the powers of the state, the
exercise of human rights, also protecting them against possible abuses on
the part of the public powers. No one can be excluded from this
participation in social and political life for reasons of sex, race, color,
157
social condition, language or religion. Keeping people on the margins of
cultural, social and political life constitutes in many nations one of the
most
glaring
injustices
of
our
time.
When the political authorities regulate the exercise of freedoms, they
cannot use the pretext of the demands for public order and security in
order to curtail those freedoms systematically. Nor can the alleged
principle of national security, or a narrowly economic outlook, or a
totalitarian concept of social life, prevail over the value of freedom and
its rights.
The Church, which is a communion that unites diversity and unity
through her presence in the whole world, takes from every culture the
positive elements which she finds there. But inculturation is not simply
an outward adaptation; it is an intimate transformation of authentic
cultural values by their integration into Christianity and the planting of
Christianity in the different human cultures.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Solicitudo Rei Socialis
Pope John Paul II, 1987
Solidarity ... is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at
the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it
is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common
good; that is to say, to the good of all and of each individual, because we
are all really responsible for all.
Those who are more influential because they have greater share of goods
and common services should feel responsible for the weaker and be ready
to share with them all they possess ... The church feels called to take her
stand beside the poor, to discern the justice of their requests and to help
satisfy them, without losing sight of the good of groups in the context of
the common good.
A consistent theme of Catholic social teaching is the option or love of
preference for the poor. Today, this preference has to be expressed in
worldwide dimensions, embracing the immense numbers of the hungry,
the needy, the homeless, those without medical care, and those without
hope.
158
Poverty is not only a question of having no material goods. Is the lack of
human rights not also a form of poverty?
Next to the underdevelopment of the many, there is a super development
for the few, super-development leads to a throwaway society and to
enormous waste. Excessive access to all kinds of things, -- sometimes
called consumerism -- enslaves people and does not make them happy.
The more one possesses, the more one wants, while the deeper human
hopes remain unsatisfied and even stifled. "Having" more things does not
necessarily mean 'being" more or being better. "Having" only helps us
when it contributes to a more complete "being."
The right to private property is valid, but all private property is under a
"social mortgage."
Among the actions and attitudes opposed to God's will, two are very
typical: greed and the thirst for power. Not only individuals sin in that
way; so do nations and world-blocs. That is why we spoke of "structures
of sin."
One must denounce the economic, financial, and social mechanisms and
structures that are manipulated by the rich and powerful for their own
benefit at the expense of the poor.
A world divided into blocs, in which instead of solidarity, imperialism
and exploitation hold sway, can only be a world structured in sin. Those
structures of sin are rooted in sins committed by individual persons, who
introduced these structures and re-enforced them again and again. One
can blame selfishness, shortsightedness, mistaken political decisions, and
imprudent economic decisions; at the root of the evils that afflict the
world there is -- in one way or another -- sin.
Material goods and the way we are developing the use of them should be
seen as God's gifts to us. They are meant to bring out in each one of us
the image of God. We must never lose sight of how we have been
created: from the earth and from the breath of God.
The needs of the poor even outweigh the "need" for costly decorations,
vestments, and utensils in worship. It could be obligatory to sell those
goods in order to provide food, drink, clothing, and shelter for those who
lack these things.
159
Solidarity helps us to see the 'other'-whether a person, people or nationnot just as some kind of instrument, with a work capacity and physical
strength to be exploited at low cost and then discarded when no longer
useful, but as our 'neighbor,' a 'helper' to be made a sharer on a par with
ourselves in the banquet of life to which all are equally invited by God.
Interdependence must be transformed into solidarity, grounded on the
principle that the goods of creation are meant for all. Avoiding every type
of imperialism, the stronger nations must feel responsible for the other
nations, based on the equality of all peoples and with respect for the
differences.
If development is the new name for peace, war and preparations for war
are the major enemy of the healthy development of peoples. If we take
the common good of all humanity as our norm, instead of individual
greed, peace would be possible.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Meeting With The Black Community Of New
Orleans
Pope John Paul II, September 12, 1987
Even in this wealthy nation, committed by its Founding Fathers to the
dignity and equality of all persons, the black community suffers a
disproportionate share of economic deprivation. Far too many of your
young people receive less than an equal opportunity for a quality
education and for gainful employment. The Church must continue to join
her efforts with the efforts of others who are working to correct all
imbalances and disorders of a social nature. Indeed, the Church can never
remain silent in the face of injustice, wherever it is clearly present.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, September 12, 1987
"My Lord, be patient with me and I will pay you back in full" (Matth. 18,
26; cfr. v. 29).
160
This plea is heard twice in the Gospel parable. The first time it is made
by the servant who owes his master ten thousand talents – an
astonishingly high sum according to the value of money in New
Testament times. Shortly afterwards the plea is repeated by another
servant of the same master. He too is in debt, not to his master, but to his
fellow servant. And his debt is only a tiny fraction of the debt that his
fellow servant had been forgiven.
The point of the parable is the fact that the servant with the greater debt
receives understanding from the master to whom he owes much money.
The Gospel tells us that "the master let the official go and wrote off the
debt" (Ibid. 18, 27), yet that same servant would not listen to the plea of
his fellow servant who owed him money. He had no pity on him, but
"had him put in jail until he paid back what he owed" (Ibid. 18, 30).
Jesus often used parables like this one in his teaching; they are a special
method of proclaiming the Good News. They enable the listener to grasp
more easily the "Divine Reality" which Jesus came to reveal. In today’s
parable, we sense almost immediately that it is a prelude to the words
which Jesus commands us to use when we pray to our heavenly Father:
"forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matth. 6, 12).
These words from the "Our Father" also have something very important
to teach us. If we want God to hear us when we plead like the servant – "
Have patience with me " – then we must be equally willing to listen to
our neighbor when he pleads: "Give me time and I will pay you back in
full". Otherwise we cannot expect pardon from God, but punishment
instead. In the parable the servant is punished because, though a debtor
himself, he is intolerant as a creditor towards his fellow servant.
Christ is very clear: when we ourselves are without sympathy or mercy,
when we are guided by "blind" justice alone, then we cannot count on the
mercy of that " Great Creditor " who is God–God, before whom we are
all debtors.
In the parable, we find two different standards or ways of measuring:
God’s standard and man’s standard. The divine standard is one in which
justice is totally permeated by merciful love. The human standard is
inclined to stop at justice alone – justice which is without mercy, and
which in a sense is "blind" with regard to man.
161
Indeed, human justice is often governed by hatred and revenge, as the
first reading from the Book of Sirach reminds us. It reads – and the words
of the Old Testament are strong – "Should a man nourish anger against
his fellow and expect healing from the Lord? ... If he who is but flesh
cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins? ... Remember your last days,
set enmity aside... Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor...
Should a man refuse mercy to his fellows, yet seek pardon for his own
sins? " (Sir. 28, 3. 5-7. 4).
The exhortations in the Book of Sirach and in the Gospel both move in
the same direction. The human way of measuring – the measure of justice
alone – which is often "blind" or "blinded" by hatred – must accept God’s
standard. Otherwise justice by itself easily becomes injustice, as we see
expressed in the Latin saying: summum ius, summa iniuria. The rigorous
application of the law can sometimes be the height of injustice.
As I said in my Encyclical Letter on the Mercy of God: "In every sphere
of interpersonal relationships justice, must, so to speak, be ‘corrected’ to
a considerable extent by that love which, as Saint Paul proclaims, ‘is
patient and kind’ or, in other words, possesses the characteristics of that
merciful love which is so much of the essence of the Gospel and
Christianity" (Ioannis Pauli PP. II Dives in Misericordia, 14).
Merciful love is also the basis of the Lord’s answer to Peter’s question:
"When my brother wrongs me, how often must I forgive him? Seven
times?" "No", Jesus replied, "not seven times; I say, seventy times seven
times" (Matth. 18, 21-22). In the symbolic language of the Bible, this
means that we must be able to forgive everyone every time. Surely this is
one of the most difficult and radical commands of the Gospel. Yet how
much suffering and anguish, how much futility, destruction and violence
would be avoided, if only we put into practice in all our human
relationships the Lord’s answer to Peter.
Merciful love is absolutely necessary, in particular, for people who are
close to one another: for husbands and wives, parents and children, and
among friends (Cfr. Ioannis Pauli PP. II Dives in Misericordia, 14). At a
time when family life is under such great stress, when a high number of
divorces and broken homes are a sad fact of life, we must ask ourselves
whether human relationships are being based, as they should be, on the
merciful love and forgiveness revealed by God in Jesus Christ. We must
162
examine our own heart and see how willing we are to forgive and to
accept forgiveness in this world as well as in the next.
A case with special urgency today is the international debt question. As
you know, many developing countries are heavily in debt to
industrialized nations, and for a variety of reasons are finding it harder
and harder to repay their loans. "Blind" justice alone cannot solve this
problem in an ethical way that promotes the human good of all parties.
Merciful love calls for mutual understanding and a recognition of human
priorities and needs, above and beyond the "blind" justice of financial
mechanisms. We must arrive at solutions that truly reflect both complete
justice and mercy (Cfr. Pont. Comm. "Iustitia et Pax" At the Service of
the Human Community: An Ethical Approach to the International Debt
Question, 1986).
The nature of the Church’s concern in these matters is reflected in the
pastoral message on the American economy issued by the bishops of the
United States. They say: "We write... as heirs of the biblical prophets
who summon us ‘to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with
our God’ (Mic. 6, 8). We speak as moral teachers, not economic
technicians. We seek... to lift up the human and ethical dimensions of
economic life..." (Episc. Foederatarum Civitatum Americae
Septemtrionalis Economic Justice for All; Catholic Social Teaching and
the US Economy, 4. 7). To do justice, yes – but also to love. This is at the
heart of Christ’s message. It is the only way to reach that " civilization of
love " that ensures peace for ourselves and if or the world.
The Eucharist which we are celebrating and in which we are taking part
is linked to the deepest truth of these words. Each time we participate in
the Eucharist, we must translate, as it were, the parable of today’s Gospel
into the reality of that sacrament which is the "great mystery of faith".
When we gather together, we must be aware of how much we are debtors
to God the Creator, God the Redeemer. Debtors – first for our Creation,
and then for our Redemption. The Psalmist exclaims:
"Bless the Lord, o my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless... and forget not all his benefits" (Ps. 103 (102), 1-2).
163
This exhortation is directed to each one of us, and at the same time to the
whole community of believers. Forget not... the gift of God. Forget not...
that you have received his bounty: in Creation –that is to say, in your
existence and in all that is in and around you; in Redemption – in that
grace of adoption as sons and daughters of God in Christ, at the price of
his Cross.
When we receive a gift we are a debtor. Indeed we are more than a debtor
because it is not possible to repay a gift adequately. And yet we must try.
We must give a gift in return for a gift. God’s generous gift must be
repaid by our gift. And our gift, reflecting as it does our great limitations,
must aim at imitating the divine generosity, the divine standard of giving.
In Christ our gift must be transformed, so as to unite us with God. The
Eucharist is the sacrament of such a transformation. Christ himself makes
us "an everlasting gift to the Father". Truly this is the great mystery of
faith and love.
Modern man easily forgets that he has received a great gift. Yet, at the
base of all that he is and of all that the world is, there is the gift – the free
gift of Love. As man loses this awareness, he also forgets the debt and
the fact that he is a debtor. He loses his consciousness of sin. Many
people today, especially those caught up in a civilization of affluence and
pleasure, live as though sin did not exist and as if God did not exist.
For this reason we need to listen with special attention to the Letter to the
Romans: "None of us lives as his own master and none of us dies as his
own master. While we live we are responsible to the Lord, and when we
die we die as his servants. Both in life and in death we are the Lord’s.
That is why Christ died and came to life again, that he might be Lord of
both the dead and the living" (Rom. 14, 7-9). We must listen carefully to
these words of Saint Paul and remember them well.
"My Lord, be patient with me and I will pay you back in full."
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Homily, Monterey, California
Pope John Paul II, September 17, 1987
164
Yes, today, these words are addressed to all of us gathered here: "Be
careful not to forget the Lord, your God".
These words, pronounced thousands of years ago, have still today a
special meaning and relevance. Moses, the great teacher of his people,
was concerned that in their future prosperity they might abandon God–
the God who brought them out of the land of slavery and guided them
through the desert with its parched ground, feeding them with manna
along the way (Cfr. Deut. 8, 15-16). Moses knew the tendency of the
human heart to cry out to the Lord in time of need, but easily "to neglect
his commandments and decrees and statutes" (Cfr. ibid. 8, 11) in the time
of well-being and prosperity. He knew that God is easily forgotten.
In our own day are we not perhaps witnesses of the fact that often in rich
societies where there is an abundance of material well-being,
permissiveness and moral relativism find easy acceptance? And where
the moral order is undermined, God is forgotten and questions of ultimate
responsibility are set aside. In such situations a practical atheism
pervades private and public living.
From the moment of original sin, man has been inclined to see himself in
the place of God. He often thinks, just as Moses warned he might: "It is
my own power and the strength of my own hand that has obtained for me
this wealth" (Ibid. 8, 17). He acts as if the one who is the source of all life
and goodness were just not there. He ignores a fundamental truth about
himself: the fact that he is a creature, that he has been created and owes
everything to his Creator, who is also his Redeemer.
In these closing years of the twentieth century, on the eve of the third
millennium of the Christian era, a part of the human family–the most
economically and technically developed part–is being specially tempted,
perhaps as never before, to imitate the ancient model of all sin–the
original rebellion that expressed itself saying: "I will not serve". The
temptation today is to try to build a world for oneself, forgetting the
Creator and his design and . But sooner or later we must come to grips
with this: that to forget God, to feign the death of God, is to promote the
death of man and of all civilization. It is to threaten the existence of
individuals, communities and all society.
165
Today’s readings from the New Testament are in contrast to such a
position. They speak of God’s presence which permeates the human heart
and the whole of created reality. Jesus teaches that the Reign of God is
like the growth of the seed that a man scatters on the ground (Cfr. Marc.
4, 26-29). Certainly, human activity is essential. Man "goes to bed and
gets up every day..." He plants. And "when the crop is ready he wields
the sickle". Even the rich valleys of California would produce nothing
without human ingenuity and toil. But the word of God says that "the soil
produces of itself first the blade, then the ear, finally the ripe wheat in the
ear" (Ibid. 4, 28). As if to say: the growth of the wheat and its maturing,
which greatly depends on the fertility of the soil, comes from the nature
and vitality of creation itself. Consequently there is another source of
growth: the one who is above nature and above the man who cultivates
the earth.
In a sense, the Creator "hides himself" in this life-giving process of
nature. It is the human person, with the help of intellect and faith, who is
called to " discover " and " unveil" the presence of God and his action in
all of creation: "So may your way be known upon earth; among all
nations, your salvation" (Ps. 67(66), 3).
If the parable of the seed indicates the growth of the Kingdom of God in
the world, the words of Saint Paul in the second reading speak of how
God’s generous giving aims at drawing "good works" from the human
heart: "God can multiply his favors among you... for good works". The
whole of human activity must be finalized in works of justice, peace and
love. All human work–including, in a very direct way, the noble work of
agriculture in which many of you are engaged–is to be carried out at the
service of man and for the glory of God.
The land is God’s gift. From the beginning, God has entrusted it to the
whole human race as a means of sustaining the life of all those whom he
creates in his own image and likeness. We must use the land to sustain
every human being in life and dignity. Against the background of the
immense beauty of this region and the fertility of its soil, let us proclaim
together our gratitude for this gift, with the words of the responsorial
psalm: "The earth has yielded its fruit, the Lord our God has blessed us"
(Ps. 67(66), 7).
166
As we read in Genesis, human beings earn their bread by the sweat of
their brows (Gen. 3, 17). We toil long hours and grow weary at our tasks.
Yet work is good for us. "Through work man not only transforms nature,
adapting it to his own needs, but he also achieves fulfillment as a human
being and indeed in a sense becomes ‘more a human being’" (Ioannis
Pauli PP. II Laborem Exercens, 9).
The value of work does not end with the individual. The full meaning of
work can only be understood in relation to the family and society as well.
Work supports and gives stability to the family. Within the family,
moreover, children first learn the human and positive meaning of work
and responsibility In each community and in the nation as a whole, work
has a fundamental social meaning. It can, moreover, either join people in
the solidarity of a shared commitment, or set them at odds through
exaggerated competition, exploitation and social conflict. Work is a key
to the whole social question, when that "question" is understood to be
concerned with making life more human (Cfr. ibid. 3).
Agricultural work exemplifies all these principles–the potential of work
for the fulfillment of the human person, the " family " dimension of work,
and social solidarity. Agricultural work is – as Pope John XXIII
described it – a vocation, a God-given mission, a noble task and a
contribution to civilization (Cfr. Ioannis XXIII Mater et Magistra, 149).
God has blessed the United States with some of the richest farm land in
the world. The productivity of American agriculture is a major success
story. Clearly, it is a history of hard and wearying work, of courage and
enterprise, and it involves the interaction of many people: growers,
workers, processors, distributors and finally consumers.
I know too that recently thousands of American farmers have been
introduced to poverty and indebtedness. Many have lost their homes and
their way of life. Your bishops and the whole Church in your country are
deeply concerned; and they are listening to the voices of so many farmers
and farm workers as they express their anxieties over the costs and the
risks of farming, the difficult working conditions, the need for a just
wage and decent housing and the question of a fair price for products. On
an even wider scale is heard the voice of the poor, who are bewildered in
a land of plenty and still experience the pangs of hunger.
167
All agree that the situation of the farming community in the United States
and in other parts of the world is highly complex, and that simple
remedies are not at hand. The Church, on her part, while she can offer no
specific technical solutions, does present a social teaching based on the
primacy of the human person in every economic and social activity. At
every level of the agricultural process, the dignity, rights and well-being
of people must be the central issue. No one person in this process –
grower, worker, packer, shipper, retailer or consumer – is greater than the
other in the eyes of God.
Giving voice therefore to the sufferings of many, I appeal to all involved
to work together to find appropriate solutions to all farm questions. This
can only be done in a community marked by a sincere and effective
solidarity – and, where still necessary, reconciliation – among all parties
to the agricultural productive process.
And what of our responsibility to futures generations? The earth will not
continue to offer its harvest, except with faithful stewardship. We cannot
say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it for use by future
generations. I urge you to be sensitive to the many issues affecting the
land and the whole environment and to unite with each other to seek the
best solutions to these pressing problems.
Each one of us is called to fulfill his or her respective duties before God
and before society. Since the Church is constrained by her very nature to
focus her attention most strongly on those least able to defend their own
legitimate interests, I appeal to landowners, growers and others in
positions of power to respect the just claims of their brothers and sisters
who work the land. These claims include the right to share in decisions
concerning their services and the right to free association with a view to
social, cultural and economic advancement (Ioannis Pauli PP. II Laborem
Exercens, 21). I also appeal to all workers to be mindful of their own
obligations of justice and to make every effort to fulfill a worthy service
to mankind.
New legislation in your country has made it possible for many people,
especially migrant farm workers, to become citizens rather than remain
strangers among you. Many of these people have worked here with the
same dream that your ancestors had when they first came. I ask you to
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welcome these new citizens into your society and to respect the human
dignity of every man, woman and child.
Two hundred years after the Constitution confirmed the United States as
a land of opportunity and freedom, it is right to hope that there may be a
general and renewed commitment to those policies needed to ensure that
within these borders equity and justice will be preserved and fostered.
This is an ever present requirement of America’s historical destiny.
It is also important for America at this time to look beyond herself and all
her own needs to see the even greater needs of the poorer nations of the
world. Even as local communities mobilize to work ever more effectively
for the integral human advancement of their own members, they must not
forget their brothers and sisters elsewhere. We must be careful not to
forget the Lord, but we must be careful also not to forget those whom he
loves.
The hidden attributes of the Creator are reflected in the beauty of his
creation. The beauty of the Monterey Peninsula attracts a great number of
visitors; as a result so many of you are involved in the tourist industry. I
greet you and encourage you to see your specific work as a form of
service and of solidarity with your fellow human beings.
Work – as we have seen – is an essential aspect of our human existence,
but so also is the necessary rest and recreation which permits us to
recover our energies and strengthen our spirit for the tasks of life. Many
worthwhile values are involved in tourism: relaxation, the widening of
one’s culture and the possibility of using leisure time for spiritual
pursuits. These include prayer and contemplation, and pilgrimages,
which have always been a part of our Catholic heritage; they also include
fostering human relationships within the family and among friends. Like
other human activities, tourism con be a source of good or evil, a place of
grace or sin. I invite all of you who are involved in tourism to uphold the
dignity of your work and to be always willing to bear joyful witness to
your Christian faith.
Dear brothers and sisters: it is in the Eucharist that the fruits of our work–
and all that is noble in human affairs–become an offering of the greatest
value in union with the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. In
fostering what is authentically human through our work and through
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deeds of justice and love, we set upon the altar of the Lord those
elements which will be transformed into Christ: "Blessed are you Lord,
God, of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer,
which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us
the bread of life".
I ask you to join with me in praising the Most Holy Trinity for the
abundance of life and goodness with which you have been gifted: "The
earth has yielded its fruit. God, our God, has blessed us" (Ps. 67(66), 7).
But may your abundance never lead you to forget the Lord or cease to
acknowledge him as the source of your peace and well-being. Your
prayer for yourselves and for all your brothers and sisters must always be
an echo of the psalm:
"May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine on us"
(Ibid. 2).
For years to come may the Lord’s face shine on this land, on the Church
in Monterey, and on all America: "From sea to shining sea". Amen.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Meeting With The People Of Detroit
Pope John Paul II, September 19, 1987
Of course, dear friends, dear people of Detroit and this whole area, it is
you I have primarily in mind in dealing with such a subject - you who
have been created in the image and likeness of God, you who have been
redeemed by the blood of the Savior, you who are children of God and
brothers and sisters of Christ, you who for all of these reasons possess an
incomparable dignity. But in looking at you, assembled here in Hart
Plaza, I see beyond you all the people of this country and the peoples of
the whole world. I see all the men and women who, like you, are
confronted every day anew with the obligation and the challenge to
provide for their livelihood and for the livelihood of their family through
their own work. Work means any activity, whether manual or
intellectual, whatever its nature or whatever its circumstances, by which a
human being earns his or her daily bread and contributes to science and
progress, civilization and culture (Cfr. Ioannis Pauli PP. II Laborem
Exercens, 1) . Human work is such a fundamental dimension of human
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existence that one cannot speak about it without touching upon all its
aspects.
Social progress and human development are the concern of all. They are
of particular concern to the Church. From the very beginning of her
existence in time, the Church has endeavored to fathom the total richness
of the message which Jesus Christ proclaimed both by his words and his
actions. Sent by the Father to assume our humanity and bring salvation to
all, the Lord Jesus provided us with the key to understanding our
humanity. He taught us about our origin and destiny, which are in God.
He taught us the transcendent value of all human life and the supreme
dignity of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God
(Cfr. Gen. 1, 27). He taught us that human life is fulfilled in knowing and
loving God, and in loving our neighbor according to the measure of
God’s love for us. He invited us to follow him, to become his disciples.
He summoned us to be converted in our hearts by entering into the
mystery of his Passion, Death and Resurrection. He revealed that we are
God’s partners in bringing creation to fulfillment. And he now fashions
us into a chosen people, a communion of faith with a commitment to his
Kingdom.
Throughout her history, the Church has listened to the words of Scripture
and has sought to put them into practice, in the midst of different
political, economic and social circumstances. This has been a truly
common effort. Individual Christians have struggled to be faithful to the
Gospel inspiration in their daily lives; centers of learning have
contributed their specialized studies; groups and associations have
addressed issues of particular concern; communities have developed
practical initiatives; individual bishops and episcopal conferences have
provided guidance; and the Magisterium of the Church has made
pronouncements and issued documents. In a continuous interaction the
Church has thus developed a tradition of thought and practical guidelines
that are called the social teaching of the Church. This social teaching has
recently been expressed in documents of the Second Vatican Council and
in writings of the Popes, who have systematically addressed the rapid
changes in contemporary society.
Also today, the various categories of the People of God - according to
their respective calling - continue to address the social problems in their
various historical and cultural settings.
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Today, dear friends, on this last day of my second extended visit to the
United States of America, I would urge you to continue your personal
involvement in that never ending quest for justice and peace. Under the
guidance and inspiration of the Church’s Magisterium - which is that of
the Pope and of the bishops in union with him each one of you is called
to make a contribution. Each one of you must be instrumental in
promoting a social order that respects the dignity of the human person
and serves the common good. Each one of you has an irreplaceable
contribution to make to secure a social order of justice in peace. In your
country today, participation at different levels of economic, social and
political life has greatly intensified the awareness of the unique dignity of
every human person and at the same time reinforced your sense of
responsibility to yourselves and to others. As Christians you find in your
faith a deep motivation for your social responsibility and involvement.
Do not let this hour pass without renewing your commitment to action for
social justice and peace. Turn to the Gospel of Jesus Christ to strengthen
your resolve to become instruments for the common good! Learn from
the Gospel that you have been entrusted with the justice and peace of
God! We are not merely the builders of justice according to the standards
of this world, but we are the bearers of the life of God, who is himself
justice and peace! Let your endeavors to achieve justice and peace in all
the spheres of your lives be a manifestation of God’s love!
In a setting similar to this one some eight years ago in New York’s
Yankee Stadium, I proclaimed the Gospel challenge contained in the
parable of the rich man and Lazarus. You are all familiar with this
marvelous lesson in social responsibility which Jesus left us. Knowing
your faith and your openness to challenge, I now ask you today: What
have you done with that parable? How many times in the past eight years
have you turned to that parable to find inspiration for your Christian
lives? Or have you put it aside thinking that it was no longer relevant to
you or to the situations in your country?
In any modern society, no matter how advanced, there will always be
situations, some old and some new, that summon your Christian sense of
justice to action. Our Lord has said: "The poor you will always have with
you” (Matth. 26, 11). You must therefore discover the poor in your midst.
There is poverty among you when the old and the weak are neglected and
their standard of living constantly declines. There is poverty when illness
takes away the wage earner from a family. There is material need and
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suffering in those areas or groups where unemployment risks becoming
endemic. There is poverty in the future of those that cannot enjoy the
benefits of basic education.
Some modern technological developments contain the potential for new
hardships and injustice and must therefore be part of our concern. The
introduction of robotics, the rapid development of communications, the
necessary adaptation of industrial plants, the need to introduce new skills
in management - these are but some of the factors that, if not analyzed
carefully or tested as to their social cost, may produce undue hardship for
many, either temporarily or more permanently.
These are just a few areas where our social responsibility is challenged.
Others include the situation of marriage and family life and the factors
that threaten their underlying values; the respect for the sacredness of
unborn human life; the situation of newly arrived immigrants; open or
disguised expressions of discrimination based on “race, origin, color,
culture, sex or religion” (Pauli VI Octogesima Adveniens, 16). To the
degree that its social conscience is sensitive, every community will
discover where instances of injustice or threats to peace still exist or are
potentially present.
But the very attempt to look at some of the challenges in the domestic
scene brings us to another important consideration regarding progress
and human development. I am referring to the international dimension.
Without implying in any way that domestic or national problems do not
exist any more - and they most certainly do - it becomes ever more
evident that such local or national problems, and their solutions, are
fundamentally linked with realities that transcend the boundaries of
countries. Not only do decisions taken by one nation affect other regions
of the world, but the solution to many domestic problems can no longer
be found except on an international, and even, a worldwide level. All
major problems that concern the life of the human person in society have
become world problems. Any decision that is envisaged in the political,
economic or social sphere must be considered within the context of its
worldwide repercussions. What now most deeply affects any debate on
social progress and human development is the fact of worldwide
interdependence.
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Already twenty years ago, in 1967, Pope Paul VI wrote, at the very
beginning of his Encyclical Letter “On the Development of Peoples"
(Populorum Progressio): “Today the principal fact that we must all
recognize is that the social question has become worldwide" (Eiusdem
Populorum Progressio, 3). In following years, this affirmation of Paul VI
was further vindicated by a succession of events. There was the
emergence on the political scene of peoples who, after centuries of
colonial domination and dependence, demanded ever more forcefully
their rightful place among the nations and in international decisionmaking. A worldwide economic crisis brought home the fact that there
exists an increasingly interdependent economy. The continuing existence
of millions of people who suffer hunger or malnutrition and the growing
realization that the natural resources are limited make clear that humanity
forms a single whole. Pollution of air and water threatens more and more
the delicate balance of the biosphere on which present and future
generations depend and makes us realize that we all share a common
ecological environment. Instant communication has linked finance and
trade in worldwide dependence.
The poorer nations of the world are inclined to view this interdependence
as a continuing pattern of economic domination by the more developed
countries, while the latter sometimes view interdependence as the
opening up of new opportunities for commerce and export.
Interdependence clearly demands that relations between nations be seen
in this new context and that the social question needs an appropriate
ethic. Nobody can say anymore: “Let others be concerned with the rest of
the world!" The world is each one of us!
When I addressed the participants of the sixty-eighth session of the
international Labor Organization on 15 June 1982, I was able to state:
“There is a common good which can no longer be confined to a more or
less satisfactory compromise between sectional demands or between
purely economic requirements. New ethical choices are necessary; a new
world conscience must be created; each of us, without denying his origin
and the roots of his family, his people and his nation, or the obligations
arising there from, must regard himself as a member of this great family,
the world community... This means that the worldwide common good
requires a new solidarity without frontiers" (Ioannis Pauli PP. II
Genavae, ad eos qui LXVIII conventui Conferentiae ab ounnibus
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nationibus de huwano labore interfuere habita, 10, die 15 iun. 1982:
Insegnamenti di Giovanni Paolo II, V, 2 (1982) 2262).
The Church’s social teaching sees this new solidarity as a consequence of
our faith. It is the attitude, in the international reality, of those who heed
the Lord’s commandment: "Love one another as I have loved you" (Io.
15, 12). It is the consequence of our faith in the mystery of creation: that
God has created every human person in his own image and likeness.
Every human being is endowed with the same fundamental and
inalienable dignity. Every individual is called to acknowledge this
fundamental equality within the unity of the human family. Everyone is
invited to respect the common destiny of everyone else in God. Everyone
is asked to accept that the goods of the earth are given by God to all for
the benefit of all.
For the disciple of Christ, solidarity is a moral duty stemming from the
spiritual union of all human beings who share a common origin, a
common dignity, and a common destiny. In creating us to live in society,
in a close network of relations with each other, and in calling us through
redemption to share the life of the Savior not merely as individuals but as
members of a pilgrim people, God himself has created our basic
interdependence and called us to solidarity with all. This teaching is
formulated in an incomparably effective manner in the parable of the
Good Samaritan, who took care of the man who was left half dead along
the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. We all travel that road and are
tempted to pass by on the other side. Referring to the Samaritan who was
moved by compassion, Jesus told his listeners: "Go, and do the same".
Today, Jesus repeats to all of us when we travel the road of our common
humanity: “Go, and do the same” (Cfr. Luc. 10, 37).
In speaking to you about social progress and human development, I feel
impelled to stress the international dimension because of the objective
need to promote a new worldwide solidarity.
There is also another reason why I am especially mindful today of the
larger international scene. You know well that the Bishop of Rome and
the Holy See follow closely international activities and therefore have a
special interest in the work of the United Nations Organization in New
York. I would have liked very much to visit once again its headquarters,
as I did in 1979, and as Pope Paul VI did in 1965. I regret that I am not
175
able to accept at this time the kind invitation which the Secretary General
of the United Nations has extended to me for a new visit. The interest of
the Catholic Church in this international organization is linked to the
importance of the issues that it treats and to the reasons for which it was
founded. To work for the establishment and maintenance of a just and
lasting peace is a goal that deserves support and collaboration. This is in
fact why the United Nations Organization was created in the first place,
in that bright daylight which followed the long drawn-out night of the
Second World War. I pray that despite its inevitable shortcomings it will
be able to fulfill ever more effectively its unique role of service to the
world, a service that the world truly needs.
The United Nations deals with disarmament and arms control - the
control of nuclear weapons in the first place, but also biological,
chemical and conventional weapons. Its patient, painstaking, and
sometimes even frustrating dedication to this cause of paramount
importance for the world and all its people is recognized and appreciated
as being an incentive and support for the bilateral negotiations by the
superpowers for arms reduction. Here it is indeed a question that must be
addressed with an unfailing commitment, extreme lucidity and a clear
sense of the value of human life and the integrity of creation.
The United Nations is also concerned with many of the other conditions
for true peace. It is fitting here to reflect on some of them in relation to
the international dimension of the social question.
In the first place, I would like to single out the concern for human rights.
You remember, I am sure, that the United Nations adopted, more than
forty years ago, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The basic
inspiration of this important document was the recognition that the way
towards a peaceful and just world must necessarily pass through the
respect for each human being, through the definition and recognition of
the basic human rights, and through the respect for the inalienable rights
of individuals and of the communities of peoples. The adoption of the
Universal Declaration was followed over the years by many declarations
and conventions on extremely important aspects of human rights, in favor
of women, of children, of handicapped persons, of equality between
races, and especially the two international covenants on economic, social
and cultural rights and on civil and political rights, together with an
optional protocol. In 1981 the General Assembly also adopted a solemn
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declaration against every form of religious intolerance. The United
Nations must also be given proper credit for having set up the
Commission for Human Rights as a monitoring organ to follow carefully
the positive and negative developments in this important field. The
commitment of the United Nations to human rights goes hand in hand
with its commitment to peace. Experience has taught that disrespect or
lack of respect for human rights, oppression of the weak, discrimination
because of sex, color, origin, race or religion create conflict and
jeopardize peace. Here again, what concerns human beings in any one
place affects all human beings everywhere.
Through the different specialized institutions and programs, the United
Nations develops its commitment to a more just and equitable
international society. This work and commitment include the struggle
against diseases and illiteracy; action undertaken for the advancement of
women; protecting the rights of children and the handicapped; the
development of international law; the peaceful use of atomic energy; the
protection and preservation of famous monuments which belong to the
cultural patrimony of humanity; the defense of the environment; the
struggle against hunger, malnutrition and underdevelopment; and the
defense of the homeless.
The existence and activities of the United Nations Organization, its
achievements and also its failures, underline in a dramatic way the need
for reinforcing international authority at the service of the global
common good. It is already a sign of great progress that the importance
of global social issues and the need for effectively promoting peace are
becoming more universally recognized. It is also a sign of hope that an
international organization, formed by the great majority of states, tries,
within the limited means at its disposal and notwithstanding internal and
external difficulties, to increase the awareness of worldwide problems
and their appropriate solutions.
It is also a marvelous challenge for all the peoples and nations of the
world - now that every day we become more aware of our
interdependence - to be called upon by the urgent demands of a new
solidarity that knows no frontiers. Now that we move towards the
threshold of the third millennium of Christianity, we are given the unique
chance, for the first time in human history, to make a decisive
contribution to the building up of a true world community. The
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awareness that we are linked in common destiny is becoming stronger;
the efforts to reach that goal are being multiplied by men and women of
good will in a diversity of activities-political as well as economic,
cultural as well as social. People in all walks of life, and nations and
governments alike, are being challenged in the name of our common
humanity, in the name of the rights of every human being and in the
name of the rights of every nation.
In order to succeed and give the correct answer to the many demands that
the de facto interdependence of all nations makes upon the sense of
solidarity of all, we must create a just balance between the constraints put
by interdependence upon the nations and the call for effective solidarity
addressed to all the nations. In the life of every nation, social progress
and human development are ensured by the respect given to the rights of
the human person. The human person's very existence in dignity and his
or her rightful participation in the life of the community are safeguarded
by the deep respect that every person entertains for the dignity and the
rights of every fellow human being. In the same way, respect for the
rights of peoples and nations must safeguard the existence in liberty of
every nation and thus make possible its rightful and effective
participation in all aspects of international life. Without this, it would be
impossible to speak about solidarity. In order to be capable of global
solidarity nations must first of all respect the human rights of their
citizens and in turn be recognized by their people as the expression of
their sovereignty: secondly, nations must respect the full rights of their
fellow nations and know that also their rights as a nation will not be
disavowed.
Dear friends: America is a very powerful country. The amount and
quality of your achievements are staggering. But virtue of your unique
position, as citizens of this nation, you are placed before a choice and you
must choose. You may choose to close in on yourselves, to enjoy the
fruits of your own form of progress and to try to forget about the rest of
the world. Or, as you become more and more aware of your gifts and
your capacity to serve, you may choose to live up to the responsibilities
that your own history and accomplishments place on your shoulders. By
choosing this latter course, you acknowledge interdependence, and opt
for solidarity. This, dear friends, is truly a human vocation, a Christian
vocation, and for you as Americans it is a worthy national vocation.
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In drawing attention to the need for an ever greater social consciousness
in our day, I also wish to draw attention to the need for prayer. Prayer is
the deepest inspiration and dynamism of all social consciousness. In
speaking to the bishops of America in 1983 I stated: "It is indeed in
prayer that a social consciousness is nurtured and at the same time
evaluated. It is in prayer that the bishop, together with his people,
ponders the need and exigencies of Christian service... Through prayer
the Church realizes the full import of Christ’s words: ‘This is how all will
know you for my disciples: your love for one another’ (Io. 13, 35). It is in
prayer that the Church understands the many implications of the fact that
justice and mercy are among ‘the weightier matters of the law’ (Matth.
23, 23). Through prayer, the struggle for justice finds its proper
motivation and encouragement, and discovers and maintains truly
effective means" (Ioannis Pauli PP. II Allocutio ad Episcopos Civitatum
Foederatarum Americae Septemtrionalis occasione oblata eorum
visitationis “ad limina”, 6, die 3 dec. 1983: Insegnamenti di Giovanni
Paolo II, VI, 2 (1983) 1237).
Finally, to you the Catholic people of Detroit and all this area I repeat the
words with which Paul VI concluded his message to the Call to Action
Conference that was held eleven years ago in this very city of Detroit: "In
the tradition of the Church, any call to action is first of all a call to prayer.
And so you are summoned to prayer, and above all to a greater sharing in
Christ’s Eucharistic Sacrifice . . . It is in the Eucharist that you find the
true Christian spirit that will enable you to go out and act in Christ’s
name". And for all of you dear friends, people of every religion, race and
ethnic group, I ask God’s help so that you may be ever more aware of
global interdependence and ever more sensitive to human solidarity.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The 24th Conference Of The Food
And Agriculture Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 13, 1987
I assure you all of my esteem for the work being done by your
Organization and I confirm the Holy See's special interest in matters
related to hunger and malnutrition in the world, as indicated in the
message I recently sent on the occasion of World Food Day.
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The concerns which gave rise to FAO have not lost any of their urgency
in the years since the establishment of the Organization. The member
countries are pledged to raising the levels of nutrition and standards of
living of their peoples, to improving the production and distribution of
food and agricultural products, with particular attention to improving the
conditions of rural populations. And FAO's special goal is world food
security, according to which all peoples would, at all times, have physical
and economic access to the food they need.
Simply to mention these aims is to recognize the global nature of the
tasks being undertaken. As in other fields of human activity, the
production of food, its availability and distribution, are matters which
today extend beyond the frontiers of single nations and even of the
continents themselves. As a result, the framework of your efforts must be
one of international understanding, collaboration and good will. Unless
States are willing to assume an attitude of openness and solidarity in the
one human family, your efforts will meet with serious obstacles and
delays.
The original ideal and inspiration that led to FAO's establishment need
constantly to be upheld and strengthened. It is from the moral conviction
of the goodness of the original intention that you draw the strength
needed to face the technical and human tasks in hand. By sharing ever
more fully in that conviction the member States will find the
encouragement to work together in the great cause of banishing from the
face of the earth the age-old plague of hunger.
The extent and variety of FAO's worldwide activities and technical
assistance projects in so many developing countries speak clearly of the
world's need for your Organization. It is to be hoped therefore that your
continuing dedication and wise management will consolidate the member
States regarding the goals to be achieved. The capacity of any
International Organization to act effectively depends greatly on the
strength of consensus and unity of purpose of its members.
In considering the present state of the food situation in the world, one is
impressed by the contrast between the existence in some areas of large
surpluses, especially of cereals, and the present state of crisis in other
areas because people lack sufficient food, to the point that there exists a
real danger of death through starvation. In responding to this tragic
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situation there is an urgent and inescapable need for international
solidarity. There exists a duty, now and in the future, to make resources
available to those whose lives and welfare are most threatened. This is
particularly true in so far as world food production exceeds the needs of
the present world population. In fact it is objectively foreseeable that in
the future sufficient food can be produced even for an increased world
population. Scientific and technological progress in the cultivation and
use of the earth's resources, resulting in new and better products, can
guarantee that abundance.
While such a view is valid when considering food production as a whole
there remain immediate and acute shortages in certain countries and
regions in relation to their present levels of population, shortages
sometimes aggravated by social and political factors. These affected
areas stand in need of expert assistance in order to develop their own
resources for the benefit of their populations. But their immediate welfare
depends also on the implementation of a better system of distribution,
with provision for the use of food surpluses to meet the urgent needs of
the victims of drought and famine. Ways need to be further developed to
balance the rightful demand of the producers for a just price for their
goods, and the real ability of the poorer nations to pay for urgently
needed goods.
This is a complex problem which requires a re-thinking of priorities by
both the developed and the developing countries. The whole international
community is called to address the question of imbalances in
international trade. Above all a new mentality is required, directed at
achieving a genuine form of justice in international relations, in which
the interests of the less powerful will be proportionately better defended
and the excessive protection of particular interests will be replaced by a
sincere pursuit of the true common good of the human family as a whole.
It is now more obvious than ever that problems in the area of food and
agriculture have to be approached in the context of the world's overall
economic situation. Concrete policies are greatly affected by the
strengths and weaknesses, the oscillations and crises of the world's
economy. Only in this context is it possible to formulate and implement
viable economic, monetary, social and political processes of growth in
individual countries and internationally.
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A particularly impressive instance of this fact are the difficulties
experienced by countries burdened with huge external debts. Even when
other conditions are favorable to real growth, these countries see their
progress halted by the immensity of their indebtedness, with the
consequent drain of resources because of debt servicing.
The seriousness of the challenge which the phenomenon of international
indebtedness presents to the world community recently induced the Holy
See to publish a document drafted by the Pontifical Commission "Justitia
et Pax" concerning ethical aspects of the international debt question. The
Church is convinced that economic relations cannot be divorced from
moral and ethical concerns, for the human person is the very heart of
every human activity and endeavor. In fact, as that Document's
Presentation points out, "economic structures and financial mechanisms
are at the service of the human person and not vice versa". It expresses
the hope that relationships of exchange and the mechanism of finance
which go with them can be reformed before shortsightedness and egoism
- be they private or collective - degenerate into irremediable conflicts"
(At the Service of the Human Community: An Ethical Approach to the
International Debt Question, Presentation). The Holy See is indeed
hopeful that as a result of a growing sense of responsibility and solidarity
among the nations of the world greater efforts will be made to establish
international relations and international assistance on principles of
genuine justice and mutual respect.
Another serious question affecting food and agriculture which must be
faced from a global perspective is the urgent matter of the protection of
the environment. In this respect I had occasion a few days ago to address
a meeting organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on the theme
"A Modern Approach to the Protection of the Environment". Of
particular concern is the increase of deforestation and desertification. "In
developing countries - which are generally characterized by a hostile
climate and adverse weather conditions - there is the acute problem of the
destruction of the forests in the wet tropics and of desertification in the
dry topics, problems that threaten the feeding of the population. The
findings of science must be put to use in order to ensure a high
productivity of land in such a way that the local population can secure
food and sustenance without destroying nature (Address to the Pontifical
Academy of Sciences, 6 November 1987, No. 2).
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However, the environment is in danger not only in the developing
countries. "In the industrialized countries there is the worrying problem
of waste products in gaseous, liquid, solid or radioactive form. Imprudent
practices have caused very serious damage to nature. Uncontrolled
discharges have resulted in acid rain, trace substances in the environment
and the contamination of the seas".
If such serious problems are to be resolved a comprehensive and
worldwide effort is needed on the part of governments and industry, as
well as educational and cultural forces, assisted and encouraged by
international organizations, including FAO.
Likewise, advances in genetic engineering, which in some cases give rise
to legitimate concerns when applied to human genetics, nevertheless
offer the hope of great benefits to developing countries when applied to
plant and animal genetics. Real and beneficial progress in these fields
will only be effective if there is a greater sense of worldwide
interdependence and solidarity.
The Holy See expresses its support of FAO in its endeavors to offer
guidelines for the effective application of plant genetics, especially as
regards sharing the results of scientific research in a free and open
manner, and particularly for the benefit of areas most in need of such
scientific and technical assistance.
After more than four decades of the existence of the United Nations and
the intergovernmental agencies associated with it, it is desired that the
spirit of hope and solidarity which inspired the founding members will be
renewed and increased, thus making the international community ever
more capable of reaching the goals of peace, freedom and social progress
which alone offer humanity the prospect of a better future.
In this respect FAO plays an important role, and its specific contribution
to the well-being of the world's peoples calls for responsible
collaboration on the part of all the States which have given their support
to its statutory goals. Of particular value is the factual and up-to-date
documentation which you offer concerning the state of agriculture and
food production in individual countries and in the world. Your
Organization's assistance in devising programs and projects on behalf of
Governments and other International Organizations is needed and
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appreciated; so too are your efforts to find adequate financing for projects
in developing countries, not only on a bilateral basis but increasingly on a
wider, multilateral basis.
The growing expansion and effectiveness of the technical cooperation
undertaken by FAO are a boon for many countries, especially in so far as
they strengthen the capacity of Governments to analyze local situations
and to formulate and embark on appropriate programs and projects of
agricultural development. One particular aspect of FAO's activity which
deserves special praise is its timely response to the grave food situation
affecting the African continent.
In expressing the Holy See's appreciation of the positive results achieved
so far, I wish to assure you, distinguished representatives and experts, of
the Church's continuing interest in your Organization's goals and
activities. She is concerned above all with the integral well-being of the
human persons who are, in the last analysis, the beneficiaries of your
service and expertise. I earnestly implore for you Almighty God's gifts of
wisdom, strength and compassion in the fulfillment of the lofty tasks
which are yours in the service of humanity. May the whole international
community become ever more sensitive to the needs of the world's poor
and hungry, and may it realize that concerted action on the part of all
must not be delayed any longer.
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Excerpts From An Address To The Bishops Of Sudan
Pope John Paul II, February 13, 1988
I also wish to express my concern for the hundreds of thousands of
refugees and displaced persons who live concentrated in the principal
cities of the South and of the North. While I encourage you to continue
your efforts to provide relief for these poor and homeless people, I renew
the hope I expressed on the occasion of the presentation of the Letters of
Credence of the Sudanese Ambassador that “the worldwide community
will answer the Sudan’s appeal for humanitarian assistance in
confronting this difficult problem” (Ioannis Pauli PP. II Allocutio ad
exc.mum virum awad Elkarim Fadulalla, Sudaniae apud Sanctam Sedem
constitutum Legatum, die 7 ian. 1988: vide supra, p. 49 ss.). This whole
question manifests the serious imbalance existing within the international
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community, where it is sometimes difficult or impossible to organize or
deliver needed emergency food assistance and set up the educational and
health programs which should be an important and integral part of relief
services, and yet the trade and shipment of arms knows no frontiers and
goes on without limitations.
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Excerpts From An Address To The President Of The Philippines
Pope John Paul II, June 8, 1988
The Church has no specific political or economic programs to offer, but
buy pursuing her own mission, in a context of religious freedom, she
makes present in every area of life the religious truths and values which
strengthen the resolve to serve the common good with wholehearted
dedication and unfailing honesty. She teaches a special love for the
neediest and most deprived members of society, and she thereby fosters
effective works of charity and justice which greatly “humanize” society.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Members Of Caritas
Internationalalis
Pope John Paul II, May 11, 1989
You have come from almost all parts of the world to discuss and
determine ways of implementing the mission which the Church has
entrusted to your Organization: the fostering of charity and social justice.
Love – caritas – is of the essence of our Christian vocation and of the
witness which the ecclesial community must bear before the world. We
read in the First Letter of John: “For this is the message which you have
heard from the beginning, that we should love one another... let us not
love in word or speech, but in deed and in truth” (1Io. 3, 11. 18).
In greeting each one of you, therefore, I express my personal appreciation
and the Church’s gratitude for the innumerable forms of solidarity carried
out under the auspices of Caritas Internationalis through all its member
organizations and by means of its regional, national and local activities. I
also manifest the prayerful hope that your discussions and resolutions
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will lead to an ever increasing awareness on the part of all concerned that
the loving service you promote has its deepest roots and guarantee in the
love of God himself: “we know that we love the children of God when
we love God and obey his commandments” (Io. 5, 2). May your hearts
continue to be filled with supernatural love so that your personal and
collective commitment to the service of the poor and the suffering will
always truly reflect the love of Christ himself, who came “not to be
served but to serve” (Matth. 20, 28).
In the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, the Second Vatican Council
offered a broad description of the nature and conditions of the works of
charity which the Church claims as her inalienable duty and right (Cfr.
Apostolicam Actuositatem, 8). Works of assistance and development, of
charity and justice, are intimately connected with the transformation of
temporal society, which is the special role of the Laity in the Church. It is
therefore heartening to know that you are giving special attention to the
spiritual and professional formation of Caritas workers, especially lay
personnel. In doing so you are enabling them to fulfill their ecclesial role
for the transformation of human communities into visible signs of God’s
kingdom through an evangelical life and professional competence (Cfr.
Ioannis Pauli PP. II Christifideles Laici, 41).
The task of providing training for the lay men and women engaged in
Caritas work is an essential requirement for the successful outcome of
your endeavors, which seek to offer a better Christian service to
individuals and society. The appropriate formation of your collaborators
is a matter which vitally affects the quality and effectiveness of the
service rendered in the name of Christ and of the Church. I wish to
encourage you to use every available means to provide such a formation.
In all forms of ecclesial service pride of place must be given to the
individual, created in the likeness of God and redeemed through the
sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. All have a home in the Church. All are
objects of her concern. But, the poor and the suffering in particular need
to feel themselves individually and personally welcomed and sustained in
their inalienable dignity. In my Post-Synodal Exhortation I referred to the
fact that all too often in today’s world the more complex institutions
become in their organization, the more they lose their effectiveness as a
result of an impersonal functionalism, an overgrown bureaucracy, and
unjust private interests (Cfr. Ioannis Pauli PP. II Christifideles Laici). It is
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not enough to give; it must be done in a true spirit of solidarity and
brotherhood.
By imitating the humility and compassion of Christ, all those engaged in
Christian service walk the paths of the dispossessed and those who seek
justice. They walk in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ, who
“emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Phil. 2, 7). To him I
entrust each one of you and all those connected with the work of Caritas
Internationalis. May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
you all.
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Excerpts From A Homily, Reykjavik, Iceland
Pope John Paul II, June 4, 1989
A radical challenge facing the human family at the end of the twentieth
century is to use the earth’s resources wisely and responsibly, which
means with respect for the limits to which these resources are necessarily
subject. To do this is to respect the will of the Creator. And in human
affairs the challenge is to build a world of justice, peace and love, where
the life and equal dignity of every human being, without discrimination,
is defended and sustained. To do this is to recognize the face of God in
every human face, and especially in the tears and sufferings of those who
long to be loved or justly treated.
No single person can solve all the world’s problems. But every act of
goodness is an important contribution to the changes we all wish to see. It
was from a profound sense of justice that Einar Asmundsson took the
destitute Father Baudoin, a foreigner, into his home. This act had
consequences far beyond anything Einar Asmundsson himself could
imagine. So it is that all our good actions constitute a victory for justice,
peace and human dignity. But our selfishness and lack of moral courage
lead to the persistence and even strengthening of injustice in the world.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, June 8, 1989
187
No economic or technological consideration should be the decisive norm
for the way that we treat others. This applies to every human person: to
the unborn child, to the elderly, to the sick and dying, to the poor, to
those who are different from us because of race or culture.
Those of you who have come to Sweden from other countries may have
experienced material poverty before settling here. The abundance of
goods in your new homeland may dazzle you. Always remember that
these things are valuable only to the extent that they serve the true good
of the human person, both spiritually and materially. Once they become
an end in themselves, or their true worth is lost sight of, you can easily be
tempted to act as though people were only “things”. Keep Christ’s words
before you always: “What will it profit a man, if he gain the whole world
and then lose his own life?” (Matth. 16, 26).
The “invitation of Pentecost” and the vocation to be “salt” and “light” for
the world also commit us to solidarity with others. Sweden has a welldeserved reputation for assisting developing countries and for promoting
greater justice and peace in the human family.
The Tower of Babel must give way to a common search for world
solutions to poverty, hunger, disease, to intolerance, injustice and
persecution, to violence and war, and to environmental problems. The
fact that so many nationalities are represented here today – native Swedes
as well as refugees and workers who have been welcomed here – shows
that it is possible to live and work together.
Solidarity also calls you to promote the common good of the country and
local community in which you live. Catholics and Christians of other
Churches and Ecclesial Communities should be active in transforming
society from within through love of God and neighbor. This requires their
full participation in the social, political and cultural life of Sweden, as
well as in the economic sphere, in particular the trade unions and
employers’ organizations. Not only native-born Swedes but also
immigrants need to take their proper place in society so that they too can
make a positive contribution to the country to which they now belong.
Excerpts From Redemptoris Custos
Pope John Paul II, August 15, 1989
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Work was the daily expression of love in the life of the Family of
Nazareth. The Gospel specifies the kind of work Joseph did in order to
support his family: he was a carpenter. This simple word sums up
Joseph's entire life. For Jesus, these were hidden years, the years to which
Luke refers after recounting the episode that occurred in the Temple:
"And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient
to them" (Lk 2:51). This "submission" or obedience of Jesus in the house
of Nazareth should be understood as a sharing in the work of Joseph.
Having learned the work of his presumed father, he was known as "the
carpenter's son." If the Family of Nazareth is an example and model for
human families, in the order of salvation and holiness, so too, by analogy,
is Jesus' work at the side of Joseph the carpenter. In our own day, the
Church has emphasized this by instituting the liturgical memorial of St.
Joseph the Worker on May 1. Human work, and especially manual labor,
receive special prominence in the Gospel. Along with the humanity of the
Son of God, work too has been taken up in the mystery of the
Incarnation, and has also been redeemed in a special way. At the
workbench where he plied his trade together with Jesus, Joseph brought
human work closer to the mystery of the Redemption.
In the human growth of Jesus "in wisdom, age and grace," the virtue of
industriousness played a notable role, since "work is a human good"
which "transforms nature" and makes man "in a sense, more human."
The importance of work in human life demands that its meaning be
known and assimilated in order to "help all people to come closer to God,
the Creator and Redeemer, to participate in his salvific plan for man and
the world, and to deepen...friendship with Christ in their lives, by
accepting, through faith, a living participation in his threefold mission as
Priest, Prophet and King."
What is crucially important here is the sanctification of daily life, a
sanctification which each person must acquire according to his or her
own state, and one which can be promoted according to a model
accessible to all people: "St. Joseph is the model of those humble ones
that Christianity raises up to great destinies;...he is the proof that in order
to be a good and genuine follower of Christ, there is no need of great
things-it is enough to have the common, simple and human virtues, but
they need to be true.
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Excerpts From A Homily, Tuntungan, Indonesia
Pope John Paul II, October 13, 1989
Our model for this behavior is the compassion and mercy which we
ourselves have received from God. For the parable of the Good
Samaritan is first and foremost a message concerning the person of Jesus
Christ himself. Christ, the Son of God, is the Good Samaritan par
excellence: he is the Savior who finds humanity half-dead by the
roadside and stops to heal our wounds. By his death on the Cross, he
revealed “the tender mercy of our God” (Luc. 1, 78), who desires that all
men be saved. By his Resurrection, he restored us to life, to spiritual
health. And in return he invites us to love others as he himself has loved
us.
Our love of neighbor, then, is nothing other than our response to the love
with which God has first loved us. We who have been shown compassion
surely cannot refuse it to others. Nor may we forget that whatever we do
for those in need we do to Christ himself (Cfr. Matth. 25, 40). On the
night before he died, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, and told them
that he had given them an example, that “they also should do as he had
done” (Cfr. Io. 13, 15). Through our love of neighbor, we not only
imitate the love of Christ for us, we also fulfill his supreme
commandment of love.
In Christ, love of neighbor is the highest expression of the solidarity
which binds together all people throughout the world. This solidarity is
not just a vague emotion; it is a reality rooted in Christ’s Incarnation. For
by “assuming human nature (Christ) united all humanity to himself in a
supernatural solidarity which makes us one single family. He has made
charity the distinguishing mark of his disciples, in the words: 'By this all
men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another' (Ibid. 13, 35)” (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 8). Christ teaches a
love that is universal, for all persons are neighbors to one another,
regardless of origin, race, culture or religion.
Today’s first reading from the Letter to the Hebrews gives some concrete
examples of human need when it exhorts us: “Let brotherly love
continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality... Remember those who are
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in prison, as though in prison with them; and those who are ill-treated,
since you also are in the body” (Hebr. 13, 1-3). In different ways, each
of these commands echoes the golden rule which the Lord taught in the
Sermon on the Mount: “Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do
so to them” (Matth. 7, 12).
To the stranger and the imprisoned we can add the sick, the disabled, the
aged, orphans, and all those who are poor, oppressed or rejected in the
world.
I know that in Sumatra you are working hard to promote a more human
society through economic development and greater social justice. Your
Christian vocation challenges and inspires you to do all you can to further
these worthy goals. Your yearning for God’s Kingdom should increase,
not diminish your desire to humanize the earth in anticipation of the
world to come. You have a Christian responsibility to contribute to
authentic human development, to promote greater justice, love and peace,
to bring to the world a vision of unity based on the dignity of every
human being created in the image and likeness of God (Cfr. Gaudium et
Spes, 33-45). I recommend this particular task and responsibility to you,
sons and daughters of the Church in Sumatra, so that here in this land the
principle underlined by the Second Vatican Council will take hold: “In
the socio-economic realm, too, the dignity and total vocation of the
human person must be honored and advanced along with the welfare of
society as a whole. For man is the source, the centre, and the purpose of
all socio-economic life” (Ibid. 63).
As Catholics, you help to give economic and social development a
human soul, a human heart, by bringing to it the compassion and personal
commitment of the Good Samaritan. This is a task which you share with
the members of other Christian Churches as you seek greater mutual
understanding and collaboration with them, bearing in mind the strength
of the bonds that unite us in Christ through our Baptism and our common
profession of him as Lord and Savior. Indeed, by joining with all
believers in bearing witness to God, the “Father of mercies and the God
of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1, 3), you show yourselves to be loving neighbors
to all. For it is no small kindness to remind others of the primacy of God
in their lives. Without belief in God there can be no enduring love of
neighbor, no true human development, no lasting peace.
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The doctor of the law asked Jesus, “what must I do to inherit eternal
life?”. This is the most fundamental of all questions, for as the Letter to
the Hebrews tells us: “Here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city
which is to come” (Hebr. 13, 14). Our earthly existence has no meaning
without reference to the fullness of that life which is to come.
Christ has shown us the way to that life. He taught us a new norm of
conduct. The parable of the Good Samaritan, with its message of
universal love of neighbor, is the foundation of a new concept of
relations between people and of life in society. In the power of Christ’s
love, people’s lives are transformed, making them worthy heirs of eternal
life.
In this part of the world where the hope of eternal life is strong among
the followers of all religions, it is only right to ask the whole of Sumatran
society to unite in defending and fostering the religious character of life
and its openness to transcendent values. Christians, as well as the
followers of Islam, are called to be heralds of this supreme good and to
share it with those who have lost it. Be proud to bear witness to other
peoples – beyond the sea, to the far off islands – that this dynamic people
is built on the foundation stone of the primacy of God and his promises.
The Lord who fills the earth with his love is a God who loves justice and
right.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: May the entire Church in Sumatra
draw courage to live and grow in the spirit of the Good Samaritan. May
all assembled here at this solemn Eucharistic celebration in Medan seek
in every way to follow faithfully the word of the Lord, and to serve him
in “justice and right”. For he is the Lord – the Lord who fills the earth
with his love (Cfr. Ps. 33 (32), 5). Amen.
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Excerpts From An Address To The General Conference Of Food
And Agriculture Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 16, 1989
The struggle against hunger has ramifications in the area of investment as
well. Here too, international monetary or financial organizations, in
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coordinating loans and payments on the world, regional, local and group
level, are called to demonstrate a cooperation born of solidarity. Indeed,
it is quite possible that the problem of foreign indebtedness, particularly
that of the developing countries, can begin to be confronted through
appropriate recourse to such multilateral Organizations.
Besides their operational contributions, the International Monetary Fund
and the World Bank with its affiliated organizations, have also made
important suggestions aimed at discerning criteria for readjusting the
economy of indebted countries, and for indicating appropriate measures
which aim at renewing domestic economic policy in order to foster its
real and organic development. These suggestions must be taken into
serious account. Finally, it is important to make certain that all foreign
aid, not merely financial aid, be the fruit of a solidarity on the part of the
wealthy with those who are poorer a solidarity that employs truly
disinterested measures, as opposed to measures that would constitute new
forms of domination.
The struggle against hunger involves, in a way that is becoming ever
more evident, the requirement that the nations of the entire world be
subject to generally recognized and workable norms in the business
sector. This is particularly important for the less developed countries, in
order to safeguard their ability to export their products, especially
agricultural ones. What mast be avoided are all those recurring forms of
protectionism which end in creating increasing obstacles to trade or, in
some cases, actually barring developing countries from access to
markets. In this regard, an evaluation of the patterns of conduct emerging
in those businesses developing within GATT is in order. There, for the
first time, updated criteria for mutual regulation in commercial relations
among States have been established. These criteria have a direct
reference to agro-alimentary products and to the possibility of their trade
on the world market.
Concern must also be voiced about the deterioration of food security in
the present world situation. Indeed, parallel to the notable increase in
world population there has been a recent decline on the world level in the
availability of foodstuffs. The result has been a reduction of those
reserves which constitute a needed guarantee against crises of hunger and
malnutrition. Similarly, in the countries where production is high, this
has been artificially reduced by a sector-oriented policy, which reflects a
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closed market calculation. Whatever its domestic value, such a policy is
certainly not in harmony with a solidarity open to world needs and acting
in favor of those who are most needy.
The protection of the natural environment has become a new and integral
aspect of the development issue. When we pay proper attention to its
ecological dimension, the struggle against hunger appears even more
complex, and calls for the establishment of new bonds of solidarity.
Concern for ecology, seen in connection with the process of development
and in particular the requirements of production, demands first of all that
in every economic enterprise there be a rational and calculated use of
resources. It has become increasingly evident that an indiscriminate use
of available natural goods, with harm to the primary sources of energy
and resources and to the natural environment in general, entails a serious
moral responsibility. Not only the present generation but also future
generations are affected by such actions.
Economic activity carries with it the obligation to use the goods of nature
reasonably. But it also involves the grave moral obligation both to repair
damage already inflicted on nature and to prevent any negative effects
which may later arise. A more careful control of possible consequences
on the natural environment is required in the wake of industrialization,
especially in regard to toxic residue, and in those areas marked by an
excessive use of chemicals in agriculture.
The relationship between problems of development and ecology also
demands that economic activity project and accept the expenses entailed
by environmental protection measures demanded by the community, be it
local or global, in which that activity takes place. Such expenses must not
be accounted as an incidental surcharge, but rather as an essential
element of the actual cost of economic activity.
The result will be a more limited profit than was possible in the past, as
well as the acknowledgment of new costs deriving from environmental
protection. Those costs must be taken into account both in the
management of individual businesses and in nation-wide programs of
economic and financial policy, which must now be approached in the
perspective of regional and world economy.
194
In the end, we are called to operate beyond narrow national self-interest
and a sectorial defense of the prosperity of particular groups and
individuals. These new criteria and costs must find their place in the
projected budgets of programs of economic and financial policy for all
countries, both the developed and the developing.
Today, there is a rising awareness that the adoption of measures to
protect the environment implies a real and necessary solidarity among
nations. It is becoming more apparent that an effective solution to the
problems raised by the risk of atomic and atmospheric pollution and the
deterioration of the general conditions of nature and human life can be
provided only on the world level. This in turn entails a recognition of the
increasing interdependence which characterizes our age. Indeed, it is
increasingly evident that development policies demand a genuine
international cooperation, carried out in accord with decisions made
jointly and within the context of a universal vision, one which considers
the good of the human family in both the present generation and in those
to come.
Finally, I am pleased to note the very particular attention which FAO has
given to the women's issue, as it emerges in agricultural and rural
development problems. This attention helps make the transition from
those affirmations of the dignity and equality of women contained in the
Universal Declarations of the United Nations and in certain regional
organizations to the many more specific questions involving women's
integration into the overall process of agricultural and food development.
It also helps to suggest appropriate applications, not only in the
developing countries but also in those that are industrially advanced.
I am particularly pleased that in addition to paying due attention to the
strictly economic aspects of women's contribution both to agricultural
production and to the transformation and commercialization of food
products, one also finds explicit reference to women's dignity as human
persons as the basis for their just integration not only in the production
process but into the life of society as a whole. I find here a clear parallel
to my teaching in the Apostolic Letter Mulieris Dignitatem. In that
Letter, I made reference to various dimensions of the Christian vision of
the dignity and vocation of woman. It is my conviction that only within a
perspective of an affirmation of the dignity of women as human persons
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can there come about a just consideration of their participation in socioeconomic development, rural progress and civil growth.
It is my hope that FAO will succeed in making a vital contribution to that
international strategy for development which the United Nations
Organization has sought to encourage and which men and women of
every nation increasingly perceive as an urgent demand of justice and
human solidarity in today's world.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 1989
These biblical considerations help us to understand better the relationship
between human activity and the whole of creation. When man turns his
back on the Creator's plan, he provokes a disorder which has inevitable
repercussions on the rest of the created order. If man is not at peace with
God, then earth itself cannot be at peace: "Therefore the land mourns and
all who dwell in it languish, and also the beasts of the field and the birds
of the air and even the fish of the sea are taken away" (Hos 4:3).
The profound sense that the earth is "suffering" is also shared by those
who do not profess our faith in God. Indeed, the increasing devastation of
the world of nature is apparent to all. It results from the behavior of
people who show a callous disregard for the hidden, yet perceivable
requirements of the order and harmony which govern nature itself .
People are asking anxiously if it is still possible to remedy the damage
which has been done. Clearly, an adequate solution cannot be found
merely in a better management or a more rational use of the earth's
resources, as important as these may be. Rather, we must go to the source
of the problem and face in its entirety that profound moral crisis of which
the destruction of the environment is only one troubling aspect.
Certain elements of today's ecological crisis reveal its moral character.
First among these is the indiscriminate application of advances in science
and technology. Many recent discoveries have brought undeniable
benefits to humanity. Indeed, they demonstrate the nobility of the human
vocation to participate responsibly in God's creative action in the world.
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Unfortunately, it is now clear that the application of these discoveries in
the fields of industry and agriculture have produced harmful long-term
effects. This has led to the painful realization that we cannot interfere in
one area of the ecosystem without paying due attention both to the
consequences of such interference in other areas and to the well-being of
future generations.
The gradual depletion of the ozone layer and the related "greenhouse
effect" has now reached crisis proportions as a consequence of industrial
growth, massive urban concentrations and vastly increased energy needs.
Industrial waste, the burning of fossil fuels, unrestricted deforestation, the
use of certain types of herbicides, coolants and propellants: all of these
are known to harm the atmosphere and environment. The resulting
meteorological and atmospheric changes range from damage to health to
the possible future submersion of low-lying lands.
While in some cases the damage already done may well be irreversible,
in many other cases it can still be halted. It is necessary, however, that
the entire human community - individuals, States and international bodies
- take seriously the responsibility that is theirs.
The most profound and serious indication of the moral implications
underlying the ecological problem is the lack of respect for life evident in
many of the patterns of environmental pollution. Often, the interests of
production prevail over concern for the dignity of workers, while
economic interests take priority over the good of individuals and even
entire peoples. In these cases, pollution or environmental destruction is
the result of an unnatural and reductionist vision which at times leads to a
genuine contempt for man.
On another level, delicate ecological balances are upset by the
uncontrolled destruction of animal and plant life or by a reckless
exploitation of natural resources. It should be pointed out that all of this,
even if carried out in the name of progress and well-being, is ultimately
to mankind's disadvantage.
Finally, we can only look with deep concern at the enormous possibilities
of biological research. We are not yet in a position to assess the
biological disturbance that could result from indiscriminate genetic
manipulation and from the unscrupulous development of new forms of
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plant and animal life, to say nothing of unacceptable experimentation
regarding the origins of human life itself. It is evident to all that in any
area as delicate as this, indifference to fundamental ethical norms, or their
rejection, would lead mankind to the very threshold of self-destruction.
Respect for life, and above all for the dignity of the human person, is the
ultimate guiding norm for any sound economic, industrial or scientific
progress.
The complexity of the ecological question is evident to all. There are,
however, certain underlying principles, which, while respecting the
legitimate autonomy and the specific competence of those involved, can
direct research towards adequate and lasting solutions. These principles
are essential to the building of a peaceful society; no peaceful society can
afford to neglect either respect for life or the fact that there is an integrity
to creation.
Theology, philosophy and science all speak of a harmonious universe, of
a "cosmos" endowed with its own integrity, its own internal, dynamic
balance. This order must be respected. The human race is called to
explore this order, to examine it with due care and to make use of it while
safeguarding its integrity.
On the other hand, the earth is ultimately a common heritage, the fruits of
which are for the benefit of all. In the words of the Second Vatican
Council, "God destined the earth and all it contains for the use of every
individual and all peoples" (Gaudium et Spes, 69). This has direct
consequences for the problem at hand. It is manifestly unjust that a
privileged few should continue to accumulate excess goods, squandering
available resources, while masses of people are living in conditions of
misery at the very lowest level of subsistence. Today, the dramatic threat
of ecological breakdown is teaching us the extent to which greed and
selfishness - both individual and collective - are contrary to the order of
creation, an order which is characterized by mutual interdependence.
The concepts of an ordered universe and a common heritage both point to
the necessity of a more internationally coordinated approach to the
management of the earth's goods. In many cases the effects of ecological
problems transcend the borders of individual States; hence their solution
cannot be found solely on the national level. Recently there have been
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some promising steps towards such international action, yet the existing
mechanisms and bodies are clearly not adequate for the development of a
comprehensive plan of action. Political obstacles, forms of exaggerated
nationalism and economic interests - to mention only a few factors impede international cooperation and long-term effective action.
The need for joint action on the international level does not lessen the
responsibility of each individual State. Not only should each State join
with others in implementing internationally accepted standards, but it
should also make or facilitate necessary socio-economic adjustments
within its own borders, giving special attention to the most vulnerable
sectors of society. The State should also actively endeavor within its own
territory to prevent destruction of the atmosphere and biosphere, by
carefully monitoring , among other things, the impact of new
technological or scientific advances. The State also has the responsibility
of ensuring that its citizens are not exposed to dangerous pollutants or
toxic wastes. The right to a safe environment is ever more insistently
presented today as a right that must be included in an updated Charter of
Human Rights.
The ecological crisis reveals the urgent moral need for a new solidarity,
especially in relations between the developing nations and those that are
highly industrialized. States must increasingly share responsibility, in
complimentary ways, for the promotion of a natural and social
environment that is both peaceful and healthy. The newly industrialized
States cannot, for example, be asked to apply restrictive environmental
standards to their emerging industries unless the industrialized States first
apply them within their own boundaries. At the same time, countries in
the process of industrialization are not morally free to repeat the errors
made in the past by others, and recklessly continue to damage the
environment through industrial pollutants, radical deforestation or
unlimited exploitation of non-renewable resources. In this context, there
is urgent need to find a solution to the treatment and disposal of toxic
wastes.
No plan or organization, however, will be able to effect the necessary
changes unless world leaders are truly convinced of the absolute need for
this new solidarity, which is demanded of them by the ecological crisis
and which is essential for peace. This need presents new opportunities for
strengthening cooperative and peaceful relations among States.
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It must also be said that the proper ecological balance will not be found
without directly addressing the structural forms of poverty that exist
throughout the world. Rural poverty and unjust land distribution in many
countries, for example, have led to subsistence farming and to the
exhaustion of the soil. Once their land yields no more, many farmers
move on to clear new land, thus accelerating uncontrolled deforestation,
or they settle in urban centers which lack the infrastructure to receive
them. Likewise, some heavily indebted countries are destroying their
natural heritage, at the price of irreparable ecological imbalances, in
order to develop new products for export. In the face of such situations it
would be wrong to assign responsibility to the poor alone for the negative
environmental consequences of their actions. Rather, the poor, to whom
the earth is entrusted no less than to others, must be enabled to find a way
out of their poverty. This will require a courageous reform of structures,
as well as new ways of relating among peoples and States.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Participants In The Symposium
Sponsored By “Nova Spes” International Foundation
Pope John Paul II, December 14, 1989
Your discussions during these last days have explored the many aspects
of the Symposium’s stated theme: “Man, the Environment and
Development – Towards a Global Approach”. In considering the problem
of the environment, a global and ethical perspective is indispensable,
since the environment is not only the setting in which the great drama of
human history is played out, but in a sense it is also an active participant
in that drama. There is a living interaction between man and the
environment, within which he grows in knowledge of himself, of his
place within God’s creation, and indeed comes to appreciate the value,
the potential and the limitations of all human life and labor.
It is in just such a global and ethical perspective that I address the
question of ecology in my Message for the 1990 World Day of Peace,
entitled “Peace with God the Creator; Peace with all Creation ”. This
message emphasizes the fundamentally moral character of the ecological
crisis and its close relationship to the search for genuine and lasting
world peace. In calling attention to the ethical principles which are
200
essential for an adequate and lasting solution to that crisis. I lay particular
emphasis on the value of respect for life and for the integrity of the
created order (Ioannis Pauli PP. II Nuntius ob diem ad pacem fovendam
dicatum pro a. D. 1990, 7, die 8 dec. 1989: vide supra, p. 1463).
Since the ecological crisis is fundamentally a moral issue, it requires that
all people respond in solidarity to what is a common threat. Uncontrolled
exploitation of the natural environment not only menaces the survival of
the human race; it also threatens the natural order in which mankind is
meant to receive and to hand on God’s gift of life with dignity and
freedom. Today responsible men and women are increasingly aware that
we must pay “attention to what the earth and its atmosphere are telling
us: namely, that there is an order in the universe which must be
respected, and that the human person, endowed with the capability of
choosing freely has a grave responsibility to preserve this order for the
well-being of future generations” (Ibid. 15: vide supra, p. 1472).
Concern for the environment, guided by objective ethical principles and
marked by true human solidarity, is ultimately rooted in man’s very
nature as a rational and free being who is constantly interacting with his
surroundings. As the ecological crisis makes abundantly clear, man’s
individual and social development cannot be considered apart from the
natural environment. Within this broader perspective man bears a grave
responsibility for wisely managing the environment. Indeed, his
responsibility increases as he becomes ever more capable of introducing
substantial modifications in his natural surroundings.
A satisfactory description of the relationship between the environment
and development must take into account the person in all his dimensions
as well as the respect due to nature, ever mindful of man’s central place
within the environment. Authentic human development can hardly ignore
the solidarity which binds man and his environment, nor can it exclude a
universal concern for the needs of all the earth’s peoples. Any attempt to
assess the relationship between environment and development which
ignores these deeper realities will inevitably lead to further and perhaps
more destabilizing imbalances.
Seeing the issue of ecology within a global perspective which takes
account of the human person in all his dimensions and of the
requirements of an authentically human development may properly be
201
considered one of the great challenges of our time. Should the present
generation face this challenge wisely, we may be confident that it will
contribute in no small way to resolving other pressing international
questions as well. In the end, what is required of us all is an increased
awareness of the unity of the human family, in which man remains
solidly rooted in his particular culture, and yet is capable of transcending
the limits imposed by geography, ideology, race and religion. And in
relation to the world’s nations, the need for solidarity in the face of the
threats to our common environment presents “new opportunities for
strengthening cooperative and peaceful relations among States” (Ioannis
Pauli PP. II Nuntius ob diem ad pacem fovendam dicatum pro a. D. 1990,
7, die 8 dec. 1989: vide supra, p. 1469).
The environmental decisions which are adopted today must also take into
account the moral responsibility which we bear towards future
generations. For this reason, I have spoken of the need for a new
“education in ecological responsibility”, one which entails a genuine
conversion in our patterns of thought and behaviour (Ioannis Pauli PP. II
Nuntius ob diem ad pacem fovendam dicatum pro a. D. 1990, 7, die 8
dec. 1989: vide supra, p. 1471). This moral imperative is rooted in our
common humanity and in the universal ethical demands which flow from
it. “Even men and women without any particular religious conviction, but
with an acute sense of their responsibilities for the common good,
recognize their obligation to contribute to the restoration of a healthy
environment” (Ibid. 15: vide supra, p. 1472).
Christians, for their part, will find inspiration for this task in their belief
in God as the Creator of the world and in Jesus Christ as the one who has
reconciled to himself all things “whether on earth or in heaven” (Cfr. Col.
1, 20).
Our own generation has been blessed in having inherited from the
industry of past generations the great wealth of material and spiritual
goods which stand at the foundations of our society and its progress.
Universal solidarity now demands that we consider it our grave duty to
safeguard that inheritance for all our brothers and sisters and to assure
that each and every member of the human family may enjoy its benefits.
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Dear Friends: in expressing my gratitude to “Nova Spes” for its
commitment to the process of reflection on these problems, I also express
the hope that your work will be a fruitful incentive for yourselves and
your colleagues to carry on the important work of promoting those values
and programs that can guarantee and develop improved living conditions
for all people, facing the ecological crisis in a spirit of authentic
solidarity, fraternal charity and unfailing respect towards all people and
all nations. I am pleased to renew to you, men and women of thought and
science, the assurance expressed by the Second Vatican Council that in
the Church you have a friend of your vocation as researchers, a
companion in your efforts, an admirer of your successes, and if
necessary, a consoler in your discouragement and failures (Cfr. Patrum
Conc. Nuntii quibusdam hominum ordinibus dati: Aux hommes de la
pensée et de la science, die 8 dec. 1965: AAS 58 [1966] 8-18).
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Redemptoris Missio
Pope John Paul II, 1990
The evangelical witness which the world finds most appealing is that of
concern for people, and of charity toward the poor, the weak and those
who suffer. The complete generosity underlying this attitude and these
actions stands in marked contrast to human selfishness. It raises precise
questions which lead to God and to the Gospel. A commitment to peace,
justice, human rights and human promotion is also a witness to the
Gospel when it is a sign of concern for persons and is directed toward
integral human development.
Christians and Christian communities are very much a part of the life of
their respective nations and can be a sign of the Gospel in their fidelity to
their native land, people and national culture, while always preserving the
freedom brought by Christ. Christianity is open to universal brotherhood,
for all men and women are sons and daughters of the same Father and
brothers and sisters in Christ.
The Church is called to bear witness to Christ by taking courageous and
prophetic stands in the face of the corruption of political or economic
power; by not seeking her own glory and material wealth; by using her
resources to serve the poorest of the poor and by imitating Christ's own
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simplicity of life. The Church and her missionaries must also bear the
witness of humility, above all with regard to themselves-a humility which
allows them to make a personal and communal examination of
conscience in order to correct in their behavior whatever is contrary to
the Gospel and disfigures the face of Christ.
As I said during my pastoral visit to Brazil: "The Church all over the
world wishes to be the Church of the poor...she wishes to draw out all the
truth contained in the Beatitudes of Christ, and especially in the first one:
'Blessed are the poor in spirit.' ...She wishes to teach this truth and she
wishes to put it into practice, just as Jesus came to do and to teach."
The young churches, which for the most part are to be found among
peoples suffering from widespread poverty, often give voice to this
concern as an integral part of their mission. The Conference of Latin
American Bishops at Puebla, after recalling the example of Jesus, wrote
that "the poor deserve preferential attention, whatever their moral or
personal situation. They have been made in the image and likeness of
God to be his children, but this image has been obscured and even
violated. For this reason, God has become their defender and loves them.
It follows that the poor are those to whom the mission is first addressed,
and their evangelization is par excellence the sign and proof of the
mission of Jesus."
In fidelity to the spirit of the Beatitudes, the Church is called to be on the
side of those who are poor and oppressed in any way. I therefore exhort
the disciples of Christ and all Christian communities - from families to
dioceses, from parishes to religious institutes - to carry out a sincere
review of their lives regarding their solidarity with the poor. At the same
time, I express gratitude to the missionaries who, by their loving presence
and humble service to people, are working for the integral development
of individuals and of society through schools, health-care centers,
leprosaria, homes for the handicapped and the elderly, projects for the
promotion of women and other similar apostolates. I thank the priests,
religious brothers and sisters, and members of the laity for their
dedication, and I also encourage the volunteers from non-governmental
organizations who in ever increasing numbers are devoting themselves to
works of charity and human promotion.
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It is in fact these "works of charity" that reveal the soul of all missionary
activity: love, which has been and remains the driving force of mission,
and is also "the sole criterion for judging what is to be done or not done,
changed or not changed. It is the principle which must direct every
action, and end to which that action must be directed. When we act with a
view to charity, or are inspired by charity, nothing is unseemly and
everything is good."
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of The
Republic Of Korea
Pope John Paul II, March 30, 1990
In an increasingly interdependent and complex world, the reality of
progress which cannot be measured merely by the growth of material
well-being but must provide for the realization of the highest aspirations
of the human spirit needs to extend to all countries and to embrace all
peoples. It should be the conviction of everyone that the obstacles to such
integral development are not merely economic but rest on more profound
attitudes the moral and spiritual attitudes which define each individual’s
relationship with self, with others and with nature itself (Cfr. EIUSDEM
Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 38).
The activity of the Holy See in the international forum seeks to favor the
pursuit of these higher values in relations between peoples for the
common good of the human family. The Holy See wishes to be a voice
raised in defense of peace, of solidarity and of compassion towards those
in greatest need.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Workers Of Malta
Pope John Paul II, May 26, 1990
I thank God for this opportunity to be with you. This meeting which the
workers of Malta is one of the high points of my Pastoral Visit, and I
have been looking forward to it as a moment of friendly dialogue with
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you, the men and women whose daily toil is the very life-blood of
Maltese society.
My wish would be to greet each of you individually. I ask you to take the
Pope’s words of affection and encouragement to your loved ones,
especially your children, and to your fellow-workers who could not be
present.
I greet you all: those who work in agriculture, in industry including the
many who work in the nearby shipyards in offices and in the tourist
industry. I greet the representatives of the various trade unions and
workers’ organizations, as well as the public officials and the members of
the business community.
To all of you I repeat the Church’s great esteem for the world of work.
Work is a fundamental part of our life here on earth. It often involves
heavy fatigue and even suffering, but it can also be the forge of strong
character and vigorous personality, the means by which we build up the
world according to the values in which we believe. For the Christian,
work is our way of taking an active and responsible part in the marvelous
work of the Creator which surrounds us everywhere and completely fills
our being.
But why should the Pope talk about work? Perhaps some people may
think that he has no right to do so; they think that work has little or
nothing to do with religion. I might answer by saying that my own
personal experience of work was one of the most interesting and
formative periods of my life. I have expressed the richness of that
experience in some of my writings. Today I have come to you, the
workers of Malta, as a friend who shares the concerns and hopes of the
men and women who in the words of the book of Genesis earn their
bread by the sweat of their brow (Cfr. Gen. 3, 19). I have also come as
the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter, and therefore as a messenger
of One who was known as a carpenter and the son of a carpenter (Cfr.
Matth. 13, 55; Marc. 6, 3).
Yes, the world of work is not alien to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The
Lord understood perfectly the reality of human labor. His words were
filled with references to workers and their various occupations: the
farmer who plants the seed and the laborer who harvests the crop, the
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vinedresser and the shepherd, the one who mends the nets beside the sea,
the builder and the domestic servant, the merchant and the housewife, the
soldier and the State official. They all had a place in Jesus’ interest and
teaching. And the Apostles he chose to carry on his redemptive mission
were workers and fishermen.
In every age the Church continues to present Jesus’ teaching about work,
and especially today when economic relations and production processes
are complex and increasingly impersonal, and threaten to turn against
man himself. The Church preaches a Social Doctrine because the great
questions affecting society, not least the question of labor, have a
powerful impact on people’s lives and cannot be separated from the
moral and ethical responsibilities of everyone involved.
Unfortunately, it is the experience worldwide that the history of labor
relations, especially during the last two centuries, has often developed as
a social struggle between workers and employers. Only with great
difficulty has the ideal of social justice made headway. Today, with the
opening of so many previously closed frontiers and the determination of
peoples to live in freedom from ideological oppression, it is becoming
clearer that although the quest for justice can be opposed and delayed, it
cannot be suppressed. It is a fundamental aspiration of the human spirit.
Systems built on untruths about the spiritual nature of man and of human
relations cannot last. The dignity of the human person is the only solid
basis of a social system capable of giving the right direction to human
relations, and of fostering mutual understanding, dialogue and
cooperation. In an increasingly interdependent world, there can be no
other way forward. In Malta, too, this is imperative.
Even though there are many kinds of work, in a sense all work shares the
same nature. Its purpose is to transform and organize reality in a way that
is useful and productive. Work is the implementation of God’s original
command, recorded in the first pages of the Bible: " Fill the earth and
subdue it " (Gen. 1, 28). Whether through physical, intellectual or
spiritual effort, " each and every individual takes part in the giant process
whereby man ‘subdues the earth’ through his work " (Ioannis Pauli PP. II
Laborem Exercens, 4).
This is the beginning of what I call the "Gospel of work " which the
Church wishes to transmit to the modern world. Whoever hears this "
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Gospel " and lives by it can no longer look upon labor as a mere
commodity to be bartered in exchange for pay. In a wider and more noble
view, work must also be seen as the path to self-development and as the
normal means for people to create the conditions that permit a healthy
cultural, social and religious life (Cfr. Gaudium et Spes, 67).
Because the nature and organization of labor affects people so totally,
Catholic Social Doctrine insists that the human person is the centre and
norm of all economic processes. That is why the Second Vatican Council
made this earnest appeal: "The entire process of productive work must be
adapted to the needs of the person and to the requirements of his life,
above all of his family life" (Ibid). A change of priorities is needed in the
world economic order if the reality of work is truly to serve people and
not oppress them in new forms of slavery. This is especially evident in
the condition of workers in the developing countries of the South, but
also in the industrialized countries of the North. Maltese society too is
called to strive for those changes which are necessary for promoting a
development which embraces all sectors (Cfr. Ioannis Pauli PP. II
Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 21).
The "Gospel of work" holds that all honest labor, competently carried
out, has an innate dignity and confers dignity on those engaged in it. That
is why unemployment is such a deadly thing. It leaves its victims without
adequate economic support, but more than that, it deprives them
psychologically and socially. For that reason, I urge you: do not abandon
the unemployed, especially young people seeking a livelihood. The
unemployed and their families have a right to the effective solidarity of
the State, of business interests and of workers’ organizations themselves.
Workers are the subjects of rights and duties. People who work,
especially dependent workers, have a right to be treated for what they are:
free and responsible men and women, called to have a share in the
decisions that concern their lives. A society that seeks the true well-being
of its members will make appropriate provision for family support. It will
make it possible for mothers to give their primary attention to their
children and homes, and, where necessary, it will provide for the special
needs of working mothers. And particular classes of workers need the
special attention and protection of society. Agricultural workers, for
example, often feel that their contribution to society is not fully
appreciated. The "Gospel of work", then, preaches that economic, social
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and political systems must be sensitive to the complete well-being of
individuals and to the needs of their families.
But workers and their organizations also have solemn duties towards the
common good. The first of these duties is to work well, to contribute
effectively to building a better society. This too is part of the "Gospel of
work", proclaimed two thousand years ago in the life and activity of
Jesus of Nazareth, the Incarnate Son of God. The value which Jesus
placed on work during the long years of his hidden life was not lost on
the early Christians. Saint Paul boasted of the fact that he worked day and
night in order not to be a burden to others (Cfr. 2 Thess. 3, 8), and he
summed up the spirituality of work in these words: " Whatever your task,
work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the
Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward" (Col. 3, 23-24).
These words are an invitation to integrity and competence on the part of
everyone, workers and employers, people engaged at every level of
economic and productive activity. At the same time, the Apostle is
calling us to widen the horizon of human activity to include God’s plan
for the world and for our eternal salvation. The world of work must not
be seen as a part of reality somehow opposed to faith and religion, as if in
conflict with God and his Church. Work can be a source of satisfaction
and development, as well as of cultural and spiritual growth, only if
society sees it as cooperation in the creative intention of God and respects
each person’s unique dignity and higher aspirations, including the rights
of conscience, as inalienable gifts of the Creator (Cfr. Gaudium et Spes,
35).
The outstanding virtue of the working men and women of Malta should
be solidarity: a commitment to the common good; a rejection of
selfishness and irresponsibility. We must become responsible for one
another. What are needed are concrete acts of solidarity: between
employers and employees, between working men and women
themselves, with special sensitivity for the poor and the defenseless. In
all of this, workers’ unions have a specific part to play. It is their task to
defend the rights of their members through the legitimate means at their
disposal, keeping also in mind the rights of other categories of workers,
the general economic situation of the country and, in short, the common
good. In the present state of technological progress and social
development they are being challenged to adopt a broader view of their
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social function and responsibilities. Their great task is to harmonize the
quest for material progress with the cultural and spiritual advancement of
society. In other words, a great wave of social solidarity, not conflict, is
the proper response to the increasingly interrelated and interdependent
nature of today’s problems.
But solidarity, dialogue and cooperation must be built on a firm
foundation. These values demand a "readiness, in the Gospel sense, to
‘lose oneself ’ for the sake of the other instead of exploiting him, and to
‘serve him’ instead of oppressing him for one’s own advantage" (Ioannis
Pauli PP. II Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 38). Thus the essence of the " Gospel
of work " is also the heart of the Christian message itself. Jesus Christ
sums up his teaching in these familiar words: " You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, "
You shall love your neighbor as yourself " (Matth. 22, 27). The first
direction of work, then, is vertical towards God: your work itself is an
unfolding of the Creator’s intention and a contribution to the realization
in history of the divine plan (Cfr. Gaudium et Spes, 34). The second
direction of work is horizontal: it is an effective way of putting into
practice love of neighbor. Your work, insofar as it brings benefits of all
kinds to society, is a magnificent form of service to others.
The task then which the Pope leaves to the workers of Malta is to
integrate the world of work into the world of faith. There can be no
separation between the traditions of Catholic faith, manifested at Sunday
Mass, and the sense of commitment, honesty, justice and brotherhood
shown in the workplace during the week.
Dear friends, it is in this spirit of the " Gospel of work ", which was
proclaimed by Jesus Christ two thousand years ago and continues to be
proclaimed by the Church in our day, that I invite you to:
Say No to injustice at every level of society!
Say No to the individual and class selfishness that seeks its own interests
without concern for the common good of the whole of society!
Say No to the materialism that deadens conscience and the spiritual
dimension of life! Say Yes to a new solidarity between all the members
of the work force, and between workers and employers, between the
210
world of work and the whole of Malta’s people. Say Yes to the full
material and spiritual development of every inhabitant of these islands,
with
special
provision
for
the
poorest
and
neediest!
Say Yes to God’s plan for creation and to his Truth written in nature of
all things and in the depths of the human heart!
The carpenter of Nazareth and the workers of Malta ought to be of one
mind and one heart. Remember the words of the Scripture Reading we
heard at the beginning of our meeting: "Whatever you do, whether in
speech or in action, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Col. 3, 17). In
union with Jesus Christ, your work and your efforts to transform the
world take on the quality of a sacrifice pleasing to God. By offering
"what earth has given and human hands have made" you prepare the way
for God’s kingdom. That is the deepest meaning of your labor.
Dear brothers and sisters, may Christ’s kingdom of truth and life, of
holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace, take possession of your
hearts, for the true progress and prosperity of Malta. God bless you all.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Letter To The 5th Plenary Assembly Of The
Federation Of Asian Bishops’ Conference
Pope John Paul II, June 23, 1990
An especially alarming problem which the Church cannot ignore is
widespread poverty. While some Asians are experiencing the benefits of
technological development, others are being forced into modern forms of
slavery. I am thinking of the exploitation of workers, the exclusion of
vast numbers of people from the benefits of an advanced society, the lack
of social assistance, illiteracy, the use of drugs and other "artificial
paradises", the spread of gambling and violence, the corruption to be
found in the great cities and the inhuman living conditions which
millions of people are forced to endure in the teeming outskirts of urban
centers. To these many social ills we have to add the uncontrolled
exploitation of natural resources and the pollution of the environment at
the behest of influential economic interests, to the detriment of the
peoples which are technologically least advanced.
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Dear Brothers, you deep pastoral concern for the difficult social and
economic conditions in which so many of your people must live conditions which defy easy solutions and which are often reinforced by
evils and injustices which in some cases have become permanent
"structures" of society - is already a stimulus for you to renew your
commitment to the task of evangelization. As Bishops you know that
your principal task is not only to denounce evil, but also to proclaim a
message of conversion and hope.
As men of faith, you firmly believe that the Gospel’s power to overcome
evil is rooted in a living person who is the Savior of the world. In the
words of the Second Vatican Council, "only in the mystery of the
Incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light" (Gaudium et spes,
22). Christ is that "perfect man" (Ibid.) who in a certain sense united
himself with every human person and restored in all of Adam’s children regardless of nation or culture - that likeness to God which had been
disfigured by sin. Accordingly, it is the light of Christ which enables you
to proclaim boldly the dignity and fundamental rights of each and every
person in the face of great injustices. It is the love of God revealed in
Christ which leads you courageously to apply the Church’s social
teaching to the real-life situation of the peoples of Asia and to foster
social progress and a wider material and cultural development. It is
service of Christ which sustains your educational and charitable
institutions, and which summons even more of your faithful to follow the
example of people like Mother Teresa of Calcutta in ministering to the
needy and downtrodden.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Centesimus Annus
Pope John Paul II, 1991
Love for others, and especially for the poor, is made concrete by
promoting justice.
There are needs and common goods that cannot be satisfied by the
market system. It is the task of the state and of all society to defend them.
An idolatry of the market alone cannot do all that should be done.
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A change of mentality is needed, no longer seeing the poor as a burden,
or as intruders trying to profit from others, but as people seeking to share
the goods of the world so that we can create a just and prosperous world
for all.
The obligation to earn one's bread presumes the right to do so. A society
that denies this right cannot be justified, nor can it attain social peace.
Human persons are willed by God; they are imprinted with God's image.
Their dignity does not come from the work they do, but from the persons
they are.
The free market appears to be the most efficient tool for utilizing
resources and responding to needs. But this is true only if you are able to
buy and sell. Justice and truth demand that basic human needs should be
met and that none should be left to perish.
Profit, though it plays a legitimate role, is not the only indicator of a
firm's condition. The people in it might be humiliated and offended. The
aim of a business is not simply profit, but to form a particular group at
the service of the whole of society.
Can it perhaps be said that, after the failure of Communism, capitalism is
the victorious social system, and that capitalism should be the goal of the
countries now making efforts to rebuild their economy and society? ...
The answer is obviously complex. If by "capitalism" is meant an
economic system which recognizes the fundamental and positive role of
business, the market, private property and the resulting responsibility for
the means of production, as well as free human creativity in the economic
sector, then the answer is certainly in the affirmative, ... But if by
"capitalism" is meant a system in which freedom in the economic sector
is not circumscribed within a strong juridical framework which places it
at the service of human freedom in its totality and sees it as a particular
aspect of that freedom, the core of which is ethical and religious, then the
reply is certainly negative.
It is the poor who have a claim to special consideration. The richer class
can help itself; the poor have no resources of their own to do so. They
chiefly depend on the help of the state. This remains valid today,
considering the poverty in the world.
213
After the fall of "real socialism" capitalism is not the only economic
alternative left. Individuals and nations need the basic things to enable
them to share in development. The stronger ones must assist the weaker
ones, and the weaker ones must use the opportunities offered.
The principle that debts should be paid remains, but this should not be
asked for at the cost of the hunger and despair of entire peoples. There is
the need to lighten, defer, or even cancel the debts, and indeed, this does
sometimes happen, to let people subsist and progress.
[The Catholic tradition calls for] a society of free work, of enterprise, and
of participation. Such a society is not directed against the market, but
demands that the market be appropriately controlled by the forces of
society and by the State, so as to guarantee that the basic needs of the
whole of society are satisfied.
Society and state need to afford protection against the nightmare of
unemployment through economic policies that ensure balanced growth
and full employment or through unemployment insurance and retraining
programs.
A business is not only a "society of capital goods," it is also a "society of
persons." A broad associated workers' movement is still needed to
achieve these goals.
It is right to struggle against an unjust economic system that does not
uphold the priority of the human being over capital and land.
Consumerism also raises the ecological issue. Humanity is consuming the
resources of the earth and life in an excessive and disordered way,
forgetting the earth's own needs and God-given purpose, provoking a
rebellion on the part of nature, and overlooking our duties and obligations
toward future generations.
Yet alienation is still a reality in Western societies, because of
consumerism, that does not help one appreciate one's authentic
personhood and because of work, which shows interest only in profit, and
none in the workers, considering them to be mere means.
The economy cannot be run in an institutional, juridical, or political
vacuum: the state has its role to play, guaranteeing personal freedom, a
stable currency, and efficient public services.
214
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To King Carl XVI And Queen Silvia Of
Sweden
Pope John Paul II, May 3, 1991
In the Encyclical "Centesimus Annus" which I have just published. to
commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the famous Encyclical on
social problems, "Rerum Novarum", I have made an appeal to the
developed countries not to slacken their efforts to sustain and assist the
countries of the Third World. Such an appeal seems necessary in the light
of the new situation which has arisen in Central and Eastern Europe. The
consequent urgent need for economic anti technological assistance in
these countries may lead to a neglect of even more serious and longstanding conditions of poverty and want in other parts of the world. Your
country’s openness to all of these needs speaks highly of your people’s
sense of universal brotherhood. The Holy See appreciates Sweden’s
commitment in this area which is of great importance to the cause of
peace among the peoples of the world.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of The
Philippines
Pope John Paul II, May 18, 1991
In order to prevent this imbalance between the developed and developing
societies from remaining a chronic source of tension, the international
community must make adequate adjustments in its economic and social
systems and priorities. In particular it must set about resolving the
problem of the foreign indebtedness of the countries least able to meet
the demand being placed upon them (Cfr. ibid). The seriousness of the
situation cannot be ignored. On the most immediate level, urgent steps
are required to help the millions whose very existence is threatened by
famine, homelessness and violence. On a more general but no less
pressing level, a new attitude is needed so as to change the prevailing
order in which a small sector of the human family uses a disproportionate
part of the earth’s resources and available energies without a fair return
of experience, technology and the actual material benefits of
215
development to the rest, by far the greater part of the one human race.
This is not to criticize the progress made by the more developed nations
through hard work and enterprise. Not is it to ignore the responsibility of
the developing nations in promoting their own growth through wise
policies and sustained effort. It is to recognize, as I wrote in my recent
Encyclical "Centesimus Annus", that there exists "a growing inability to
situate particular interests within the framework of a coherent vision of
the common good" (Ioannis Pauli PP. II Centesimus Annus, 47).
A proper concept of the common good is what is often lacking, not only
on the theoretical level but also on the practical level of nation-building
and of working for a just order in economic and political relations. The
common good "is not simply the sum total of particular interests; rather it
involves an assessment and integration of those interests on the basis of a
balanced hierarchy of values; ultimately, it demands a correct
understanding of the dignity and rights of the person" (Ibid).
In this year, which the Church is dedicating to spreading knowledge of
her Social Doctrine, I cannot fail to emphasize the social purpose of all
power and wealth, and the duty to use these realities for the common
good. It is surely not beyond possibility that in many countries—
including the Philippines— there might be established a new forum of
solidarity, a social pact as it were, between those responsible for public
life, those who control the economy, those engaged in education and
scientific and technological development, and other forces within society;
a pact in which all would agree to work for improved conditions, but in a
way that would benefit ever greater numbers of their fellow citizens by
educating them for increased participation in economic and civic life. For
such an effort to be practicable, public authorities would have to show
that they were genuinely at the service of their communities; business
leaders would have to harmonize the need for capital growth and profit
with the demands of justice and the creation of a community of work
respectful of the personality and creativity of its members; those who
educate and those who create public opinion would have to promote and
uphold a vision of life in which the transcendent dignity of every person
is the criterion of judgment and action. In essence, all would have to be
convinced that a nation, as a community of persons, must be built on a
solid ethical and moral base, with each member sharing a sense of
responsibility for the well-being of all.
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Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of The Islamic
Republic Of Iran
Pope John Paul II, June 20, 1991
The grave problems which affect humanity, including poverty and
hunger, especially among millions of refugees, the destruction of the
earth’s material resources, the exploitation of people and groups of
people for economic and political purposes, and the suffering inflicted by
armed conflict, are signs of a deep imbalance in the human heart. In
effect, the world’s inability to meet these situations with wise and
generous endeavors to resolve them denotes a widespread spiritual crisis.
In many ways, the problems themselves, when they are not due to natural
calamities, and the lack of an effective response to them are the
expression of a spiritual blindness in man’s heart. He fails to take account
of the Creator’s will manifested in the very nature of created reality. He
fails to see the image of God in himself and in others, and thus he lacks
the motivation and strength to foster the inviolable dignity of every
individual and the solidarity needed to care for the vulnerable and weak.
A true renewal of spiritual values is required if a more just and peaceful
world is to be achieved.
Economic and political factors alone cannot fully explain the radical
changes which are now taking place in the structures of many nations,
with important consequences for international relations. These changes
cannot be adequately understood without taking into account the
underlying demand for greater personal responsibility in the pursuit of
our human destiny. They speak to us of man’s thirst for authentic
spiritual freedom. As I wrote in this year’s World Day of Peace Message:
"The rapid changes which have taken place show very clearly that a
person may not be treated as a kind of object governed solely by forces
outside of his or her control. Rather, the individual person, despite human
frailty, has the ability to seek and freely know the good, to recognize and
reject evil, to choose truth and to oppose error" (John Paul II, Message
for the World Day of Peace 1991, I). This freedom of thought, of
conscience, and consequently of religion, is an essential foundation of
peace, and I renew the hope that the great religions will continue to foster
mutual understanding and dialogue on the basis of the many values
217
shared by them, so as to ensure that obstacles to the implementation of
that freedom are avoided (Cf. ibid. VII). In this way following the law of
conscience and the precepts of one’s own religion believers, although
they may hold different views on many subjects, will be able to work
together to meet the urgent problems facing the human family.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The 26th Conference Of The Food
And Agriculture Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 14, 1991
It is encouraging to see the many convergences between the new
objectives and methods which the Organization has evolved for itself and
the Church's teaching about social development and her call to
understand it in the light of the ethical dimension and transcendent
destiny of the human person.
Even after four decades of intense efforts by men and women of good
will the objectives of FAO continue to have a pressing urgency. Now as
much as in the past, there is a need to make the production and
distribution of food more efficient, to improve the lot of agricultural
workers and thus to contribute to the general expansion of the world
economy, in order to eliminate hunger from our world. As one charged
with continuing "the teaching and activity of Christ, from whom the sight
of a hungry crowd prompted the moving exclamation: 'I feel sorry for all
these people; they... have nothing to eat' (Mt. 15:32)" (Pope Paul VI,
Address to Participants of the World Conference on Nutrition, 9
November 1974), I take the occasion of this meeting to express once
more my anxiety for the plight of the world's hungry. We share a burning
concern for them, and so I pray that our meeting will be an opportunity
for rededication to their service.
Through long experience and the accumulation of extensive data, FAO's
approach has moved beyond broad references to the struggle against
hunger and a simple call for its elimination to a recognition of the
multiplicity of hunger's causes and the need for a correspondingly
sophisticated response. This insight into the complexity of the situation,
far from dampening the zeal of the members of FAO, should serve as a
218
spur, to action, since efforts made to remedy problems which have been
accurately analyzed stand the best chance of achieving success.
The growing recognition of the many dimensions to be addressed in any
attack on hunger and malnutrition has led to the identification of
important social and political issues which have a direct impact on the
matter. Concern for the health of the environment is one of the issues
which has a particular bearing on the concerns of FAO, and its complex
ramifications have to be taken into account in any campaign against
hunger. In fact, respect for the fields, forests and seas, and their
preservation from over-exploitation, from the very foundation of any
realistic policy aimed at increasing the world's food supply. The world's
natural assets, given by the Creator in trust to all mankind, are the source
from which human labor brings forth the harvest upon which we depend.
With the aid of scientific expertise, sound practical judgment must point
out the path which lies between the extremes of asking too much of our
environment and asking too little, either of which would have disastrous
consequences for the human family.
Growing awareness of the finite resources of the earth casts into ever
sharper relief the need to make available to all who are involved in food
production the knowledge and technology required in order to ensure that
their efforts will yield the best possible results. The wide-spread
establishment of training centers and institutions which foster the sharing
of know-how and skill is one of the most effective lines of action to be
pursued in the struggle against hunger. The development of the
specifically human capacity to work increases vastly the otherwise
limited potentiality of the earth. Hence, the emphasis must be more and
more on the application of productive intelligence. The land and the sea
yield their abundance precisely in the measure in which they are worked
with wisdom. As I wrote in my Encyclical Letter "Centesimus Annus":
"Today the decisive factor (in production) is increasingly man himself"
(John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, 32; cf. 31). I am happy to note that this
truth about man's labour is reflected in your Medium-Term Plan, 199297, with its emphasis on the importance of human resources for solving
the problem of hunger.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Holy See is deeply interested in the specific
role of FAO as an impetus for socio-economic development. The guiding
principle of the Church's teaching on development is expressed in the
219
Second Vatican Council's Pastoral Constitution "Gaudium et Spes",
which states: "In the socio-economic realm too, the dignity and total
vocation of the human person must be honoured and advanced along with
the welfare of society as a whole. For man is the source, centre and the
purpose of all socio-economic life" (Gaudium et Spes, 63). Development
which is worthy of the human person must aim at advancing people in
every aspect of life, the spiritual as well as the material.
Indeed, economic advancement achieves its proper end precisely to the
degree that it advances the whole good and destiny of human beings.
One of the implications of this truth is that the clear affirmation of the
dignity and worth of those who work to produce our food is an
indispensable part of any solution to the problem of hunger. They are
special cooperators with the Creator as they obey his command to
"subdue the earth" (cf. Gen. 1:28). They perform the vital service of
providing society with the goods needed for its daily sustenance. The
recognition of their dignity is echoed in the call of FAO for rural people
to be regarded not as mere means of increasing food production "but as
the ultimate users and beneficiaries of the development process"
(Medium-Term Plan, p.75). It is of particular importance in this regard to
design programs which will increase the scope for free and responsible
action by farmers, fishermen and those who manage forestry resources,
and will enable them to take an effective part in formulating the policies
which affect them directly.
It is also important to keep in mind that projects aimed at eliminating
hunger must be in harmony with the fundamental right of couples to
establish and foster a family (cf. John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, 42).
Any initiative which would seek to increase the world's food supply by
an assault upon the sanctity of the family or by interference with parents'
right to decide about the number of their children would oppress rather
than serve the human race (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 47; John Paul II,
Familiaris Consortio, 42; Id., Laborem Exercens, 25). Rather than
forbidding the poor to be born, truly effective programmes for
developing the food supply will ensure that the poor share even now in
the material goods which they need in order to support their families,
while they receive the training and assistance they require so that
eventually they can produce these goods by their own labor (cf. John
Paul II, Centesimus Annus, 28).
220
The years leading up to this last decade of the Millennium have
witnessed monumental shifts in relations between peoples and nations.
The great changes which have taken place present FAO with new
challenges and new opportunities. The disruption of what had become the
customary patterns of production and exchange in many places means
that the fight against hunger must be vastly extended. I am confident that
your Organization, with its tradition of intergovernmental cooperation,
will know how to respond effectively.
The reduction of world tensions, for so long the goal of mankind's hopes
and prayers, gives leaders of governments and their peoples a fresh
chance to work together to build a society worthy of the human person.
The elimination of hunger and its causes must be a fundamental part of
this project. One hopes that a particular consequence of the lessening of
antagonism in international relations will be a decrease in the amount of
money spent on the manufacture and purchase of arms. The resources
thus released can then be devoted to development and to food production.
I pray that the governments of the world will dedicate themselves to this
noble task with the same energy as was given to protecting themselves
against those whom they once considered their foes.
The tasks before you, Ladies and Gentlemen, will tax your wisdom and
challenge your courage, but you can take heart from the nobility of your
cause, a nobility which more than justifies the effort and sacrifice
involved. You are pledged to ensure the satisfaction of the right to have
enough to eat, to have a secure and stable share in the produce of land
and sea. Renew your commitment to this struggle! In saying this I lend
my voice to all the poor and hungry whom I have met on my Pastoral
Visits to so many parts of the world. I pass on to you their appeal; I
express to you their gratitude.
I give the assurance of my prayers for the success of your deliberations in
establishing your work project for the next two years, and I invoke upon
you the peace and strength which comes from Almighty God, who "does
not forget the cry of the afflicted" (Ps. 9:12).
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 16, 1992
221
On the occasion of the twelfth World Food Day, His Holiness Pope John
Paul II expresses his deep esteem for all those in different parts of the
world who are working to promote ever more effective efforts to set
mankind free from the scourge of hunger, thereby acknowledging the
fundamental right of each individual to living conditions in keeping with
human dignity stop the theme of nutrition which is at the heart of this
year's celebration of World Food Day evokes the reality of that
increasingly impoverished portion of humanity suffering from hunger
and malnutrition in a world which possesses the ways and means needed
to put an end to this persistent plague.
His Holiness expresses the hope that the international community and
FAO in particular will reflect on the message of this world day, promote
genuine nutritional welfare, ensure the access of every country to
adequate food supplies and thus bring about true solidarity between all
peoples.
Offering his encouragement to all those who with different
responsibilities in the various countries are observing this world day, His
Holiness invokes upon them the abundant blessings of almighty God.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Trinidad
And Tobago
Pope John Paul II, November 28, 1992
I note with appreciation Your Excellency’s reference to the enshrinement
in your country’s Constitution of the principles of equality, social justice
and respect for fundamental human rights. The future of humanity is
intimately linked to the way in which individuals, groups and nations will
effectively be guided by these principles. For the Catholic Church, the
central principle in a correct view of the social order is the God–given
dignity of the human person, which makes each one the subject of
inalienable rights not conferred from outside but arising from the
person’s very nature (Cf. John Paul II, Message for the World Day of
Peace 1988, 1). In such a perspective a development limited only to the
economic dimension is clearly doomed to failure, since the availability of
goods and an abundance of technical resources, while desirable as means
to a better standard of living, cannot of themselves satisfy the
222
individual’s yearning for transcendence. In the life of a nation great
attention must be given to respect for life, for the family, for justice, for
freedom in the political sphere, for the freedom to profess and practice
religious beliefs. All of these are values which go beyond the economic
and material sphere, and require a moral and ethical vision on the part of
those responsible for public policy.
Excerpts From A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 1992
Poverty and peace: at the beginning of the New Year, I would like to
invite everyone to reflect together on the many different links between
these two realities.
In particular, I would like to call attention to the threat to peace posed by
poverty, especially when it becomes destitution. There are millions of
men, women and children suffering every day from hunger, insecurity
and emargination (sic.). These situations constitute a grave affront to
human dignity and contribute to social instability.
The number of people living in conditions of extreme poverty is
enormous. I am thinking, for example, of the tragic situations in certain
countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. There exist vast groups,
often whole sectors of the population, which find themselves on the
margins of civil life within their own countries. Among them is a
growing number of children who in order to survive can rely on nobody
except themselves. Such a situation is not only an affront to human
dignity but also represents a clear threat to peace. A State, whatever its
political organization or economic system, remains fragile and unstable if
it does not give constant attention to its weakest members and if it fails to
do everything possible to ensure that at least their primary needs are
satisfied.
The poorest countries' right to development imposes upon the developed
countries a clear duty to come to their aid. The Second Vatican Council
said in this regard: "Everyone has the right to have a part of the earth's
goods that is sufficient for each and his or her dependents.... We are
obliged to support the poor, and not just from our surplus" (Pastoral
223
Constitution Gaudium et spes, n. 69). The Church's admonition is clear,
and it is a faithful echo of the voice of Christ: earthly goods are meant for
the whole human family and cannot be reserved for the exclusive benefit
of a few (cf. Encyclical Letter Centesimus annus, nn. 31 and 37).
In the interest of the individual — and thus of peace — it is therefore
urgently necessary to introduce into the mechanisms of the economy the
necessary correctives which will enable those mechanisms to ensure a
more just and equitable distribution of goods. By itself the rules of the
market are not sufficient to accomplish this; society must accept its own
responsibilities (cf. ibid., n. 48). It must do so by increasing its efforts,
which are often already considerable, to eliminate the causes of poverty
and their tragic consequences. No country by itself can succeed in such
an undertaking. For this very reason it is necessary to work together, with
that solidarity demanded by a world which has become ever more
interdependent. To allow situations of extreme poverty to persist is to
create social conditions ever more exposed to the threat of violence and
conflict.
All individuals and social groups have a right to live in conditions which
enable them to provide for personal and family needs and to share in the
life and progress of the local community. When this right is not
recognized, it easily happens that the people concerned feel that they are
victims of a structure which does not welcome them, and they react
strongly. This is especially the case with young people, who, being
deprived of adequate education and employment opportunities, are most
exposed to the risk of being marginalized and exploited. Everybody is
aware of the world-wide problem of unemployment, especially among
the young, with the consequent impoverishment of an ever greater
number of individuals and whole families. Moreover, unemployment is
often the tragic result of the destruction of the economic infrastructure of
a country affected by war or internal conflicts.
Here I would like to mention briefly a number of particularly disturbing
problems which beset the poor and hence threaten peace.
First of all, there is the problem of foreign debt, which for some
countries, and within them for the less well-off social strata, continues to
be an intolerable burden, despite efforts made to lighten it by the
international community, governments and financial institutions. Is it not
224
the poorest groups in these countries which often have to bear the major
burden of repayment? Such an unjust situation can open the door to
growing resentment, to a sense of frustration and even desperation. In
many cases the governments themselves share the widespread discomfort
of their people, and this influences relations with other States. Perhaps
the time has come to re-examine the problem of foreign debt and to give
it the priority which it deserves. The conditions for total or partial
repayment need to be reviewed, with an effort to find definitive solutions
capable of fully absorbing the burdensome social consequences of
adjustment programs. Furthermore it will be necessary to act on the
causes of indebtedness, by making the granting of aid conditional upon
concrete commitments on the part of governments to reduce excessive or
unnecessary expenditures — here one thinks particularly of expenditures
on arms — and to guarantee that subsidies do in fact reach the needy.
A further problem stems from the situations of grave economic difficulty
in some countries. These situations encourage mass migrations to more
fortunate countries, in which there then arise tensions which disturb the
social order. In order to respond to such reactions of xenophobic
violence, it is not enough simply to have recourse to provisional
emergency measures. Rather, what is needed is to tackle the causes, by
promoting through new forms of international solidarity the progress and
development of the countries from which the migrant movements
originate.
Destitution therefore is a hidden but real threat to peace. By impairing
human dignity, it constitutes a serious attack on the value of life and
strikes at the heart of the peaceful development of society.
While acknowledging that the international and humanitarian
organizations are doing much to alleviate the tragic fate of the victims of
violence, I feel it is my duty to urge all people of good will to intensify
their efforts. In some instances, in fact, the future of refugees depends
entirely on the generosity of people who take them in - people who are as
poor, if not poorer, than they are. It is only through the concern and
cooperation of the international community that satisfactory solutions
will be found.
In today's industrialized countries people are dominated by the frenzied
race for possessing material goods. The consumer society makes the gap
225
separating rich from poor even more obvious, and the uncontrolled
search for a comfortable life risks blinding people to the needs of others.
In order to promote the social, cultural, spiritual and also economic
welfare of all members of society, it is therefore absolutely essential to
stem the unrestrained consumption of earthly goods and to control the
creation of artificial needs. Moderation and simplicity ought to become
the criteria of our daily lives. The quantity of goods consumed by a tiny
fraction of the world population produces a demand greater than
available resources. A reduction of this demand constitutes a first step in
alleviating poverty, provided that it is accompanied by effective measures
to guarantee a fair distribution of the world's wealth.
In this regard, the Gospel invites believers not to accumulate the goods of
this passing world: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but
lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Mt 6:19-20). This is a duty
intrinsic to the Christian vocation, no less than the duty of working to
overcome poverty; and it is also a very effective means for succeeding in
this task.
Evangelical poverty is very different from socio-economic poverty.
While the latter has harsh and often tragic characteristics, since it is
experienced as a form of coercion, evangelical poverty is chosen freely
by the person who intends in this way to respond to Christ's admonition:
"Whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my
disciple" (Lk 14:33).
Such evangelical poverty is the source of peace, since through it the
individual can establish a proper relationship with God, with others and
with creation. The life of the person who puts himself in this situation
thus witnesses to humanity's absolute dependence on God who loves all
creatures, and material goods come to be recognized for what they are: a
gift of God for the good of all.
Evangelical poverty is something that transforms those who accept it.
They cannot remain indifferent when faced with the suffering of the
poor; indeed, they feel impelled to share actively with God his
preferential love for them (cf. Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo rei socialis, n.
42). Those who are poor in the Gospel sense are ready to sacrifice their
resources and their own selves so that others may live. Their one desire is
226
to live in peace with everyone, offering to others the gift of Jesus' peace
(cf. Jn 14:27).
The divine Master has taught us by his life and words the demanding
features of this poverty which leads us to true freedom. He "who, though
he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be
grasped but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant" (Phil 2:6-7).
He was born in poverty; as a child he was forced to go into exile with his
family in order to escape the cruelty of Herod; he lived as one who had
"nowhere to lay his head" (Mt 8:20). He was denigrated as a "glutton and
a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners" (Mt 11:19) and
suffered the death reserved for criminals. He called the poor blessed and
assured them that the kingdom of God belonged to them (cf. Lk 6:20). He
reminded the rich that the snare of wealth stifles God's word (cf. Mt
13:22), and that it is difficult for them to enter the kingdom of God (cf.
Mk 10:25).
Christ's example, no less than his words, is normative for Christians. We
know that, at the Last Judgment, we shall all be judged, without
distinction, on our practical love of our brothers and sisters. Indeed, it
will be in the practical love they have shown that, on that day, many will
discover that they have in fact met Christ, although without having
known him before in an explicit way (cf. Mt 25:35-37).
"If you want peace, reach out to the poor!" May rich and poor recognize
that they are brothers and sisters; may they share what they have with one
another as children of the one God who loves everyone, who wills the
good of everyone, and who offers to everyone the gift of peace!
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Filipino Immigrants From All
Over Europe
Pope John Paul II, May 22, 1993
For her part, the Church does not cease to remind the communities in
which you find yourselves of their duty to create conditions enabling you
and your families to live in dignity, peace and security. I have written
about this in my Encyclical "Laborem Exercens" on the subject of human
work: "Emigration in search of work must in no way become an
227
opportunity for financial or social exploitation.... The value of work
should be measured by the same standard and not according to the
difference in nationality, religion or race... the situation of constraint in
which the emigrant may find himself should not be exploited" (John Paul
II, Laborem Exercens, 23). The Church will continue to teach the
demands of social justice and to appeal to the consciences of public
authorities and employers to ensure that capital is at the service of labor,
and therefore of the people involved, and not labor at the service.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address At Denver, Colorado Airport
Pope John Paul II, August 12, 1993
Respect for the dignity and worth of every person, integrity and
responsibility, as well as understanding, compassion and solidarity
towards others, survive only if they are passed on in families, in schools
and through the communications media.
America has a strong tradition of respect for the individual, for human
dignity and human rights. I gladly acknowledged this during my previous
visit to the United States in 1987, and I would like to repeat today the
hope I expressed on that occasion: "America, you are beautiful and
blessed in so many ways... But your best beauty and your richest blessing
is found in the human person: in each man, woman and child, in every
immigrant, in every native born son and daughter... The ultimate test of
your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the
weakest and most defenseless ones.
The best traditions of your land presume respect for those who cannot
defend themselves. It you want equal justice for all, and true freedom and
lasting peace, then, America, defend life! All the great causes that are
yours today will have meaning only to the extent that you guarantee the
right to life and protest the human person".
Mr. President, my reference to the moral truths which sustain the life of
the nation is not without relevance to the privileged position which the
United States holds in the international community. In the face of
tensions and conflicts that too many peoples have endured for so long – I
am thinking in particular of the Middle East region and some African
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countries – and in the new situation emerging from the events of 1989 –
especially in view of the tragic conflicts now going on in the Balkans and
in the Caucasus – the international community ought to establish more
effective structures for maintaining and promoting justice and peace. This
implies that a concept of strategic interest should evolve which is based
on the full development of peoples – out of poverty and towards a more
dignified existence, out of injustice and exploitation towards fuller
respect for the human person and the defense of universal human rights.
If the United Nations and other international agencies through the wise
and honest cooperation of their member Nations, succeed in effectively
defending stricken populations whether victims of underdevelopment or
conflicts or the massive violation of human rights, then there is indeed
hope for the future. For peace is the work of justice.
The bounty and providence of God have laid an enormous responsibility
on the people and Government of the United States. But that burden is
also the opportunity for true greatness. Together with millions of people
around the globe I share the profound hope that in the present
international situation the United States will spare no effort in advancing
authentic freedom and in fostering human rights and solidarity.
May God guide this nation and keep alive in it – for endless generations
to come – the flame of liberty and justice for all.
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Excerpts From An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 15, 1993
Today's celebration of the thirteenth World Food Day provides the Holy
Father with an opportunity to call on the international community and its
institutions to consider once more the tragedy of famine and malnutrition,
the cause of sufferings and death for that part of humanity which is poor,
weak and defenseless and which is denied the right to enjoy the abundant
fruits of the earth.
The theme of 'harvesting nature's diversity,, in order to guarantee
complete development, which FAO has placed at the centre of the
reflections for this day, reminds us of the duty to respect the riches of
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creation, the common heritage of mankind, and is a warning to use them
responsibly and to conserve them.
The holy father hopes that each person and each country will rediscover
the meaning of sharing, and strive to ensure that international action will
be inspired by the principle of the universal destination of the earth's
goods, as the only means to achieving a just and orderly use of natural
resources, so as to overcome divisions, selfishness and
misappropriations.
In expressing his encouragement to all those who, in every continent and
with different responsibilities, associate themselves with the goals and
with the celebration of World Food Day, his holiness invokes upon them
every grace and blessing of almighty God.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The 27th Conference Of The Food
And Agriculture Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 11, 1993
Human dignity requires that under no circumstances and for no cause
whatsoever may people be deprived of the fundamental right to nutrition.
As last year's International Conference on Nutrition sponsored by FAO
and the World Health Organization recalled, the right to nutrition is a
direct expression of the right to life.
Indeed, nutrition does not merely involve responding to physical
necessities. It also includes providing the opportunity for every person to
have access to sufficient and healthy food, and to take part in its
production and distribution (cf. Address to the International Conference
on Nutrition, 5 December 1992). The right to nutrition thus means being
able to share fully in the harmony of creation.
Our meeting today is particularly significant because it is taking place
forty-five years after the establishment of official relations between the
Apostolic See and FAO. On 23 November 1948 the Conference, at its
fourth session, decided to admit the Holy See to participation in the
activity of the Organization with the status of "Permanent Observer". In
according the Holy See this status, unique even with regard to other
230
institutions of the United Nations System, the Conference recognized the
specific nature of the Holy See as the central and supreme organ of
government of the Catholic Church, which throughout the world carries
out a mission of service to humanity, working for justice, peace, social
harmony and development. As is well known, the Holy See's
international activity is part of its mission of proclaiming the "Good
News" to all peoples, without distinction, for the sole purpose of serving
man in his dignity as a person and thus contributing to the common good
of the whole human family.
The particular status enjoyed by the Holy See continues to reflect the
specific nature of its contribution to the purposes and activity of FAO.
Without entering into technical and specialized matters, the Holy See
wishes to provide those ethical guidelines which inspire the values which
have gained ground in the life of the international community and which
ought to guide all its activities, including, as in the case of FAO, those
which are more technical in nature. This is the necessary basis for a
determination of the conditions and the means needed for the ordered
coexistence of humanity.
In forty-five years the Holy See has never failed to offer this particular
cooperation, which it wishes to continue at this time of change in the
direction of the Organization. I take this occasion to express my gratitude
to the Director-General, Mr Edouard Saouma, who in his many years of
leadership has guided FAO in meeting the challenges of changing global
realities. His notable gifts of professionalism and broad experience will
now benefit his native Lebanon, which today desires to rediscover in the
unity of its peoples the solid basis for national reconstruction, peaceful
coexistence and the recovery of its own tradition.
To the Director-General elect, Mr Jacques Diouf, I offer my good wishes
for the success of his work in the years to come on behalf of FAO and the
entire international community. His knowledge of the situation in the
developing countries, his experience in the field of multilateral
diplomacy and his commitment to international development hold out the
promise of fruitful activity in favor of the whole rural world, and
especially in favor of those who until now have benefited least from
agricultural improvements, such as the small farmers of the poorest
countries.
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Just as at Hot Springs, fifty years ago, when the United Nations
Conference on Food and Agriculture laid the foundations of FAO, the
present session of the Conference is also taking place at a time when the
international community has undergone profound changes and is still
experiencing new developments almost daily. Now as then, there are new
actors on the world scene, new international relationships are needed,
new problems must be faced and appropriate responses have to be given.
Such responses are called for by that universal common good which
consists of making possible all the conditions needed for the development
of individuals, of peoples and of the whole of the human family. The
important decisions which you are called to make can contribute to
improving the plight of millions of people who expect concrete actions
which can alter their situation of underdevelopment, of poverty and of
hunger.
At the Hot Springs Conference there was already an acknowledgment
that "the first cause of hunger and malnutrition is poverty" (United
Nations Conference on Food and Agriculture, Resolution XXIV). Today
the same awareness must inspire all your work. There is an urgent need
to ask why, after so many years, poverty continues to be the cause of
hunger and of malnutrition. Perhaps it has too often been forgotten that
"the poor - be they indeed to be provided with realistic opportunities"
(Centesimus Annus, 52).
The present Conference, the twenty-seventh, underlines the universality
of FAO in terms of the number of its Member States, with the admission
of a conspicuous number of new ones. But, as you are aware, this
universality should not be read only in terms of numbers, or interpreted
as representing some kind of equality. Rather it should be compared to
the various situations within countries and between them: the wealth of
some, the extreme poverty of others. In the universality of FAO,
therefore, there is reflected the reality of a world divided, in which often
the selfishness of a few will not permit the weaker ones to benefit fully
from resources and other goods, from commerce, scientific discoveries,
the benefits of new technology; all this can help to negate the equal right
of every people to "be seated at the table of the common banquet"
(Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 33).
Is it not also because of this selfishness, this lack of sharing and
communion between countries, that a large part of humanity suffers from
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hunger and malnutrition, to the point of seeing its hopes for life itself
compromised?
Your daily commitment and the varied activities of FAO testify that
hunger and malnutrition are not just the result of natural disasters but also
represent the consequences of individual and collective attitudes, whether
active or omissive, which depend on the will and the action of man.
There is a collection of factors preventing all individuals from having
sufficient food, notwithstanding that the data examined in this
Conference show, yet again, that world production is sufficient to
respond to the demand of the world's population considered as a whole.
Indeed, the longer view which an accurate study by FAO offers on these
works is precisely that of a more balanced relationship in the world
between agricultural-food production and demographic growth, which at
this time appears to be stationary or tending to a slowing-down with
respect to today (cf. FAO Conference, Agriculture Towards 2010, Doc. C
93/94). As a consequence the solution of limiting the number of
participants at the "common banquet rather than multiplying the bread to
be shared seems ever less justifiable!
The persistent imbalances between different parts of the globe - and
therefore the crises or shortages of food - cannot be explained only by the
different level of growth which separates the developed and the
developing countries. They are rather to be attributed to the action of
economic policy and in particular to the agricultural policy of individual
countries or groups of countries whose effect in global terms assumes
importance with regard to levels of production, sale and distribution,
therefore affecting the availability of agricultural and food products.
This means that it is necessary to modify the list of priorities in the
struggle against hunger and malnutrition at both the national and
international levels. In fact, while food self-sufficiency remains a valid
objective in the development of a given country, the adequate distribution
of goods assumes greater importance, so that they will be effectively
available, especially to the very poor. The adoption of criteria of
solidarity and of sharing requires a proportionately stronger and
disinterested readiness on the part of the richest countries and the major
producers. This is a readiness more than ever necessary at a time when
the criteria inspired by the latest global economic tendencies require the
233
weaker economies to make structural adjustments which can in the short
term compromise the basic rights of peoples, and even in some cases the
actual availability of food commodities.
Besides this, the struggle against hunger and malnutrition requires that all
countries should come together and adopt new and binding regulations
responding to the changed demands of trade and international exchange
and not to the interests of a small number of countries. In this way it will
be possible to avoid clear symptoms of protectionism in its various
forms, which constitute the principal obstacle to trade and create actual
barriers to markets for the developing countries. Thus the movement
towards a new world order of trade which does not penalize agricultural
progress in developing countries should be put into operation as quickly
as possible, thus fostering the integration of their potential into the
economies of the rich countries.
The pursuit of the goal of sustainable development thus involves the need
to find a proper balance between the demands of production required by
the struggle against hunger and the need to safeguard the environment
and preserve the great variety of the resources of creation. By means of
such a criterion FAO can respond with ever greater precision to the task
of putting into practice a part of the conclusions of the Rio Conference,
thus offering a real service also to future generations.
It is clear that choices leading to solidarity between countries must be
made concrete in the indispensable work of making goods and resources
available for the immediate and future use of the most needy. The
stability of international coexistence requires it, the conditions for true
peace demand it.
This duty also requires a careful rereading of the aims and objectives of
all the institutions of the United Nations system, so as to give full reality
to the directives of the United Nations Charter, where it is affirmed that
to realize "conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for
peaceful and friendly relations among nations... the United Nations shall
promote conditions of economic, social progress and development" (Art.
55). And notwithstanding the fact that the methods and means need to be
made more precise, it cannot be forgotten that even recently the
imperative to guarantee sufficient food, denied by situations of conflict,
has been the central motive for international humanitarian action.
234
Thus the idea is maturing within the international community that
humanitarian action, far from being the right of the strongest, must be
inspired by the conviction that intervention, or even interference when
objective situations require it, is a response to a moral obligation to come
to the aid of individuals, peoples or ethnic groups whose fundamental
right to nutrition has been denied to the point of threatening their
existence.
Upon your work, therefore, rest precise responsibilities, and your
decisions will have not only technical consequences but also
consequences filled with human implications. Strive to ensure that all
people, and especially those who live and work in the rural world, can
continue to have confidence in the activity of FAO.
May the Almighty Creator of the Universe strengthen your perseverance
and enlighten your work.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Bishops Of The United States Of
America
Pope John Paul II, December 4, 1993
From a profound spiritual renewal, from the holiness of her members and
communities, the Church in the United States will draw inspiration and
strength for the new evangelization and the myriad forms of service to
society which she exercises in response to the Gospel commandment of
love. American Catholics have always been noted for the generous way
in which they express their faith through works of justice, charity and
solidarity. Far from diminishing, the situations calling for an effective
response seem daily to increase, especially in view of growing poverty,
homelessness and unemployment, as well as the crisis of values which
often brings increased self-centeredness, fragmentation and
aggressiveness in human relations. I can only encourage you to continue
to inspire the lay faithful to imbue America’s political, social and cultural
institutions with the spirit and virtue of genuine social solidarity.
To embody the Church’s social teaching in the fabric of society requires
both rigorous fidelity to the Gospel and courageous creativity – a daring
that knows no fear (Cf. Hebr. 13: 6) in proclaiming the kingdom of God
235
openly and unhindered (Cf. Acts. 28: 31). Christian consciences must be
awakened to a true sense of concern for the poor and oppressed, the weak
and defenseless – who cannot be excluded from their share in the
universal destination of the earth’s goods (Cf. John Paul II, Centesimus
Annus, 31). "There is a duty to safeguard carefully the importance of ‘the
poor’ and of ‘the option in favor of the poor’ in the word of the living
God" (John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, 37). From this there follows the
task of promoting the genuinely Christian meaning of freedom and of the
liberation of humanity and of the universe (Cf. ibid.). I repeat the appeal
made in my Encyclical Letter on the Church’s missionary mandate, in
which I exhorted "the disciples of Christ and all Christian communities –
from families to dioceses, from parishes to Religious Institutes – to carry
out a sincere review of their lives regarding their solidarity with the poor"
(John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio, 60). If this examination is everywhere
carried out, the Church’s efforts to promote social justice will gain
credibility. Since the love of Christ impels the Church to see her Spouse
especially in the weak (Cf. 2Cor. 5: 14; Mt. 25: 31-46), she must ever be
alert to ensure social justice and solidarity among her own members and
in her own institutions.
In your pastoral ministry you are often challenged by manifestations of a
persistent racism which undermines the foundations of a just and
democratic society. Racism is an intolerable injustice by reason of the
social conflicts which it provokes, but even more so by reason of the way
in which it dishonors the inalienable dignity of all human beings,
irrespective of their race or ethnic origin. Your frequent declarations on
these matters, and the great variety of pastoral activities directed to the
various ethnic groups present in your Dioceses, far from avowing
separation or isolation among groups and communities, aim to implement
the Church’s vocation as the sign and instrument of the wider unity of the
whole human family.
With another group of Bishops I spoke about the needs and the special
contribution to the Church’s life of the large Hispanic communities in
your dioceses (Cf. John Paul II, Address to the Bishops of the United
States of America on their "ad Limina" visit, 6, 2 October 1993). In
supporting a National Black Catholic Pastoral Plan (Cf. Here I Am, Send
Me, 9 November 1989) you have shown your esteem and support for the
faithful who wish to be "truly black and authentically Catholic". I also
acknowledge your pledge to foster solidarity with the Native American
236
community, especially regarding social justice in the areas of health,
housing, employment and education (Cf. Time for Remembering
Reconciling and Recommitting Ourselves as a People, 17 December
1991). The success of all of this depends greatly on efforts aimed at
renewing family life, parochial schools, ministry to alienated youth, and
on promoting priestly and religious vocations among the various groups.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Pakistan
Pope John Paul II, January 13, 1994
Because the family is so crucial to a well-ordered society, the threat
which poverty poses to peace is especially grave when material want
endangers family stability. Therefore, development programs aimed at
eradicating the conditions which are so often the breeding ground for
strife must make the good of the family their highest priority.
Development cannot serve peace unless it first serves the family. In fact,
experience shows that many well-intentioned international projects have
failed precisely because they do not take into account the importance of
family structures and relationships in every field of human endeavor,
including the economy, education, and the sphere of cultural and social
life.
Among the virtues fostered in the home, special mention is deservedly
made of solidarity: a persevering determination to serve the common
good (Cf. John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 38). It is in the
communion of life shared by the family that its members are schooled in
"that self-giving love which is capable of accepting those who are
different, making their needs and demands its own, and allowing them to
share in its own benefits" (John Paul II, Message for the World Day of
Peace 1994, 2). In societies like that of Pakistan, with distinct minorities
living in the midst of a strong cultural or religious majority, mutual
respect is essential for that solidarity without which there can be no
progress deserving of the name.
In such a society, diversity should never be seen as an obstacle to unity.
Rather it can be recognized as an opportunity for individuals and groups
to enrich the common patrimony of all. And because the common good,
rightly understood, is based on the inviolable dignity of all those
237
belonging to a society or nation, it is important that majorities respect the
rights of minorities, while making it possible for them to take a full part
in the life of the nation and to contribute effectively to its progress.
Among the universal rights to be upheld is that of religious liberty, the
cornerstone of all human rights (Cf. Gaudium et Spes, 73). It is
particularly gratifying to note that in recent remarks both the President
and the Prime Minister referred to minorities as a "sacred trust" and
reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to observing and enforcing the
constitutional guarantees protecting them.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Bishops Of The Episcopal
Conference Of Bangladesh
Pope John Paul II, March 11, 1994
Dear Brothers, I deeply share your concern, indeed your profound
sorrow, at the poverty which afflicts so many of your fellow citizens. The
moral disorder represented by the ever widening gap between wealthy
and impoverished nations, but also between the affluent and the poor
within countries, calls for a determined response on the part of the
Church. "To teach and spread her social doctrine pertains to the Church’s
evangelizing mission and is an essential part of the Christian message"
(John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, 5). As your own efforts in this area so
clearly testify, the Church has a special love of the poor, neglected,
marginalized and suffering, and a particular duty towards them. I am
pleased to know that with the Holy See’s assistance the Pope John Paul II
Centre has recently been opened in Mugaipar. I pray that this Centre and all the works of education, health care and social services so
generously served by Religious and laity - will be visible and enduring
signs of God’s universal love for each person, regardless of creed, class
or ethnic origin.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For Lent
Pope John Paul II, September 7, 1994
238
During the season of Lent, I would like to reflect with all of you on a
hidden evil which deprives a great number of poor people of many
possibilities for progress. It likewise deprives them of victory over
marginalization and hinders them from attaining true freedom. I am
speaking of illiteracy. Pope Paul VI reminded us that "lack of education
is as serious as lack of food; the illiterate person is a starved spirit"
(Populorum Progressio, 35).
This terrible affliction helps to keep vast multitudes of people in a state
of underdevelopment, with all the scandalous misery which that brings.
Abundant testimonies from different continents, as well as the meetings
which I have had in the course of my apostolic travels, confirm my
conviction that where there is illiteracy there is more hunger, disease and
infant mortality, as well as humiliation, exploitation and all kinds of
suffering, than there is elsewhere.
A person who can neither read nor write finds great difficulties in making
use of modern work methods; he is as it were condemned to be ignorant
of his rights and duties; he is truly poor. We must realize that hundreds of
millions of adults are illiterate, that tens of millions of children cannot go
to school, either because there is no school nearby or because poverty
prevents them from attending. They are stunted precisely when their lives
should be blossoming and are prevented from exercising their
fundamental rights. This is the human throng which reaches out to us,
asking us for a gesture of brotherhood.
We know that when individuals, families and communities have access to
education and to different levels of training, they can make better
progress on all fronts. Literacy allows the person to develop his
possibilities, to broaden his talents, to enrich his relationships. The
Second Vatican Council affirmed: "It is one of the properties of the
human person that he can achieve true and full humanity only by means
of culture" (Gaudium et Spes, 53). Intellectual formation is a decisive
element for developing that human culture which helps make people
more self-sufficient and free. It also makes possible a better formation of
conscience and a better perception of moral and spiritual responsibilities
Faced with the seriousness of the living conditions of our brothers and
sisters who are kept at a distance from modern culture, we have a duty to
show them our complete solidarity. Actions undertaken to favor access to
239
reading and writing are the first condition for helping the impoverished to
mature intellectually and to lead their lives more independently. Literacy
and education are an essential duty and investment for humanity's future,
for "the fulfillment of the whole man and of every man", as Paul VI said
(Populorum Progressio, 42).
In the midst of the peoples, the greater the number of those enjoying a
sufficient education, the better will the people be able to take their
destiny into their own hands. In this, literacy training helps cooperation
between nations and peace in the world. The equal dignity of individuals
and peoples requires the international community to take steps to
overcome the damaging inequalities which the illiteracy of millions of
human beings still causes.
My gratitude goes to all the individuals and organizations engaged in the
work of solidarity which is the education of the illiterate. I speak
particularly to social and religious organizations, to teachers,
schoolchildren and students, to all people of good will, and I invite them
to share still more generously their material and cultural goods: I hope
they will do so in their own localities, and support the work of
organizations specifically involved in promoting literacy in other parts of
the world.
Progress in educating the illiterate will also make further evangelization
possible, this to the extent that literacy will enable each of our brothers
and sisters to grasp the Christian message in a more personal manner and
to reinforce listening to the Word of God by reading it themselves.
Making direct access to the Holy Scriptures possible for the greatest
possible number of people, and in their own language, can only enrich
the reflection and meditation of those seeking the meaning and direction
of their lives.
I strongly urge the pastors of the Church to take to heart and encourage
this great service to humanity. For it is a matter of linking to the
proclamation of the Good News the transmission of a knowledge which
enables our brothers and sisters to assimilate for themselves the meaning
of this message, to experience all its richness and to make it an integral
part of their culture. In our time, can we not say that to work for literacy
is to contribute to the building up of communion in real and active
brotherly love?
240
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 10, 1994
On the occasion of the 1994 World Food Day, His Holiness Pope John
Paul II has directed me to convey to you and your associates his cordial
greetings and prayerful good wishes.
His Holiness sees in this annual celebration a timely reminder of the
responsibility of the international community to ensure that the
fundamental right to nutrition is respected and promoted. Ready
availability of adequate and safe food for individuals and peoples is a
first and concrete manifestation of that right to life and human dignity
which has often been solemnly proclaimed but which still remains to be
fully implemented. The cry of our brothers and sisters suffering from
hunger and malnutrition represents an urgent summons to pursue
concrete efforts to build a civilization more worthy of man.
The theme which this year's World Food Day invites us to consider is the
importance of water for the life and sustenance of individuals and
communities. Because everyone must have access to uncontaminated
water supplies, the international community is called to cooperate in
protecting this precious resource from misuse and reckless exploitation.
Without the inspiration born of the moral principles deeply rooted in
human hearts and consciences, the agreement and harmony which should
exist internationally in the preservation and use of this essential resource
will be difficult to uphold and foster.
For this reason, His Holiness trusts that this year's World Food Day will
be the occasion for a profound reflection on the moral imperative of
solidarity in making the earth's resources available to all its inhabitants.
The very future of humanity demands that individuals and peoples work
together in overcoming the exaggerated self-interest which hinders the
genuine sharing of the earth's resources. In this great effort, the work of
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is an example of
responsible and generous commitment in the service of the whole human
family.
241
His Holiness prays that the future of mankind will be marked by justice,
peace and a balanced development, and he cordially invokes abundant
divine blessings upon all who work for this goal.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Evangelium Vitae
Pope John Paul II, 1995
Love for others, and especially for the poor, is made concrete by
promoting justice.
There are needs and common goods that cannot be satisfied by the
market system. it is the task of the state and of all society to defend them.
An idolatry of the market alone cannot do all that should be done.
A change of mentality is needed, no longer seeing the poor as a burden,
or as intruders trying to profit from others, but as people seeking to share
the goods of the world so that we can create a just and prosperous world
for all.
The obligation to earn one's bread presumes the right to do so. A society
that denies this right cannot be justified, nor can it attain social peace.
The church has always defended the right to private property, teaching at
the same time that this right is not absolute. Pope Leo XIII wrote: "How
must one's possessions be used? The human being should not consider
material possessions as his or her own, but as common to all." The
Second Vatican Council stated: "Of its nature private property also has a
social function, based on the law of the common purpose of goods."
The free market appears to be the most efficient tool for utilizing
resources and responding to needs. But this is true only if you are able to
buy and sell. Justice and truth demand that basic human needs should be
met and that none should be left to perish.
Profit, though it plays a legitimate role, is not the only indicator of a
firm's condition. The people in it might be humiliated and offended. The
aim of a business is not simply profit, but to form a particular group at
the service of the whole of society.
242
Can it perhaps be said that, after the failure of Communism, capitalism is
the victorious social system, and that capitalism should be the goal of the
countries now making efforts to rebuild their economy and society? ...
The answer is obviously complex. If by "capitalism" is meant an
economic system which recognizes the fundamental and positive role of
business, the market, private property and the resulting responsibility for
the means of production, as well as free human creativity in the economic
sector, then the answer is certainly in the affirmative, ... But if by
"capitalism" is meant a system in which freedom in the economic sector
is not circumscribed within a strong juridical framework which places it
at the service of human freedom in its totality and sees it as a particular
aspect of that freedom, the core of which is ethical and religious, then the
reply is certainly negative.
It is the poor who have a claim to special consideration. The richer class
can help itself; the poor have no resources of their own to do so. They
chiefly depend on the help of the state. This remains valid today,
considering the poverty in the world.
After the fall of "real socialism" capitalism is not the only economic
alternative left. Individuals and nations need the basic things to enable
them to share in development. The stronger ones must assist the weaker
ones, and the weaker ones must use the opportunities offered.
The principle that debts should be paid remains, but this should not be
asked for at the cost of the hunger and despair of entire peoples. There is
the need to lighten, defer, or even cancel the debts, and indeed, this does
sometimes happen, to let people subsist and progress.
[The Catholic tradition calls for] a society of free work, of enterprise, and
of participation. Such a society is not directed against the market, but
demands that the market be appropriately controlled by the forces of
society and by the State, so as to guarantee that the basic needs of the
whole of society are satisfied.
Society and state need to afford protection against the nightmare of
unemployment through economic policies that ensure balanced growth
and full employment or through unemployment insurance and retraining
programs.
243
A business is not only a "society of capital goods," it is also a "society of
persons." A broad associated workers' movement is still needed to
achieve these goals.
It is right to struggle against an unjust economic system that does not
uphold the priority of the human being over capital and land.
Consumerism also raises the ecological issue. Humanity is consuming the
resources of the earth and life in an excessive and disordered way,
forgetting the earth's own needs and God-given purpose, provoking a
rebellion on the part of nature, and overlooking our duties and obligations
toward future generations.
Yet alienation is still a reality in Western societies, because of
consumerism, that does not help one appreciate one's authentic
personhood and because of work, which shows interest only in profit, and
none in the workers, considering them to be mere means.
The economy cannot be run in an institutional, juridical, or political
vacuum: the state has its role to play, guaranteeing personal freedom, a
stable currency, and efficient public services.
Excerpts From An Address To The Representatives Of The World
Of Work Of Rome
Pope John Paul II, March 19, 1995
These thoughts, which the feast of St Joseph gives me the opportunity to
express to you who are present here, and through you to all the workers
of the Diocese of Rome, aim to emphasize the value of work and the
importance of fighting unemployment. The purpose of the mission which
has been taking place in the various milieus is to remind all believers that
their attention to the weakest and the most defenseless must not stop: we
are Christian always and everywhere. If the parish is the privileged place
where the growth of faith can be supported through participation in the
sacramental life and in the different community events, it is in the world
of work that witness is borne to what is believed, especially through the
outreach of charity. Sometimes work, either because of the organization
of time shifts or the establishing of time schedules and deadlines, causes
244
feelings of hardship. It can happen that some, lured by the perspective of
promotion, go so far as to falsify their own relationship with their
colleagues. In that case, solidarity suffers and the sincerity and friendship
of mutual relationships are replaced by suspicion and criticism, resulting
in the person's withdrawal into himself. This attitude is false and
deceptive. May it not happen to you: at the work place, live openly the
principal content of the faith you profess: that is, the love of Christ who
generously and gratuitously goes to meet everyone.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Indonesia
Pope John Paul II, June 16, 1995
In recent decades we have witnessed a remarkable acceleration of social
change and material development which, while producing many benefits,
has also brought new concerns and problems. In this context, societies
are realizing more and more that the political community, both national
and international, exists to guarantee and serve the dignity and rights of
the individuals, families and groups which form it. This is the goal which
all public authority must foster; this is the moral principle which
underlies and guides the active participation of citizens, individually and
collectively, in the life, government and advancement of their country.
Indeed, the well–being of a society greatly depends upon making
people’s interests, their culture and religious traditions, their freedoms,
including religious freedom, the overall objective of social and political
activity.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address On Undocumented Migrants
Pope John Paul II, July 25, 1995
The phenomenon of migration with its complex problems challenges the
international community and individual States today more than ever. The
latter generally tend to intervene by tightening migration laws and
reinforcing border control systems. Thus migration loses that dimension
of economic, social and cultural development which it had in the past. In
fact, there is less and less talk of the situation of "emigrants" in their
245
countries of origin, and more and more of "immigrants", with respect to
the problems they create in the countries where they settle.
Migration is assuming the features of a social emergency, above all
because of the increase in illegal migrants which, despite the current
restrictions, it seems impossible to halt. Illegal immigration has always
existed: it has frequently been tolerated because it promotes a reserve of
personnel to draw on as legal migrants gradually move up the social
ladder and find stable employment.
Today the phenomenon of illegal migrants has assumed considerable
proportions, both because the supply of foreign labor is becoming
excessive in comparison to the needs of the economy, which already has
difficulty in absorbing its domestic workers, and because of the spread of
forced migration. The necessary prudence required to deal with so
delicate a matter cannot become one of reticence or exclusivity, because
thousands would suffer the consequences as victims of situations that
seem destined to deteriorate instead of being resolved. His irregular legal
status cannot allow the migrant to lose his dignity, since he is endowed
with inalienable rights, which can neither be violated nor ignored.
Illegal immigration should be prevented, but it is also essential to combat
vigorously the criminal activities which exploit illegal immigrants. The
most appropriate choice, which will yield consistent and long-lasting
results is that of international co-operation which aims to foster political
stability and to eliminate underdevelopment. The present economic and
social imbalance, which to a large extent encourages the migratory flow,
should not be seen as something inevitable, but as a challenge to the
human race's sense of responsibility.
The Church considers the problem of illegal migrants from the standpoint
of Christ, who died to gather together the dispersed children of God (cf.
Jn 11:52), to rehabilitate the marginalized and to bring close those who
are distant, in order to integrate all within a communion that is not based
on ethnic, cultural or social membership, but on the common desire to
accept God's word and to seek justice. "God shows no partiality, but in
every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable
to him" (Acts 10:34-35).
246
The Church acts in continuity with Christ's mission. In particular, she
asks herself how to meet the needs, while respecting the law of those
persons who are not allowed to remain in a national territory. She also
asks what the right to emigrate is worth without the corresponding right
to immigrate. She tackles the problem of how to involve in this work of
solidarity those Christian communities frequently infected by a public
opinion that is often hostile to immigrants.
The first way to help these people is to listen to them in order to become
acquainted with their situation, and, whatever their legal status with
regard to State law, to provide them with the necessary means of
subsistence.
Thus it is important to help illegal migrants to complete the necessary
administrative papers to obtain a residence permit. Social and charitable
institutions can make contact with the authorities in order to seek
appropriate, lawful solutions to various cases. This kind of effort should
be made especially on behalf of those who, after a long stay, are so
deeply rooted in the local society that returning to their country of origin
would be tantamount to a form of reverse emigration, with serious
consequences particularly for the children.
When no solution is foreseen, these same institutions should direct those
they are helping, perhaps also providing them with material assistance,
either to seek acceptance in other countries, or to return to their own
country
In the search for a solution to the problem of migration in general and
illegal migrants in particular, the attitude of the host society has an
important role to play. In this perspective, it is very important that public
opinion be properly informed about the true situation in the migrants'
country of origin, about the tragedies involving them and the possible
risks of returning. The poverty and misfortune with which immigrants are
stricken are yet another reason for coming generously to their aid.
It is necessary to guard against the rise of new forms of racism or
xenophobic behavior, which attempt to make these brothers and sisters of
ours scapegoats for what may be difficult local situations.
Due to the considerable proportions reached by the illegal migrant
phenomenon, legislation in all the countries involved should be brought
247
into harmony, also for a more equitable distribution of the burdens of a
balanced solution. It is necessary to avoid recourse to the use of
administrative regulations, meant to restrict the criterion of family
membership which result in unjustifiably forcing into an illegal situation
people whose right to live with their family cannot be denied by any law.
Adequate protection should be guaranteed to those who, although they
have fled from their countries for reasons unforeseen by international
conventions, could indeed be seriously risking their life were they
obliged to return to their homeland.
I urge the particular Churches to encourage reflection, to issue directives
and to provide information to help pastoral and social workers to act with
discernment in so delicate and complex a matter.
When an understanding of the problem is conditioned by prejudice and
xenophobic attitudes, the Church must not fail to speak up for
brotherhood and to accompany it with acts testifying to the primacy of
charity.
The prominence assumed by the welfare aspects of their precarious
situation should not mean that less attention is paid to the fact that there
are often Catholic Christians among the illegal migrants who, in the name
of the same faith, often seek pastors of souls and places where they can
pray, listen to God's word and celebrate the Lord's mysteries. Dioceses
have the duty to meet these needs.
In the Church no one is a stranger, and the Church is not foreign to
anyone, anywhere. As a sacrament of unity and thus a sign and a binding
force for the whole human race, the Church is the place where illegal
immigrants are also recognized and accepted as brothers and sisters. It is
the task of the various Dioceses actively to ensure that these people, who
are obliged to live outside the safety net of civil society, may find a sense
of brotherhood in the Christian community.
Solidarity means taking responsibility for those in trouble. For Christians,
the migrant is not merely an individual to be respected in accordance
with the norms established by law, but a person whose presence
challenges them and whose needs become an obligation for their
responsibility. "What have you done to your brother?" (cf. Gn 4:9). The
248
answer should not be limited to what is imposed by law, but should be
made in the manner of solidarity.
Man, particularly if he is weak, defenseless, driven to the margins of
society, is a sacrament of Christ's presence (cf. Mt 25:40, 45). "But this
crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed" (Jn 7:49), was how the
Pharisees judged those whom Jesus had helped even beyond the limits
established by their precepts. Indeed, he came to seek and to save the lost
(cf. Lk 19:10), to bring back the excluded, the abandoned, those rejected
by society.
"I was a stranger and you welcomed me" (Mt 25:35). It is the Church's
task not only to present constantly the Lord's teaching of faith but also to
indicate its appropriate application to the various situations which the
changing times continue to create. Today the illegal migrant comes
before us like that "stranger" in whom Jesus asks to be recognized. To
welcome him and to show him solidarity is a duty of hospitality and
fidelity to Christian identity itself.
With these wishes, I impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of
abundant heavenly rewards to all those who are involved in the field of
migration.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For World Migration Day
Pope John Paul, II, July 25, 1995
The phenomenon of migration with its complex problems challenges the
international community and individual States today more than ever. The
latter generally tend to intervene by tightening migration laws and
reinforcing border control systems. Thus migration loses that dimension
of economic, social and cultural development which it had in the past. In
fact, there is less and less talk of the situation of "emigrants" in their
countries of origin, and more and more of "immigrants", with respect to
the problems they create in the countries where they settle.
Migration is assuming the features of a social emergency, above all
because of the increase in illegal migrants which, despite the current
restrictions, it seems impossible to halt. Illegal immigration has always
249
existed: it has frequently been tolerated because it promotes a reserve of
personnel to draw on as legal migrants gradually move up the social
ladder and find stable employment.
Today the phenomenon of illegal migrants has assumed considerable
proportions, both because the supply of foreign labor is becoming
excessive in comparison to the needs of the economy, which already has
difficulty in absorbing its domestic workers, and because of the spread of
forced migration. The necessary prudence required to deal with so
delicate a matter cannot become one of reticence or exclusivity, because
thousands would suffer the consequences as victims of situations that
seem destined to deteriorate instead of being resolved. His irregular legal
status cannot allow the migrant to lose his dignity, since he is endowed
with inalienable rights, which can neither be violated nor ignored.
Illegal immigration should be prevented, but it is also essential to combat
vigorously the criminal activities which exploit illegal immigrants. The
most appropriate choice, which will yield consistent and long-lasting
results is that of international co-operation which aims to foster political
stability and to eliminate underdevelopment. The present economic and
social imbalance, which to a large extent encourages the migratory flow,
should not be seen as something inevitable, but as a challenge to the
human race's sense of responsibility.
The Church considers the problem of illegal migrants from the standpoint
of Christ, who died to gather together the dispersed children of God (cf.
Jn 11:52), to rehabilitate the marginalized and to bring close those who
are distant, in order to integrate all within a communion that is not based
on ethnic, cultural or social membership, but on the common desire to
accept God's word and to seek justice. "God shows no partiality, but in
every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable
to him" (Acts 10:34-35).
The Church acts in continuity with Christ's mission. In particular, she
asks herself how to meet the needs, while respecting the law of those
persons who are not allowed to remain in a national territory. She also
asks what the right to emigrate is worth without the corresponding right
to immigrate. She tackles the problem of how to involve in this work of
solidarity those Christian communities frequently infected by a public
opinion that is often hostile to immigrants.
250
The first way to help these people is to listen to them in order to become
acquainted with their situation, and, whatever their legal status with
regard to State law, to provide them with the necessary means of
subsistence.
Thus it is important to help illegal migrants to complete the necessary
administrative papers to obtain a residence permit. Social and charitable
institutions can make contact with the authorities in order to seek
appropriate, lawful solutions to various cases. This kind of effort should
be made especially on behalf of those who, after a long stay, are so
deeply rooted in the local society that returning to their country of origin
would be tantamount to a form of reverse emigration, with serious
consequences particularly for the children.
When no solution is foreseen, these same institutions should direct those
they are helping, perhaps also providing them with material assistance,
either to seek acceptance in other countries, or to return to their own
country
In the search for a solution to the problem of migration in general and
illegal migrants in particular, the attitude of the host society has an
important role to play. In this perspective, it is very important that public
opinion be properly informed about the true situation in the migrants'
country of origin, about the tragedies involving them and the possible
risks of returning. The poverty and misfortune with which immigrants are
stricken are yet another reason for coming generously to their aid.
It is necessary to guard against the rise of new forms of racism or
xenophobic behavior, which attempt to make these brothers and sisters of
ours scapegoats for what may be difficult local situations.
Due to the considerable proportions reached by the illegal migrant
phenomenon, legislation in all the countries involved should be brought
into harmony, also for a more equitable distribution of the burdens of a
balanced solution. It is necessary to avoid recourse to the use of
administrative regulations, meant to restrict the criterion of family
membership which result in unjustifiably forcing into an illegal situation
people whose right to live with their family cannot be denied by any law.
Adequate protection should be guaranteed to those who, although they
have fled from their countries for reasons unforeseen by international
251
conventions, could indeed be seriously risking their life were they
obliged to return to their homeland.
I urge the particular Churches to encourage reflection, to issue directives
and to provide information to help pastoral and social workers to act with
discernment in so delicate and complex a matter.
When an understanding of the problem is conditioned by prejudice and
xenophobic attitudes, the Church must not fail to speak up for
brotherhood and to accompany it with acts testifying to the primacy of
charity.
The prominence assumed by the welfare aspects of their precarious
situation should not mean that less attention is paid to the fact that there
are often Catholic Christians among the illegal migrants who, in the name
of the same faith, often seek pastors of souls and places where they can
pray, listen to God's word and celebrate the Lord's mysteries. Dioceses
have the duty to meet these needs.
In the Church no one is a stranger, and the Church is not foreign to
anyone, anywhere. As a sacrament of unity and thus a sign and a binding
force for the whole human race, the Church is the place where illegal
immigrants are also recognized and accepted as brothers and sisters. It is
the task of the various Dioceses actively to ensure that these people, who
are obliged to live outside the safety net of civil society, may find a sense
of brotherhood in the Christian community.
Solidarity means taking responsibility for those in trouble. For Christians,
the migrant is not merely an individual to be respected in accordance
with the norms established by law, but a person whose presence
challenges them and whose needs become an obligation for their
responsibility. "What have you done to your brother?" (cf. Gn 4:9). The
answer should not be limited to what is imposed by law, but should be
made in the manner of solidarity.
Man, particularly if he is weak, defenseless, driven to the margins of
society, is a sacrament of Christ's presence (cf. Mt 25:40, 45). "But this
crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed" (Jn 7:49), was how the
Pharisees judged those whom Jesus had helped even beyond the limits
established by their precepts. Indeed, he came to seek and to save the lost
252
(cf. Lk 19:10), to bring back the excluded, the abandoned, those rejected
by society.
"I was a stranger and you welcomed me" (Mt 25:35). It is the Church's
task not only to present constantly the Lord's teaching of faith but also to
indicate its appropriate application to the various situations which the
changing times continue to create. Today the illegal migrant comes
before us like that "stranger" in whom Jesus asks to be recognized. To
welcome him and to show him solidarity is a duty of hospitality and
fidelity to Christian identity itself.
With these wishes, I impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of
abundant heavenly rewards to all those who are involved in the field of
migration.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 15, 1995
On the occasion of World Food Day, I am happy to convey the warm
greetings of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to you and the
representatives of the various countries who have gathered in the historic
city of Quebec to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of
the Food and Agriculture Organization.
The theme chosen for this day, "Food for All". Not only refers to the
growing needs of humanity but above all sums up the demand for a
renewed interest in and joint action on behalf of the peoples which, for
various reasons, cannot satisfy their own essential needs. It is the dignity
of every human person which demands that the barriers which hinder the
attainment of this objective should be overcome through the
determination of all and through the allocation of resources to the
appropriate programs conducted by FAO.
The fiftieth anniversary of FAO should encourage a return to the
founding inspiration which led to the creation of this organization: to free
humanity from the specter of hunger by the promotion of planned
agricultural activity and production in every country, and the ensuring of
effective cooperation among all states. This is a plan which cannot be
253
disregarded in the name of particular interests or as a consequence of
unjust policies or mechanisms which slow down the necessary
distribution of the fruits of the earth.
His Holiness asks Almighty God to bless the work of those who promote
World Food Day, and he prays that every member of the human family
will be able to share in the abundant fruits of creation.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The 28th Conference Of The Food
And Agriculture Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 23, 1995
The Fiftieth Anniversary celebration of FAO offers a suitable occasion to
reflect on the international community's commitment to a fundamental
good and duty: the freeing of human beings from malnutrition and the
threat of starvation. As you have pointed out in the recent Quebec
Declaration, it cannot be forgotten that at the origins of FAO there was
not only a desire to strengthen effective cooperation among States in a
primary sector such as agriculture but also the intention to find ways to
guarantee sufficient food for the whole world, through sharing the fruits
of the earth in a rational way. By setting up FAO on 16 October 1945, the
world community hoped to eradicate the scourge of famine and
starvation. The enormous difficulties still involved in this task must not
be allowed to diminish the firmness of your commitment.
Even today tragic situations are unfolding before our eyes: people are
dying of starvation because peace and security have not been guaranteed.
The social and economic situation of the contemporary world makes us
all aware of the extent to which the hunger and malnutrition of millions
of people are the result of evil mechanisms within economic structures,
or are the consequence of unjust criteria in the distribution of resources
and production, policies formulated in order to safeguard special interest
groups, or different forms of protectionism. Furthermore, the precarious
situation in which whole peoples find themselves has led to a mobility of
such alarming dimensions that it cannot be dealt with by traditional
humanitarian assistance alone. The question of refugees and displaced
persons gives rise to dramatic consequences at the level of agricultural
254
production and of food security, affecting the nutrition of millions of
people. FAO's action in recent years has shown that the provision of
emergency help for refugees is not enough; this kind of assistance does
not bring a satisfactory solution as long as conditions of extreme poverty
are allowed to continue and become even more acute, conditions which
lead to increased deaths due to malnutrition and hunger. The underlying
causes of such situations have to be addressed.
Ladies and Gentlemen: the Fiftieth Anniversary celebrations furnish us
with the opportunity to ask why international action, despite the existence
of FAO, has been unable to alter this state of affairs. At the world-wide
level sufficient food can be produced to satisfy everyone's needs. Why
then are so many people threatened by starvation?
As you are well aware, there are many reasons for this paradoxical
situation in which abundance coexists with scarcity, including policies
which forcibly reduce agricultural production, widespread corruption in
public life, and massive investment in sophisticated weapons systems to
the detriment of people's primary needs. These and other reasons
contribute to the creation of what you call "structures of famine". Here
we are speaking of the mechanisms of international business by which
the less favored countries, those most in need of food, are excluded in
one way or another from the market, thus preventing a just and effective
distribution of agricultural products. Yet another reason is that certain
forms of assistance for development are made conditional on the
implementation by poorer countries of policies of structural adjustment,
policies which drastically limit those countries' ability to acquire needed
foodstuffs. Nor can a serious analysis of the underlying causes of hunger
overlook that attitude found in the more developed countries, where a
consumerist culture tends to exalt artificial needs over real ones. This has
direct consequences for the structure of the world economy, and for
agriculture and food production in particular.
These many reasons have their source not only in a false sense of the
values which should sustain international relations, but also in a
widespread attitude which emphasizes having over being. The result is a
real inability on the part of many to appreciate the needs of the poor and
the starving; indeed, to appreciate the poor themselves in their inalienable
human dignity. An effective campaign against hunger thus calls for more
than merely indicating the proper functioning of market mechanisms or
255
attaining higher levels of food production. It is necessary, first and
foremost, to recover a sense of the human person. In my Address to the
General Assembly of the United Nations on 5 October last, I pointed to
the need to build relationships between peoples on the basis of a constant
"exchange of gifts", a real "culture of giving" which should make every
country prepared to meet the needs of the less fortunate.
In this perspective, FAO and other bodies have an essential role to play in
fostering a new sense of international cooperation. During the last fifty
years it has been the merit of FAO to promote people's access to land,
thus favoring agricultural workers and fostering their rights as a condition
for raising production levels. Food assistance, often exploited as a way of
exerting political pressure, has been modified by means of a new
concept: food security, which considers the availability of food not only
in relation to the needs of a country's population, but also in relation to
the productive capacity of neighboring areas, precisely with a view to the
rapid transfer or exchange of foodstuffs.
In addition, the concern which the international community shows for
environmental issues is reflected in FAO's involvement in activities
aimed at limiting damage to the ecosystem and safeguarding food
production from phenomena such as desertification and erosion. The
promotion of effective social justice in relations between peoples entails
the awareness that the goods of Creation are meant for all people, and
that the economic life of the world community should be oriented to
sharing those goods, their use and their benefits.
Today it is more necessary than ever for the international community to
recommit itself to fulfilling the primary purpose for which FAO was
established. Daily bread for every person on earth - that "Fiat panis"
which FAO refers to in its motto - is an essential condition of the world's
peace and security. Courageous choices must be made, choices made in
the light of a correct ethical vision of political and economic activity.
Modifications and reforms of the international system, and of FAO in
particular, need to be rooted in an ethic of solidarity and a culture of
sharing. To direct the labors of this Conference to this end can be a most
fruitful way of preparing for the important meeting of the World Summit
on Nutrition which FAO has scheduled for November 1996.
256
In all these efforts the Catholic Church is close to you, as attested to by
the attention with which the Holy See has followed the activity of FAO
since 1948. In celebrating this Fiftieth Anniversary with you, the Holy
See wishes to demonstrate its continuing support for your endeavors. A
symbolic sign of this support and encouragement will be the bell to be
placed in the FAO headquarters as a remembrance of the establishment,
fifty years ago, of the Family of the United Nations. Bells symbolize joy;
they announce an event. But bells also ring out a call to action. On this
occasion, and in the context of FAO's activity, this bell is meant to call
everyone - countries, different International Organizations, all men and
women of good will - to even greater efforts to free the world from
famine and malnutrition.
The words inscribed on the base of the bell evoke the very purpose of the
United Nations system: "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more" (Is 2:4). These are the words of the
Prophet Isaiah, who proclaimed the dawn of universal peace. But,
according to the Prophet, this peace will come about -and this has great
meaning for FAO - only when "they shall beat their swords into plough
shares, and their spears into pruning hooks" (ibid). For only when people
consider the struggle against hunger as a priority, and are committed to
providing everyone with the means of gaining their daily bread instead of
amassing weapons, will conflicts and wars come to an end and humanity
be able to set forth on a lasting journey of peace.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador of Malawi
Pope John Paul II, May 23, 1996
The challenge of building an ever more united, just and peaceful world
demands that all sectors of society, at the national and international
levels, should work together for the good of humanity. The vision which
shapes and guides this work cannot be focused on economic interests
alone, but must look ultimately to authentic human development, that is,
development which responds to the cultural, ethical and spiritual needs of
all men and women. Economic and political resources are important in
this task, but of even greater importance is the human dimension of
development, the human resources which must be tapped and directed to
257
the cause of progress. These, to name but a few, include creative
initiative, self-sacrifice, commitment to education and research, and an
unshakable resolve to achieve the goals of social justice and the rule of
law.
True development demands that every nation should grow in selfaffirmation. This involves international co-operation which allows
developing nations themselves to decide on the appropriate means of
pursuing their own advancement. But it also demands that within each
nation individual citizens should be enabled to grow in the responsible
exercise of their personal freedoms. Thus the establishment of more
participatory political structures, based on a civil constitution which
defends and honors human dignity, "is the necessary condition and sure
guarantee of the development of the whole individual and of all people"
(Ioannis Pauli PP. II Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 44).
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To An International Conference For
Representatives Of Trade Unions
Pope John Paul II, December 2, 1996
Today we are witnessing, with a mixture of hope and concern, a
widespread restructuring of the world economy. This is taking place
against the background of a profound transformation of productive
systems, due to the introduction of new and sophisticated technologies on
the one hand, and to the globalization of financial and commercial
relations on the other. Technological innovations are leading to increased
productivity, but this reorganization of the production process is having
serious negative consequences for employment.
The demand for greater efficiency is inevitable and legitimate, on
condition however that it is not motivated only by the quest for profit, but
respects work itself as a good to be promoted and shared. The tragic and
often unjust situation of those who do not find work, or have lost it, must
be a major concern when seeking greater efficiency in economic and
productive systems.
At the same time, how can we not recall the ways in which workers in
some parts of the world are made the object of shameless exploitation,
258
often as a result of ideas of the economy which disregard every moral
value? How can we not condemn the unacceptable behavior of those
who, even in some regions with a solid industrial base, exploit the work
of women, and especially of children?
In the dynamic and changing context of today's economy, the right to
work has to be reaffirmed as a fundamental right, corresponding to
people's fundamental responsibility to support themselves and their
families. We are speaking not only of the right to subsistence, but of
making it possible for workers to achieve fulfillment and to play an
active part in the communities to which they belong (cf. John Paul II,
Laborem Exercens, 9-10, 16-18).
Your organizations were established with the purpose of affirming the
value of work and the dignity of the worker. Today, that same purpose
calls you to undertake fresh initiatives in order to help build a society
whose guiding light will be the integral good of all its members. The new
questions being raised by the globalization of the economy and by the
introduction of new technologies require a re-thinking of the union's role
and a renewal of the way in which it represents the labor force in
different situations. This renewal should not compromise the right which
workers have to assemble freely in associations in order to protect their
rights and those of others. From this point of view, labor unions will
continue in the future to play an important role in representing the
interests of workers.
The road to follow is undoubtedly the road of solidarity—a solidarity
which goes counter to the dangerous trends towards social fragmentation.
A shared commitment to the virtue of solidarity is the necessary precondition for determining policies which, in the final analysis, will point
to a new kind of economy, one which never fails to recall that "man's
principle resource is man himself '(John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, 32).
Unions ought to be effective instruments of such a solidarity, which can
be achieved only by means of dialogue, cooperation and a correct and
long-range convergence among the different sectors of society. Along
with other social bodies, unions have a direct part to play in building a
truly just and democratic world, a world enriched by everyone's
responsible and active participation in the economy, as in other important
areas of life (cf. John Paul II, Laborem Exercens, 8, 14). Everyone has a
duty to work for the good of the whole community, national and
international.
259
I encourage you therefore to continue to represent your fellow workers
with all your professional skills and in a spirit of service to the whole
human family. Upon the workers of the world, upon all of you, your
organizations and your countries, I invoke God's abundant blessings.
Excerpts From A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 1996
As a result, many feel imprisoned in a deep inner loneliness. Others
continue to be deliberately discriminated against on grounds of race,
nationality or sex. Poverty is driving masses of people to the margins of
society, or even worse, to extinction. For too many people war has
become a harsh everyday reality. A society interested only in material
and ephemeral goods is tending to marginalize those who are not useful
to its purposes. Faced with situations like these, involving real human
tragedies, some prefer simply to close their eyes, taking refuge in
indifference. Theirs is the attitude of Cain: "Am I my brother's keeper?"
(Gen 4:9). But the Church has the duty to remind everyone of God's
severe admonishment: "What have you done? The voice of your brother's
blood is crying to me from the ground!" (Gen 4:10).
When so many of our brothers and sisters are suffering, we cannot
remain indifferent! Their distress appeals to our conscience, the inner
sanctuary where we come face to face with ourselves and with God. How
can we fail to see that, to different degrees, we are all involved in this
revision of life to which God is calling us? We all need forgiveness from
God and from our neighbor. Therefore we must all be ready to forgive
and to ask for forgiveness.
You men and women in public life, called to serve the common good,
exclude no one from your concerns; take special care of the weakest
sectors of society. Do not put your personal advantage above all else; do
not give in to the lure of corruption and, above all, face even the most
difficult situations with the weapons of peace and reconciliation.
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Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador of Ethiopia
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Pope John Paul II, December 12, 1996
Justice and solidarity are at issue here. These are the social virtues which
must find expression in strategies and plans aimed at helping the poorest
nations and determining fair trade terms and credit agreements. They
should likewise guide the economic and political decisions of national
and international bodies, as policies are developed to address the
problems of the distribution and sharing of necessary resources.
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Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of South
Africa
Pope John Paul II, December 12, 1996
Many difficulties remain. They are aggravated and compounded by
subtle forms of exploitation still afflicting the whole African continent:
the crushing burden of debt, unjust trading practices, the constraints
imposed by economic restructuring programmes. If justice and peace are
to prevail, international solidarity must replace all forms of exploitation.
Wealthier nations are called to show "a sense of moral responsibility for
the other nations, so that a real international system may be established
which will rest on the foundation of the equality of all peoples" (John
Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 39).
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Excerpts From A Message On The Occasion Of World Food Day
1997
Pope John Paul II
The goal of securing concrete results within the first years of the new
millennium appears increasingly linked, not only to decisions of a
political and technical nature, but to a direct change of attitudes, lifestyle, and personal, community and governmental action on the various
levels. Despite the inevitable difficulties which may be encountered
along the way, united and determined action is the only efficacious
response to the cry of those who live personally the tragedy of hunger.
Knowing the causes, defining modes of behavior, implementing policies
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and providing assistance may appear sufficient but are in fact inadequate
without constant reference to people and their actual needs.
The experience of international efforts and of FAO in particular
demonstrates that the mere availability of food is not sufficient to banish
hunger. Correct political, economic and environmental conditions are
necessary to provide a constant and adequate level of food security.
Translated into the ethics of international relations, this means focusing
attention on the individual and collective commitment to devising
practical ways of implementing a real sharing of resources, so that
everyone will feel responsible for his "neighbor" —whether person,
community, nation or State. Awareness that "giving" is superior to
"having" provides a firm foundation both for relations among peoples
and for international solidarity. To allow the life-expectancy of millions
of human beings and entire communities to be compromised or even
denied due to lack of daily sustenance is a glaring negation of humanity's
common conscience and constitutes a violation of fundamental rights,
beginning with people's social and economic rights. This situation cannot
leave us indifferent.
The fact is that certain forms of international assistance, being
increasingly tied to a limited vision of globalization, risk ignoring the
reality of the men and women, in the countryside or in the city, who
remain excluded from the world economy, from organized intervention
or assistance, and even from the benefits deriving from their own work.
The theme of the current World Food Day, "Investing in Food Security",
offers a fresh starting-point for practical international action capable of
involving different kinds of contributions, so long as they are free of
preconditions or selfish interests.
These are the reflections which the Holy Father wishes to offer to all
those throughout the world who celebrate World Food Day, as well as to
those who in any way are involved in the alleviation of hunger and
malnutrition. His hope is that every individual person will search his
heart and find therein those profound human motives which alone can
inspire a renewed "spirit of sharing".
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Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Estonia
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Pope John Paul II, January 11, 1997
Catholic social teaching recognizes the positive role played in a nation’s
economic life by the free market, private property and personal creativity.
But today a great danger must also be acknowledged: the so called
“idolatry” of the market. This occurs whenever an economic system
based on unbridled capitalism dictates policies which plunder natural
resources, disregard the dignity of workers, undermine the family as
society’s basic unit and foster a consumer culture in which “having” is
more important than “being”. Leaders who wish to act ethically must
bear this in mind and examine market forces, ensuring, if necessary, that
they are corrected in the name of the principles of natural law, social
justice, human rights and the common good. The Church offers the rich
patrimony of her social doctrine as a resource and guide to your nation as
it seeks to advance along the path of solidarity and justice. This doctrine
especially stresses the importance of a practical concern for the poor, the
marginalized and the suffering.
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Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of The Kyrgyz
Republic
Pope John Paul II, January 11, 1997
As your people continue to improve their economic and social
conditions, conscientious efforts are needed in order to ensure that new
forms of alienation — ethical relativism and spiritual impoverishment —
do not come to weaken the fabric of social life (cf. Centesimus annus, n.
19). Societies which have only recently adopted a market economy may
be tempted to identify freedom with the self-interest of certain sectors at
the expense of the common good. The advantages of technological
progress and the possibilities offered by intellectual and cultural
exchanges should not lead to a fresh affirmation of a materialistic
mentality which accepts the primacy of things over persons. Nothing of
lasting value is gained when the weaker elements of society are
neglected, or when the pursuit of profit and unbridled competition hinder
solidarity and co-operation. Wise leaders respect the universal moral
norms written by God on the human heart and act according to them,
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convinced that they are the most reliable guide to the authentic renewal
of social and political life.
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Excerpts From An Address To The Philippine Bishops’ Conference
Pope John Paul II, February 10, 1997
The economy likewise has a vital part to play in ensuring the strength of
the family. One of the main criticisms which the Church’s Pastors have
to make regarding the prevailing socioeconomic system, understood as
the subordination of almost all other values to market forces, is that the
family dimension of the work contract is generally ignored. Such a
system makes little or no provision for the family wage. How far are
most societies from what the Church urges: “Just remuneration for the
work of an adult who is responsible for a family means remuneration
which will suffice for establishing and properly maintaining a family and
for providing security for its future” (Laborem exercens, n. 19)!
Legislators, leaders of business, industry and labor, educators and those
working in the mass media, and families themselves, must all be
encouraged to re-create a family-centered economy, based on principles
of subsidiarity and solidarity. True social justice passes by way of the
family! It is also with this in mind that I will be present at the celebration
of the International Day of the Family in Rio de Janeiro next October.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Christian Union Of Business
Executives
Pope John Paul II, March 7, 1997
Your statutes, recently approved by the Italian Episcopal Conference,
include among the principal goals of the Christian Union of Business
Executives “the knowledge, implementation and dissemination of the
Church’s social doctrine”, “the Christian formation of its members and
the development of a high professional morality”, as well as co-operation
among the employees of a business, with respect for the central value of
the person and of solidarity.
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These objectives commit you to considering your association as an
outpost, so to speak, of the Church’s mission in the world of economics
and business, to promote Gospel values by opposing mentalities that
debase the dignity of man such as the various expressions of statism, the
excessive search for profit and different forms of discrimination.
This commitment to giving witness, which has guided the first 50 years
of the UCID, has become ever more urgent in view of the unprecedented
situations in our time, which call on businesses to promote a real wellbeing that can never be separated from human and ethical values.
In this regard, the Church’s social doctrine considers the capacity for
initiative and entrepreneurial ability as an essential part of “disciplined
and creative human work” (Centesimus annus, n. 32), while
acknowledging the businessman’s leading role in development. Energy,
the spirit of initiative and of creativity, indispensable for a businessman,
make him a key figure for social well-being.
The right to entrepreneurial activity and free economic initiative should
therefore be safeguarded and developed, because it is “important not only
for the individual, but also for the common good” (Sollicitudo rei
socialis, n. 15). Corresponding to this right is the businessman’s
responsibility to make his business a community of men who work with
others and for others (cf. Centesimus annus, n. 32) and together they help
one another to mature as human beings, without marginalizing anyone.
It will be the task of your praiseworthy Union to cultivate this essential
function in the vast, dynamic world of Italian business, by drawing
attention especially to the urgency of offering new job opportunities to
the far too many people who today are in critical need of them.
The correct relationship between profit and solidarity represents another
fundamental point of the Church’s social teaching. In fact, a conflict
situation between these demands would not only harm a firm’s efficiency
but would betray its authentic purpose, which “is not simply to make a
profit, but is to be found in its very existence as a community of persons”
(Centesimus annus, n. 35). It will therefore be the businessman’s task to
create suitable conditions so that in the firm the development of the
worker’s ability is harmonized with the rational production of goods and
services.
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The current phenomenon of economic globalization, which is bringing
profound changes to the economic world, highlights the growing
interdependence of those involved in it. Experience shows us each day
that in the contemporary world we all depend on everyone. Solidarity,
more than a duty, is a need that arises from the same objective network of
interconnections. Therefore, attention to the value of solidarity in the
production process not only promotes the good of the person, but also
helps to overcome the profound causes that hinder full development.
I urge your praiseworthy Union to work tirelessly so that economic laws
may increasingly be at the service of man. It is indeed necessary that, in
the transformations that are taking place in business and the production
process, that man should always have the leading role that is his due.
The history of the Christian Union of Business Executives is interwoven
with political and social events in Italy over the last 50 years.
Your association has wanted to be involved in the profound changes that
have taken place in these years by offering the world of production
valuable incentives for humanizing work and business, and by affirming
the values of freedom, justice and solidarity. The new role of social
subjects vis-à-vis the State and the concrete prospects of European
integration today call Christian businessmen to take new leadership in the
Italian Catholic movement and in society, in order to provide concrete
answers to the challenges of the moment and to contribute effectively to
the cultural and economic growth of the country.
As I deeply hope that your Union can carry out its new tasks with the
skill and generosity shown thus far, I entrust you all to the maternal
protection of Mary and impart to each of you, to your businesses and to
your families a special Apostolic Blessing.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A General Audience
Pope John Paul II, March 19, 1997
The Church reminds all who attempt to assert the predominance of
technology, thereby reducing man to a “product” or a means of
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production, that “man is the subject of work”, since in the divine plan
“work is ‘for man’ and not man ‘for work’” (Laborem exercens, nn. 5-6).
For the same reason, she also opposes the claims of capitalism,
proclaiming “the principle of the priority of labor over capital”, since
human labor “is always a primary efficient cause, while capital, the
whole collection of means of production, remains a mere instrument or
instrumental cause” (ibid., n. 12) of the process of production.
While these principles emphasize the condemnation of any form of
alienation in human activity, they are particularly timely with regard to
the serious problem of unemployment, which today affects millions of
people. They reveal in the right to work the modern guarantee of man's
dignity; without suitable work he is deprived of the sufficient conditions
for the adequate development of his personal and social dimension. In
fact, unemployment creates in its victims a grave situation of
marginalization and a painful state of humiliation.
The right to work must therefore be combined with that of the freedom to
choose one’s own activity. These prerogatives however must not be
understood in an individualistic sense, but in relation to the vocation to
service and co-operation with others. Freedom is not exercised morally
without considering its relationship and reciprocity with other freedoms.
These should be understood not so much as restrictions, but as conditions
for the development of individual freedom, and as an exercise of the duty
to contribute to the growth of society as a whole. Thus work is primarily
a right because it is a duty arising from man’s social relations. It
expresses man’s vocation to service and solidarity.
The figure of St Joseph recalls the urgent need to give a soul to the world
of work. His life, marked by listening to God and by familiarity with
Christ, appears as a harmonious synthesis of faith and life, of personal
fulfillment and love for one's brothers and sisters, of daily commitment
and of trust in the future.
May his witness remind those who work that, only by accepting the
primacy of God and the light that comes from Christ's Cross and
Resurrection, can they fulfill the conditions of a labor worthy of man and
find in daily toil “a glimmer of new life, of the new good, as if it were an
announcement of ‘the new heavens and the new earth’ in which man and
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the world participate precisely through the toil that goes with work”
(Laborem exercens, n. 27).
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Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Nicaragua
Pope John Paul II, March 24, 1997
In Nicaragua, Mr Ambassador, the road to establishing a stable
democracy, which will guarantee the harmonious promotion of human
rights for all, is conditioned, as in other areas of the American continent,
by economic collapse and social crisis. These especially affect those with
limited material resources, who are also exposed to widespread
unemployment and are often the victims of administrative corruption and
many forms of violence. It should not be forgotten that economic
imbalances likewise contribute to the gradual deterioration and loss of
moral values. Among their effects are family breakdown, social
permissiveness and little respect for life.
In this regard, among the priorities of the present time there is an urgent
need to recover the above-mentioned values through political and social
measures that encourage decent, steady employment for all, so that the
material poverty in which many of the inhabitants live will be overcome,
the family institution will be strengthened and access to education for all
classes of the population will be fostered. On these lines, it is inescapable
that special care be given to education by developing a genuine policy to
strengthen and spread those moral and spiritual values that are basic to a
truly human society which, like yours, is rooted in Christian principles.
Thus a contribution will be made to enabling the Nicaraguan people, so
rich in human and traditional values, to live in peace, through progress
and the appropriate spiritual, cultural and material development in an
atmosphere of social justice and solidarity. Indeed, this cannot be reduced
to a vague emotional sentiment or an empty word. Solidarity demands an
active moral commitment, a firm and constant determination to devote
oneself to the common good, that is, to the good of one and all, because
we are all responsible for one another.
In a context of increasingly powerful political and economic associations,
there is a growing need for greater solidarity between the countries of the
isthmus, called to struggle together against poverty, unemployment and
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other evils that threaten its stability and welfare. The international
community for its part, as I had the opportunity to recall in the abovementioned visit, must help by offering its collaboration, as in the past, so
that through effective aid and exchange programs better conditions may
be created for all (cf. Farewell address in Managua, 7 February 1996, n.
3; L’Osservatore Romano English edition, 14 February 1996, p. 8).
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To A Conference On Environment And
Health
Pope John Paul II, March 24, 1997
In the secularized modern age we are seeing the emergence of a twofold
temptation: a concept of knowledge no longer understood as wisdom and
contemplation, but as power over nature, which is consequently regarded
as an object to be conquered. The other temptation is the unbridled
exploitation of resources under the urge of unlimited profit-seeking,
according to the capitalistic mentality typical of modern societies.
Thus the environment has often fallen prey to the interests of a few
strong industrial groups, to the detriment of humanity as a whole, with
the ensuing damage to the balance of the ecosystem, the health of the
inhabitants and of future generations to come.
Today we often witness the taking of opposite and exaggerated positions:
on the one hand, in the name of the exhaustibility and insufficiency of
environmental resources, demands are made to limit the birth rate,
especially among the poor and developing peoples. On the other, in the
name of an idea inspired by egocentrism and biocentrism it is being
proposed that the ontological and axiological difference between men
and other living beings be eliminated, since the biosphere is considered a
biotic unity of undifferentiated value. Thus man’s superior responsibility
can be eliminated in favor of an egalitarian consideration of the “dignity”
of all living beings.
But the balance of the ecosystem and the defense of the healthiness of the
environment really need human responsibility and a responsibility that
must be open to new forms of solidarity. An open and comprehensive
solidarity with all men and all peoples is essential, founded on respect for
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life and the promotion of sufficient resources for the poorest and for
future generations.
If humanity today succeeds in combining the new scientific capacities
with a strong ethical dimension, it will certainly be able to promote the
environment as a home and a resource for man and for all men, and will
be able to eliminate the causes of pollution and to guarantee adequate
conditions of hygiene and health for small groups as well as for vast
human settlements.
Technology that pollutes can also cleanse, production which amasses can
also distribute justly, on condition that the ethic of respect for life and
human dignity, for the rights of today’s generations and those to come
prevails.
This requires firm points of reference and inspiration: a clear knowledge
of creation as a work of God’s provident wisdom and the awareness of
human dignity and responsibility in the plan of creation.
It is by looking at the face of God that man can brighten the face of the
earth and ensure environmental hospitality for man today and tomorrow.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Pontifical Council Cor Unum
Pope John Paul II, April 18, 1997
You are attentive agents and leaders in facing emergency situations,
reacting to all forms of poverty and enslavement and promoting the
integral development of individuals and peoples. I thank the Lord with
you for all he enables us to accomplish to alleviate the misery and
suffering of our brothers and sisters.
The mission of your dicastery, whose name calls to mind the unanimity
of the first Christian community — they were of one heart in prayer, in
the breaking of bread and in fraternal sharing (cf. Acts 2:42-47) — is to
manifest in the Church charity, which has its source in Christ. Moreover,
“the Body of Christ is built up in all charity” (Fulgentius of Ruspe, Letter
to Ferrandus, 14).
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Your assembly is first of all an opportunity to review the 25 years of the
Council's existence, founded in 1971 by Paul VI. Your are God’s
stewards, responsible for carefully administering the gifts of the faithful,
sensitizing Christians to the needs of their brothers and sisters, constantly
reviving the spirit of generosity in the Church, harmonizing and
coordinating various interventions. Through your plans of action and
your work, you are also the leaven of unity in the Church and bearers of
hope for all the poor, who become aware of the importance of the Gospel
for transforming the world. By conducting theological and exegetical
reflections for a deeper understanding of the spiritual meaning of
charitable service, you restore to charity its title of nobility: it cannot be
reduced to selective efforts without long-term commitment. At the same
time, you have appropriately developed formation in the practice of
charity, so that the civilization of love may extend to the four corners of
the world.
Our society is undergoing many crises: an increase in the number of the
poor, displaced persons, the marginalized and the homeless; an increase
in social inequalities and dehumanizing forms of work. To deal with
these situations, the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”, to which Pope Paul
VI gave a specific identity which must be preserved, is essential. With a
global vision of the needs of our world, it aims at combining the
resources and initiatives of Catholic aid organizations by the exchange of
information and increased cooperation (cf. Letter to Cardinal Villot
Amoris officio, 15 July 1971), in close collaboration with the diocesan
Bishops, who are responsible for leading the People of God and for
guiding pastoral life, as well as with all the institutions of the local
Churches and the other organizations of the Roman Curia concerned with
charitable matters, in the broadest sense of the term. Likewise, it is
responsible for maintaining trustworthy relations with the specialized
agencies of the UN, whose determination to eradicate poverty with an
extensive program, in the spirit of the commitments made at the
Copenhagen World Summit, I applaud.
Wherever they are carried out — and this is the meaning of charity —
interventions of aid, help and assistance must be made in a spirit of
service and as a free gift, for the benefit of all those people, without any
ulterior motives of possible supervision or proselytism, which would
suggest that charity is offered in part for political or economic goals.
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Another purpose of your dicastery’s assembly is to prepare the Year of
Charity, which will precede the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.
Contemplation of the Trinity leads man to live in love and opens him to
charity. St Matthew reminds us of the deep connection between prayer
and almsgiving. Prayer enlarges the heart and makes it attentive to men;
by developing fraternity, sharing enables us to be aware that we are
children of the same Father (cf. Mt 6:1-15). And it is by drawing from the
source of love that we will be able to love truly (cf. Centesimus annus, n.
25).
That final preparatory year, when we will turn our gaze to the Father of
all mercy, is particularly appropriate because “charity is the form of all
the virtues” (St Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 23, a. 8).
Charity brings us into the mystery of God, makes us docile to the Holy
Spirit, enables us to rediscover the value of reconciliation with the Lord
and with our brothers and sisters (cf. Tertio millennio adveniente, n. 50),
and leads us to do good works (cf. Jn 14:12-17).
It is necessary constantly to rekindle in the faithful the desire to show the
love of the Lord, who does not differentiate between persons and puts the
good of others before all else (cf. Veritatis splendor, n. 82). “By works of
charity, one becomes neighbor to those to whom one does a good turn”
(Origen, Commentary on the Song of Solomon, I), and extends a hand to
one’s brothers and sisters; thus the Church bears witness that every
person is more valuable than all the gold in the world; she will be anxious
as long as men and women face catastrophes or conflicts, die of hunger,
lack what they need for food or clothing, for their own health care or for
nourishing those for whom they are responsible.
By their witness of fraternal charity, Christ’s disciples also contribute to
justice, peace and the development of peoples. “Charity is the greatest
social commandment. It respects others and their rights. It requires the
practice of justice, and it alone makes us capable of it. Charity inspires a
life of self-giving” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1889). The
desire to make justice and peace reign in our world implies that one is
concerned to share resources. Charity contributes to this, because it
creates ties of mutual esteem and friendship between individuals and
peoples. It inspires generosity in men, who become aware of the need for
greater international solidarity. It should be recalled that this cannot be
achieved without a true service of charity which implies not only sharing
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one’s surplus, but also being ready to share one's own necessities. As St
Ambrose of Milan illustrated so well, distinguishing between the
necessary and the indispensable enables each person to be more open and
more generous to his needy brothers and sisters, to purify his personal
relationship with money and to moderate his attachment to the good
things of this world. (cf. De Nabuthe).
In all the members of the Church and all people of goodwill, the Jubilee
must foster an awareness of the need to co-operate in meeting the
challenge of sharing, of the equitable distribution of goods and of joining
forces; in this way everyone will contribute to the building up of a more
just and fraternal society, the promise of the kingdom, because love is a
witness to the kingdom to come and it alone can radically transform the
world. Charity restores hope to the poor, who realize they are truly loved
by God; they all have their place in building society and have a right to
what they need for their subsistence.
Love for the poor highlights the need for social justice, as the document,
World Hunger, which your dicastery published last year, recalls. But at
the same time, it should be stressed that charity goes beyond justice, for it
is an invitation to go beyond the order of mere equity to the order of love
and self-giving, so that the ties woven between people are based on
respect for others and the recognition of brotherhood, which are the
essential foundations of life in society.
Those who practice charity carry out a profound work of evangelization:
“The spirit of poverty and charity is the glory and witness of the Church
of Christ” (Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et spes, n. 88). Sometimes,
action in communion is more eloquent than any teaching; and actions
joined to words give particularly effective witness. The disciples of the
Lord will recall that serving the poor and suffering is serving Christ, who
is the light of the world. By living daily in the love that comes from him,
the faithful help spread light in the world. Charity is also mankind's
highest development; it conforms men and women to the Lord and frees
man from earthly possessions. Thus they can truly examine themselves to
learn whether they possess goods or are possessed by them, whether
wealth is the centre of their attention or their heart is open to their
brothers and sisters.
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At the end of this meeting, dear brothers and sisters, I commend the
activities of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum” to the intercession of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, asking her to support you as she supported the
Apostles in the Upper Room, as they awaited the Spirit of Pentecost. I
cordially grant my Apostolic Blessing to you all, to those who collaborate
with you in the works of charity and to your loved ones.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Ambassador Of Mauritius
Pope John Paul II, April 24, 1997
The Church seeks to promote understanding and foster effective
solidarity between peoples and nations. She does so above all by
contributing to the formation and development of the human spirit, and
by striving to enkindle in people a zeal to work selflessly and responsibly
for the common good.
This is also the motivation behind the Church's presence in the
international community, where her activity is aimed at fostering
dialogue between nations in order to bring about true and lasting peace in
the world. Steadfast commitment to integral human development remains
an essential element of this peace, for there can be peace only when
everyone has a just share in the benefits of progress. There is an intrinsic
connection between development and respect for human dignity and
human rights. Development in fact cannot be limited solely to the
material sphere but must be centered on the genuine fulfillment of the
person. An economic system that would turn people into mere means of
production and profit could never satisfy their deepest aspirations for a
better life. Here we see that there is a moral dimension to development,
which requires that absolute respect be given to all the demands that
derive from the order of truth and good proper to the human person (cf.
Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 33).
Moreover, the legitimate development to which every country aspires
cannot be pursued irresponsibly, at the cost of the natural environment.
Entire regions of the globe are threatened by excessive exploitation of
natural resources and by inadequately controlled pollution. Nations and
individuals have a moral duty to protect the common patrimony of
animal and plant life, and to avoid contaminating land, sea and air.
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Recalling the great beauty of your own Island nation, I express the hope
that the international community as a whole will implement without
delay the policies needed in order to ensure that the legacy of a healthy
natural environment is handed on to future generations.
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Excerpts From An Address To The Academy Of Social Sciences
Pope John Paul II, April 25, 1997
I am pleased to meet you on the occasion of the plenary session of the
Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, dedicated to a reflection on the
theme of work, already begun last year. The choice of this theme is
particularly appropriate, for human work “is a key, probably the essential
key, to the whole social question” (Laborem exercens, n. 3). The deep
economic and social transformations we are experiencing make the theme
of work more and more complex and it has serious human repercussions,
for it gives rise to anxieties and expectations in many families and many
persons, especially the young.
I thank your President, Professor Edmond Malinvaud, for his courteous
words and for the availability he is showing to the very young Pontifical
Academy. I renew my gratitude to you all for the generosity with which
in this institution you put your expertise not only at the service of
science, but also of the Church’s social doctrine (cf. Statutes, art. 1).
In fact the service which the Magisterium must give in this area has
become more demanding today, because it must address a situation in the
contemporary world that is changing with extraordinary speed. Of
course, the Church’s social teaching, to the extent that she proposes
principles based on the natural law and the Word of God, does not vary
with the changes of history. However, these principles can be constantly
clarified, especially in their concrete applications. And history shows that
the corpus of social doctrine is continuously enriched with new
perspectives and aspects in relation to cultural and social developments. I
am pleased to stress the basic continuity and dynamic nature of the
Magisterium in social matters at the time of the 30th anniversary of the
Encyclical Populorum progressio, in which Pope Paul VI, on 26 March
1976 after the Second Vatican Council and on the way opened by Pope
John XXIII, proposed a penetrating reinterpretation of the “social
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question” in its world dimension. How can we fail to recall the prophetic
cry he uttered, making himself the voice of the voiceless and the most
underprivileged peoples? Paul VI wanted in this way to awaken
consciences and show that the objective to reach was integral
development through the advancement “of every man and of the whole
man” (cf. Populorum progressio, n. 14). To mark the 20th anniversary of
that document, I published the Encyclical Sollicitudo rei socialis, in
which I returned to the theme of solidarity and examined it in greater
depth. During these last 10 years, many social events, especially the
collapse of the communist systems, have considerably changed the face
of the earth. Given the speed of social change, it is right today to verify
and evaluate continuously. This is the role of your academy which, three
years after its foundation, has already made some enlightening
contributions; its progress is particularly promising for the future.
In your current research, the detailed study of labor laws is of great
interest, especially if one considers the current trend of “market
instability”. This is a topic which the Magisterium has addressed several
times. Personally, I reminded you last year of the moral principle
according to which the demands of the market, deeply marked by
competition, must not “go against the primordial right of every man to
have work through which he can earn a living for himself and his family”
(Address of 22 March 1996, n. 3; L'Osservatore Romano English edition,
n. 14, 3 April 1996). Returning to this topic today, I would like to stress
that when she enunciates this principle, the Church does not at all mean
to condemn the deregulation of the market in itself, but asks that it be
envisaged and implemented with respect for the primacy of the human
person, to which economic systems must be subject. History amply
demonstrates the failure of regimes characterized by planning that is
harmful to civil and economic freedoms. But nevertheless, this does not
justify models that are diametrically opposed to them. For, unfortunately,
experience shows that a market economy, left to unconditional freedom,
is far from bringing the greatest possible advantages to individuals and
societies. It is true that the amazing economic vitality of certain newly
industrialized countries seems to confirm the fact that the market can
produce wealth and well-being, even in poor regions. But in a broader
perspective, one cannot forget the human price of these processes. Above
all, one cannot forget the persistent scandal of serious inequalities
between the different nations and between persons and groups within
each country, as you emphasized at your first plenary session (cf. The
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study of the tension between human equality and social inequalities from
the perspective of the various social sciences, Vatican City, 1996).
There are still too many poor people in the world who have no access to
the least portion of the opulent wealth of a minority. In the framework of
the “globalization” of the economy, still called “internationalization” (cf.
Centesimus annus, n. 58), if the easy transfer of resources and production
systems, effected only in virtue of the criterion of maximum profit and
unbridled competition, increases opportunities for employment and wellbeing in certain regions, at the same time it ignores other less privileged
regions and can aggravate unemployment in countries with a
longstanding industrial tradition. The “globalized” organization of work,
profiting from the extreme privation of developing peoples, often entails
grave situations of exploitation that mock the elementary demands of
human dignity.
With regard to these orientations, it is essential that political activity
assure a balanced market in its classical form by applying the principles
of subsidiarity and solidarity, according to the model of the social State.
If the latter functions moderately, it will also avoid a system of excessive
assistance that creates more problems than it solves. On this condition, it
continues to be an expression of authentic civilization, an indispensable
tool for the defense of the most underprivileged social classes, often
crushed by the exorbitant power of the “global market”. Indeed, today we
profit from the fact that new technologies make it possible to produce and
trade almost without restriction in every part of the world, to reduce
unskilled manpower and impose on it numerous constraints, by relying,
after the end of the “blocs” and the gradual disappearance of borders, on
a new supply of poorly paid workers.
Moreover, how is it possible to underestimate the risks of this situation,
not only according to the demands of social justice, but further, according
to the broadest perspectives of civilization? In itself, a balanced and wellregulated world market can bring with prosperity the development of
culture, democracy, solidarity and peace. But one can expect very
different effects from an unbridled market which, under the pretext of
competitiveness, prospers by exploiting man and the environment to
excess. This type of market, ethically unacceptable, can only have
disastrous consequences, at least in the long term. It tends to confirm,
generally in the material sense, the living cultures and traditions of
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peoples; it eradicates fundamental and common ethical and cultural
values; it risks creating a great void of human values, “an anthropological
void”, quite apart from most dangerously compromising the ecological
balance. So how is it possible not to fear an explosion of deviant and
violent behavior which would create powerful tensions in the social
body? Freedom itself would be threatened, and even the market which
had profited from the absence of hindrances. All things considered, the
reality of “globalization”, viewed in a balanced way with its positive
potential and the fears it raises, is a call not to postpone the
harmonization of the “demands of the economy” with the demands of
ethics.
It should nevertheless be recognized that within the framework of a
“world” economy, the ethical and juridical regulation of the market is
objectively more difficult. Indeed, to achieve it effectively the domestic
political initiatives of the different countries do not suffice; what is
needed is an “increased co-ordination among the more powerful
countries” and the consolidation of a democratic global order with
agencies where “the interests of the whole human family be equally
represented” (Centesimus annus, n. 58). Agencies, at the regional or
world level, are not lacking. I am thinking in particular of the United
Nations Organization and of its various agencies providing social
assistance. I am also thinking of the role played by institutions such as
the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization. It is
urgent that, in the field of freedom, a culture of “rules” should be
reinforced which is not limited to a mere commercial function but takes
charge, through reliable juridical tools, of the protection of human rights
in all the parts of the world. The more “global” the market, the more it
must be balanced by a “global” culture of solidarity, attentive to the
needs of the weakest. Unfortunately, despite grand declarations of
principle, this reference to values is increasingly jeopardized by the
resurgence of selfishness among nations or groups, and at a deeper level,
by a widespread ethical and cultural relativism, which is a threat to the
perception of man’s very meaning.
But here — and the Church will never tire of repeating it! — is the
Gordian knot to be cut, the crucial point on which economic and political
perspectives must be focused, to explain their foundations and the
possibility of their convergence. It is therefore right that you have
included in your agenda, together with the problems of employment,
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those of democracy. The two problems are inevitably linked. In fact,
democracy is only possible “on the basis of a correct conception of the
human person” (Centesimus annus, n. 46), which involves the
recognition of the right of each person to take an active part in public life
with a view to achieving the common good. But how can someone who is
not properly protected at the economic level and even lacks the basic
necessities be guaranteed participation in democratic life? When even the
right to life from conception to its natural end is not fully respected as an
absolutely inalienable right, democracy is undermined and the formal
rules for participation become an alibi that conceals the tyranny of the
strong over the weak (cf. Evangelium vitae, nn. 20 and 70).
Dear Academicians, I am most grateful for your reflections on these
essential subjects. At stake is not only an ever more pertinent ecclesial
witness, but the construction of a society that fully respects the dignity of
man who can never be considered an object or a commodity, because he
bears God’s image within him. The problems facing us are immense, but
future generations will ask us to account for the way in which we have
exercised our responsibilities. Further, we are accountable to the Lord of
history. The Church therefore relies very much on your work, marked by
scientific rigor, attentive to the Magisterium and, at the same time, open
to dialogue with the multiple tendencies of contemporary culture.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, June 1, 1997
“The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season”
(Ps 145:15).
In the first reading of today’s liturgy Moses speaks to us of God who
feeds his people on their journey through the wilderness to the Promised
Land: “Remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you
these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you
to know what was in your heart ... [he] fed you in the wilderness with
manna which your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and
test you, to do you good in the end” (Dt 8:2, 16). The image of a pilgrim
people in the wilderness, which emerges from these words, speaks also to
us who are approaching the end of the second millennium after Christ’s
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birth. In this image all the peoples and nations of the whole earth find a
place, and especially those who suffer from hunger.
During this Statio Orbis we need to recall the whole “geography of
hunger”, which includes many areas of the world. At this moment
millions of our brothers and sisters are suffering from hunger, and many
are dying of it — especially children! In an age of unprecedented
development, of advanced systems and technology, the tragedy of hunger
is a great challenge and a great indictment! The earth is capable of
feeding everyone. Why then today, at the end of the 20th century, are
thousands of people dying of hunger? There is needed here a serious and
worldwide examination of conscience — an examination of conscience
regarding social justice, elementary solidarity among human beings.
We do well to recall here the fundamental truth that the earth belongs to
God, and all the riches which it contains have been placed by God in
man’s hands, to use them in the right way, so that they can serve the good
of all. This is the purpose of created goods. The very law of nature bears
testimony to this. During this Eucharistic Congress there cannot fail to be
a joint invocation for bread in the name of all who are suffering from
hunger. We address it first of all to God, who is Father of all: “Give us
this day our daily bread”! But we make it also to the politicians and
economists, upon whom rests responsibility for a just distribution of
goods, on both the worldwide and the national levels: we must finally put
an end to the scourge of hunger! May solidarity prevail over the
unrestrained desire for profit and ways of applying trade laws which do
not take into account inalienable human rights.
Upon each one of us there rests a small part of responsibility for this
injustice. Each of us in some way has firsthand experience of the hunger
and poverty of others. Let us learn to share our bread with those who
have none, or who have less than we do! Let us learn how to open our
hearts to the needs of our brothers and sisters who are suffering because
of poverty and neglect! Sometimes they are ashamed to admit it and hide
their need. We should discreetly offer them a friendly hand. This is also
the lesson taught to us by the Eucharist — the bread of life. It was
eloquently put by Brother St Albert, the poor man of Kraków, who
dedicated his life to the service of the most needy. He would often say:
“We must be good like bread, which is on the table for everyone and
from which each can cut a slice and eat, if he is hungry”.
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Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, June 2, 1997
Many times I have dealt with social questions in my talks, and above all
in my Encyclicals: Laborem Exercens, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis,
Centesimus Annus. Yet, as long as there is an injustice in the world, no
matter how small, we must return to these themes. Otherwise the Church
would not be faithful to the mission entrusted to her by Christ — the
mission of justice. Times in fact do change, circumstances change, but
there are always in our midst those who need the voice of the Church and
that of the Pope, to give expression to their anxiety, pain and misery.
They must not be disappointed. They must know that the Church was and
is with them, that the Pope is with them; that he embraces with his heart
and with his prayer all who are affected by suffering. The Pope will
speak out — and he cannot fail to speak out — on social problems,
because here man is involved, concrete individuals.
I speak about this in Poland too, because I know that my Nation needs
this message about justice. Today, in fact, in these times of the building
of a democratic State, in these times of dynamic economic development,
we see with particular clarity all the shortcomings in the social life of our
country. Every day we become aware of how many families are suffering
from poverty, especially large families. How many single mothers are
struggling to take care of their children! How many old people there are
who are abandoned and without means to live! In institutions for orphans
and abandoned children there is no lack of those without enough food
and clothing. How can we fail to mention the sick who cannot be given
proper care because of a lack of resources? On the streets and in the
squares the number of homeless people is increasing. We cannot pass
over in silence the presence in our midst of all these brothers and sisters
who are also members of the Mystical Body of Christ. As we approach
the Eucharistic table to be fed with his Body we cannot remain
indifferent to those who lack daily bread. We need to talk about them, but
we must also meet their needs. This is an obligation that rests especially
on those who exercise authority: those who are at the service of the
common good have the obligation to establish appropriate laws and to
guide the national economy in such a way that these painful phenomena
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of social life find a proper solution. But it is also a common duty of us
all, a duty of love, to provide help according to our abilities to those who
expect it. "As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did
it to me" (Mt 25:40). Our Christian work is needed, our love, so that
Christ present in our neighbor will not suffer want.
Despite these efforts, there still remains a wide field for action. I
encourage you, Brothers and Sisters, to become ever more sensitive to
every kind of need and to work generously with others to bring hope to
those who have none. May the Eucharist be for you an endless source of
this sensitivity and of the strength necessary for putting it into action in
daily life.
I would like to dwell for a moment on the question of human work. At
the beginning of my Pontificate I devoted to this problem a whole
Encyclical, Laborem Exercens. Today, sixteen years after its publication,
many problems are still with us. Many of these are even more acute in
our country. How can I fail to mention those who, following the
reorganization of businesses and agricultural enterprises, have found
themselves faced with the tragedy of the loss of their jobs? How many
individuals and entire families have fallen into extreme poverty because
of this! How many young people no longer see any reason to take up
studies or to raise the level of their qualifications, because they are faced
with the prospect of lack of employment in their chosen profession! I
wrote in the Encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis that unemployment is a
sign of social and economic underdevelopment in States (cf. No. 18).
Therefore everything possible should be done to prevent this situation.
Work, in fact, "is a good thing for man — a good thing for his humanity
— because through work man not only transforms nature, adapting it to
his own needs, but he also achieves fulfillment as a human being and
indeed, in a sense, becomes ?more a human being'" (Laborem Exercens,
9). On the other hand, for Christians who own means of production it is
also an obligation springing from faith and love to work for the creation
of jobs, and thus contribute to the solution of the problem of
unemployment around them. I pray earnestly to God that all who desire
to earn an honest living by the work of their own hands will find the right
conditions to do so.
Alongside the problem of unemployment there is also the attitude of
those who consider the worker as a tool of production, with the result that
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man is insulted in his personal dignity. In practice, this phenomenon
takes the form of exploitation. It is often manifested in conditions of
employment in which the worker not only has no guaranteed rights but is
subjected to such an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear of the loss of his
job that he is in practice deprived of any freedom of decision. This
exploitation is also often seen in the fixing of work schedules which
deprive the worker of the right to rest and to provide for the spiritual
good of his family. This is often associated with inadequate pay, together
with a negligence in the areas of insurance and health assistance. Nor are
there lacking cases in which the right to personal dignity is denied,
especially with regard to women.
Human labor cannot be treated merely as a resource necessary for
production — the so-called "work force". Man cannot be regarded as a
tool of production. Man is the creator of work and its craftsman.
Everything must be done to ensure that work does not lose its proper
dignity. The purpose of work — of all work — is man himself. By means
of his work he should be able to perfect and deepen his own personality.
It is not right to forget — and I want to emphasize this strongly — that
work is "for man" and not man "for work". God places before us great
tasks, demanding from us testimony in the social sphere. As Christians,
as people who believe, we must sensitize our consciences to every kind
of injustice and every form of exploitation, open or disguised.
Here I speak first of all to those brothers in Christ who give work to
others. Do not let yourselves be deceived by visions of immediate profit,
at the expense of others. Beware of any semblance of exploitation.
Otherwise every sharing in the Eucharistic Bread will become for you an
accusation. On the other hand, to those who undertake work, any type of
work, I say: do it responsibly, honestly and accurately. Take on your
duties in a spirit of cooperation with God in the work of the creation of
the world. "Subdue the earth" (cf. Gen 1:28). Take on your work with a
sense of responsibility for the promotion of the common good, which is
to serve not only the present generation but all those who in the future
will dwell in this land — our homeland — Poland.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The European Congress On The
Church’s Social Doctrine
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Pope John Paul II, June 20, 1997
A satisfactory education in social involvement implies a twofold and
unitive requirement: to have a thorough knowledge of the Church’s social
doctrine on the one hand and, on the other, to be able to discern
concretely the effects of the Gospel message on man’s fulfillment in the
different circumstances of his earthly existence. This twofold
requirement becomes particularly urgent if one considers the theme of
development, which you have addressed during the Convention’s work.
In fact, while the current processes of economic globalization present
many positive aspects, they also reveal worrying tendencies to leave the
neediest countries and even entire regions on the fringes of development.
It is the world of employees above all that is obliged to face the
frequently dramatic consequences of imposing changes in production and
the distribution of goods and economic services.
The sector most favored in the processes of economic globalization
seems to be the one commonly called “private” because of its dynamic
entrepreneurial dimension. The Church’s social doctrine recognizes that
it certainly has a significant role in promoting development, but at the
same time reminds each one of his responsibility to be keenly sensitive to
the values of the common good and social justice, and always to act
accordingly. The lack, at international level, of adequate structures to
regulate and direct the current processes of economic globalization, does
not diminish the social responsibility of business people working in this
context. The plight of the poorest persons and nations requires each one
to assume his own responsibilities so that favorable conditions for the
authentic development of all can be created without delay.
Peoples have a right to development: it is therefore the organization of
economic, political and social structures and the very principles
governing the distribution of work implemented so far that need to be
reviewed and corrected, in accordance with each person's right to work
within the framework of the common good. The Pontifical Council for
Justice and Peace continues to focus attention on this urgent need,
entering into an explanatory dialogue with qualified representatives of
the various economic and social categories, such as entrepreneurs,
economists, trade unionists, international institutions, and the academic
world.
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Excerpts From A Message On The Occasion Of The World Day Of
Migration
Pope John Paul II, November 7, 1997
The Church looks with deep pastoral concern at the increased flow of
migrants and refugees, and questions herself about the causes of this
phenomenon and the particular conditions of those who are forced for
various reasons to leave their homeland. In fact, the situation of the
world's migrants and refugees seems ever more precarious. Violence
sometimes obliges entire populations to leave their homeland to escape
repeated atrocities; more frequently, it is poverty and the lack of
prospects for development which spur individuals and families to go into
exile, to seek ways to survive in distant lands, where it is not easy to find
a suitable welcome.
Many initiatives aim at alleviating the hardships and sufferings of
migrants and refugees. I express my deep appreciation of those who are
dedicated to them, together with a cordial encouragement to continue
generously supporting them, overcoming the many difficulties they meet
on the way. In addition to the problems connected with cultural, social
and sometimes even religious barriers, there are those associated with
other phenomena such as the unemployment that afflicts even countries
which have been the traditional destination of immigrants, the break-up
of families, the lack of services and the precarious situation of so many
aspects of daily life. Moreover, the host community fears the loss of its
own identity because of the rapid increase of these "strangers" through
their demographic growth, the legal mechanisms for reuniting families
and clandestine enlistment in the so-called underground economy. When
there is no prospect of harmonious and peaceful integration, withdrawal
into self, tension with one's surroundings, dispersal and the waste of
energies become real risks, with negative and sometimes tragic results.
People find themselves "more scattered than before, divided in speech,
divided among themselves, incapable of consensus and agreement"
(Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliatio et Paenitentia, n.13).
The mass media can play an important role, both positive and negative.
Their activity can foster a proper evaluation and better understanding of
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the problems of the "new arrivals", dispelling prejudices and emotional
reactions, or instead, it can breed rejection and hostility, impeding and
jeopardizing proper integration.
All this raises urgent challenges to the Christian community, which
makes attention to migrants and refugees one of its pastoral priorities.
From this standpoint Word Migration Day is an appropriate occasion for
reflecting on how to intervene ever more effectively in this sensitive
apostolate.
For the Christian, acceptance of and solidarity with the stranger are not
only a human duty of hospitality, but a precise demand of fidelity itself to
Christ's teaching. For the believer, caring for migrants means striving to
guarantee a place within the individual Christian community for his
brothers and sisters coming from afar, and working so that every human
being's personal rights are recognized. The Church invites all people of
goodwill to make their own contribution so that every person is respected
and discriminations that debase human dignity are banned. Her action,
sustained by prayer, is inspired by the Gospel and guided by her age-old
experience.
The Ecclesial Community's activity is also an incentive to the leaders of
peoples and international communities, institutions and organizations of
various kinds involved in the phenomenon of migration. An expert in
humanity, the Church fulfills her task by enlightening consciences with
her teaching and witness, and by encouraging appropriate initiatives to
ensure that immigrants find the right place within individual societies.
In particular, she concretely urges Christian migrants and refugees not to
turn in on themselves, isolating themselves from the pastoral life of the
Diocese or parish that accepts them. At the same time, however, she puts
clergy and faithful on guard against attempting merely to assimilate
them, which destroys their particular characteristics. Rather she
encourages the gradual integration of these brothers and sisters, making
the most of their diversity to build an authentic family of believers which
is welcoming and supportive.
To this end it is good for the local community into which migrants and
refugees are integrated to provide them with structures that help them
actively assume their responsibilities. In this regard, the priest
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specifically assigned to the care of migrants is asked to be a bridge
between different cultures and mentalities. This presupposes an
awareness that he is fulfilling a truly missionary ministry "in the same
way that Christ by his Incarnation committed himself to the particular
social and cultural circumstances of the people among whom he lived"
(Ad gentes, n.10).
Moreover, the fact that apostolic action for migrants is sometimes carried
out in the midst of suspicion and even hostility can never become a
reason for abandoning the commitment to solidarity and human
advancement. Jesus' demanding assertion: "I was a stranger and you
welcomed me" (Mt 25:35) retains its power in all circumstances and
challenges the conscience of those who intend to follow in his footsteps.
For the believer, accepting others is not only philanthropy or a natural
concern for his fellow man. It is far more, because in every human being
he knows he is meeting Christ, who expects to be loved and served in our
brothers and sisters, especially in the poorest and neediest.
Jesus, the only-begotten Son made man, is the living icon of God's
solidarity with men. "Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became
poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich" (2 Cor 8:9). Only a
Christian community really attentive to others welcomes and carries on
the legacy bequeathed by Jesus to the Apostles in the Upper Room on the
eve of his death on the Cross: "Such as my love has been for you, so must
your love be for each other" (Jn 13:34). The Redeemer asks for a love
that is self-giving, gratuitous and disinterested.
In this regard, the words of St James, who wrote to the "twelve tribes of
the diaspora", probably Christians of Jewish origin dispersed throughout
the Graeco-Roman world, sound more prophetic than ever: "What does it
profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his
faith save him? If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food,
and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled', without
giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith
by itself, if it has no works, is dead" (Jas 2:14-17).
I am pleased to call attention here to the shining example of an apostle
who was able to witness in a living and prophetic way to Christ's love for
migrants. I am speaking of Bishop John Baptist Scalabrini, whom I had
the joy of beatifying today, 9 November.
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He was deeply moved by the dramatic exodus of migrants who, in the
final decades of the last century, left Europe in large numbers for the
countries of the New World, and he clearly saw the need to provide
pastoral care for them through an appropriate network of social
assistance. In this regard, he showed keen spiritual insight and sound
practical sense in founding the Congregation of the Missionaries and
Missionary Sisters of St Charles. He also strongly supported the
introduction of legislative and institutional measures for the human and
legal protection of migrants against every form of exploitation.
Today in certainly different social situations, the spiritual sons and
daughters of Bishop Scalabrini, who were later joined by the Lay
Scalabrinian Missionaries, heirs to the same charism, continue to witness
to Christ's love for migrants and to offer them the Gospel, the universal
message of salvation. May Bishop Scalabrini sustain by his example and
intercession everyone throughout the world who works in the service of
migrants and refugees.
To offer a solid Christian witness in this demanding and complex sector,
it is important "to gain a renewed appreciation of the Spirit as the One
who builds the kingdom of God within the course of history and prepares
its full manifestation in Jesus Christ" (Tertio millennio adveniente, n. 45).
How can we forget that 1998 is dedicated to the Holy Spirit, whose role
was revealed in an extraordinarily effective way at Pentecost? I wrote in
my Message for the 16th World Day of Peace: the descent of "the Holy
Spirit caused the first disciples of the Lord to rediscover, beyond the
diversity of languages, the royal road to peace in brotherhood" (n. 12;
L'Osservatore Romano English edition, 27 December 1982, p. 10).
In ancient Babel pride had shattered the unity of the human family. The
Spirit of Pentecost came to heal this lost unity with his gifts, reestablishing it on the model of Trinitarian communion, in which the three
distinct Persons subsist in the undivided unity of the divine nature. All
those who listened to the Apostles on whom the Spirit descended were
astonished to hear them speaking each in his own language (cf. Acts 2:711). Unanimity in listening, then as today, does not jeopardize the
diversity of cultures since "every culture is an effort to ponder the
mystery of the world and in particular of the human person: it is a way of
giving an expression to the transcendent dimension of human life". Over
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and above "all the differences which distinguish individuals and peoples,
there is a fundamental commonality. For different cultures are but
different ways of facing the question of the meaning of personal
existence" (Address to the 50th General Assembly of the United Nations,
5 October 1995, n. 9; L'Osservatore Romano English edition, 11 October
1995, p. 9).
The year of the Holy Spirit therefore invites believers to live more deeply
the theological virtue of hope, which offers them solid and profound
reasons for their commitment to the new evangelization and to their
efforts for those who, coming from different countries and cultures,
expect our help in fulfilling their human potential.
To evangelize is to give an account to all of the hope that is in us (cf. 1 Pt
3:15). In this duty the first Christians, although a social minority, were
boldly enterprising. Sustained by the parresia instilled in them by the
Holy Spirit, they could give candid witness to their own faith.
Today too, "Christians are called to prepare for the Great Jubilee of the
beginning of the third millennium by renewing their hope in the
definitive coming of the kingdom of God, preparing for it daily in their
hearts, in the Christian community to which they belong, in their
particular social context" (Apostolic Letter Tertio millennio adveniente,
n. 46).
The phenomenon of human mobility calls to mind the very image of the
Church, a pilgrim people on earth, but constantly on her way to the
heavenly homeland. Even in the innumerable hardships it involves, this
path reminds us of the future world whose prospective image spurs us to
transform the present, which must be freed from injustice and oppression
in view of the encounter with God, the ultimate goal of all men.
I entrust the Christian community's apostolic commitment to migrants
and refugees to "Mary, who conceived the Incarnate Word by the power
of the Holy Spirit and then in the whole of her life allowed herself to be
guided by his interior activity.... Mary gave full expression to the longing
of the poor of Yahweh and is a radiant model for those who entrust
themselves with all their hearts to the promises of God" (ibid., n. 48).
May she accompany with motherly concern all those who work for
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migrants and refugees; may she dry the tears and console all who have
had to leave their own land and loved ones.
May everyone also be comforted by my Blessing.
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Excerpts From An Address On The Occasion Of The World Day Of
Peace
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1997
At this moment my thoughts turn to those who, without wanting it, are
caught in the midst of bitter conflicts. I also think of the marginalized, the
poor, the victims of all kinds of exploitation. These are people who are
experiencing in their own flesh the absence of peace and the terrible
effects of injustice. Who can remain indifferent to their craving for a life
rooted in justice and in genuine peace? It is everyone's responsibility to
ensure that they achieve their desire: there can be no complete justice
unless everyone shares in it equally.
Justice is, at one and the same time, a moral virtue and a legal concept.
Sometimes it is represented as a blindfold figure; in effect though, it is
the proper task of justice to be clear-sighted and vigilant in ensuring the
balance between rights and duties, in fostering an equitable sharing of
burdens and benefits. Justice makes whole, it does not destroy; it leads to
reconciliation, not to revenge. Upon examination, at its deepest level it is
rooted in love, which finds its most significant expression in mercy.
Therefore justice, if separated from merciful love, becomes cold and
cutting.
Justice is an active and life-giving virtue: it defends and promotes the
inestimable dignity of every human person and is concerned for the
common good, insofar as it is the guardian of relations between
individuals and peoples. No one, in fact, ever lives in isolation. From the
first moment of life, each human being exists in relationship to others, in
such a way that the good of the individual and the good of society go
hand in hand. Between the two there exists a delicate balance.
The vast geopolitical changes which have taken place since 1989 have
been accompanied by veritable revolutions in the social and economic
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fields. The globalization of the economy and of finance is now a reality,
and we are realizing more and more clearly the effects of the rapid
progress related to information technologies. We are on the threshold of a
new era which is the bearer of great hopes and disturbing questions.
What will be the effect of the changes taking place? Will everyone be
able to take advantage of a global market? Will everyone at last have a
chance to enjoy peace? Will relations between States become more
equitable, or will economic competition and rivalries between peoples
and nations lead humanity towards a situation of even greater instability?
For a more equitable society and a more stable peace in a world on the
way to globalization, it is an urgent task of the International
Organizations to help promote a sense of responsibility for the common
good. But to achieve this we must never lose sight of the human person,
who must be at the centre of every social project. Only thus will the
United Nations become a "family of nations", in accordance with its
original mandate of "promoting social progress and better standards of
life in larger freedom". This is the path for building a world community
based on "mutual trust, mutual support and sincere respect". The
challenge, in short, is to ensure a globalization in solidarity, a
globalization without marginalization. This is a clear duty in justice, with
serious moral implications in the organization of the economic, social,
cultural and political life of nations.
Nations and whole regions of the world, on account of their fragile
financial or economic potential, risk being excluded from an economy
which is becoming globalized. Others have greater resources, but
unfortunately cannot take advantage of them for various reasons: unrest,
internal conflicts, a lack of adequate structures, environmental
degradation, widespread corruption, criminality and other reasons as
well. Globalization has to be linked with solidarity. Special aid must be
forthcoming so that countries which are unable to enter the market
successfully on their own strength alone can in fact overcome their
present situation of disadvantage.
This is something owed to them in justice. In a true "family of nations"
no one can be excluded; on the contrary, it is the weakest, the most
fragile which must be supported, so that they too can develop their full
potential.
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My thoughts go here to one of the greatest difficulties which the poorer
nations have to face today. I refer to the heavy burden of external debt,
which compromises the economies of whole peoples and hinders their
social and political progress. In this regard, the international financial
institutions have recently initiated significant attempts to secure a
coordinated reduction of this debt. I earnestly hope that progress will
continue to be made in this direction by applying conditions in a flexible
way, so that all eligible nations can benefit before the year 2000. The
wealthier nations can do much in this respect, by supporting the
implementation of such measures.
The debt question is part of a vaster problem: that of the persistence of
poverty, sometimes even extreme, and the emergence of new inequalities
which are accompanying the globalization process. If the aim is
globalization without marginalization, we can no longer tolerate a world
in which there live side by side the immensely rich and the miserably
poor, the have-nots deprived even of essentials and people who
thoughtlessly waste what others so desperately need. Such contrasts are
an affront to the dignity of the human person. Certainly there is no lack
of appropriate means for eliminating poverty, including the promotion of
consistent social and productive investments on the part of world
economic bodies. This presupposes that the international community
intends to act with the necessary political determination. Praiseworthy
steps in that direction have already been taken, but a lasting solution
requires a concerted effort by everyone, including the States concerned.
There are other forms of injustice which put peace at risk. Here, I wish to
mention two. First, not having the possibility of fair access to credit. The
poor are often obliged to remain outside the normal financial system or to
place themselves in the hands of unscrupulous money-lenders who
charge exorbitant rates of interest. The end result is the aggravation of an
already precarious situation. For this reason it is everyone's duty to work
to ensure that the poor have access to credit on equitable terms and at
affordable interest rates. Actually, financial agencies offering mini-credit
on terms favoring the poor already exist in various parts of the world.
These are initiatives to be encouraged, for this is the path which can lead
to the radical elimination of the shameful scourge of usury, by giving
everyone access to the economic means needed for the dignified
development of families and communities.
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And what are we to say of increasing violence against women and against
children of both sexes? Today this is one of the most widespread
violations of human rights, and tragically it has even become a terror
tactic: women taken hostage, children barbarously slaughtered. To this
must be added the violence of forced prostitution and child pornography,
and the exploitation of children in the workplace in conditions of
veritable slavery. Practical steps are needed to try to stop the spread of
these forms of violence. In particular, appropriate legal measures are
needed at both the national and international level. If, as I have often
stated in previous Messages, the dignity of every person is to be
recognized and respected, the difficult task of education and cultural
promotion must be faced. One element, in fact, absolutely must not be
lacking in the ethical and cultural patrimony of the human family as a
whole and of each individual person: awareness that human beings are all
equal in dignity, deserve the same respect, and have the same rights.
The Jubilee of the Year 2000 is fast approaching, a time which for
believers is devoted in a special way to God, the Lord of history, a
reminder to all of the radical dependence of the creature on the Creator.
But in the Biblical tradition it was also a time for freeing slaves, for
returning land to its rightful owner, for forgiving debts, thus restoring the
conditions of equality willed by God among all the members of the
people. It is therefore a special time for seeking that justice which leads
to peace.
By virtue of their faith in the God who is love and of their sharing in
Christ's universal redemption, Christians are called to act justly and to
live in peace with all, for "Jesus does not merely give us peace. He gives
us his Peace accompanied by his Justice. He is Peace and Justice. He
becomes our Peace and our Justice".(10) I said these words almost twenty
years ago, but against the backdrop of the radical changes now taking
place they assume an even more specific and vital meaning.
The distinctive mark of the Christian, today more than ever, must be love
for the poor, the weak, the suffering. Living out this demanding
commitment requires a total reversal of the alleged values which make
people seek only their own good: power, pleasure, the unscrupulous
accumulation of wealth. Yes, it is precisely to this radical conversion that
Christ's disciples are called. Those who commit themselves to following
this path will truly experience "righteousness and peace and joy in the
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Holy Spirit" (Rom 14:17), and will taste "the peaceful fruit of
righteousness" (Heb 12:11).
I wish to repeat to the Christians of all continents the admonishment of
the Second Vatican Council: "The demands of justice should first be
satisfied, lest the giving of what is due in justice be represented as the
offering of a charitable gift". A society of genuine solidarity can be built
only if the well-off, in helping the poor, do not stop at giving from what
they do not need. Moreover, offering material things is not enough: what
is needed is a spirit of sharing, so that we consider it an honor to be able
to devote our care and attention to the needs of our brothers and sisters in
difficulty. Christians, the followers of other religions and numberless
men and women of good will today feel called to a simple life-style as a
condition for making the just sharing of the fruits of God's creation a
reality. Those living in poverty can wait no longer: they need help now
and so have a right to receive immediately what they need.
The First Sunday of Advent marked the beginning of the second year of
immediate preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, dedicated
to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of hope is at work in the world. He is
present in the selfless service of those who work alongside the outcast
and the suffering, those who welcome immigrants and refugees, those
who bravely refuse to reject a person or a whole group for ethnic, cultural
or religious reasons. He is especially present in the generous activity of
all who patiently and perseveringly continue to promote peace and
reconciliation between people who were once opponents and enemies.
Indeed, these are signs of hope which encourage us to seek the justice
which leads to peace.
The heart of the Gospel message is Christ, who is everyone's peace and
reconciliation. May his countenance shine upon the path of humanity as it
prepares to cross the threshold of the Third Millennium!
May his justice and his peace become a gift for all, without distinction!
"Then shall the wilderness be fertile land
and fertile land become forest.
In the wilderness justice will come to live,
and integrity in the fertile land;
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integrity will bring peace,
justice give everlasting security" (Is 32:15-17).
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Excerpts From An Address At The Conclusion Of The Special
Assembly For America Of The Synod Of Bishops
Pope John Paul II, December 11, 1997
The common call to follow Christ has made us understand the disturbing
situations in which many of our brothers and sisters live. Many of them,
in fact, find themselves in conditions contrary to the dignity of God's
children: extreme poverty, lack of minimal care for illness; widespread
illiteracy; exploitation; violence; and drug dependency. What can be said
about the psychological pressure inflicted on people in industrialized
societies, which impedes, in various ways, their access to the living
source of the Gospel: a climate of mistrust towards the Church, antireligious campaigns in the communication media; the harmful influence
of permissiveness, fascination with easy, sometimes ill-gotten wealth.
Denunciation of these deplorable situations has appeared in many of the
Synod Fathers' interventions.
Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate, dear brothers and sisters! To the
extent that my daily schedule permitted, I have had the pleasure of
following the work of the Synod. I have been struck by a constant call
which emerged from the interventions and the exchanges: I refer to the
invitation to solidarity. Yes, solidarity must be prophetically encouraged
and testified to in practice. Solidarity, by joining the efforts of each
individual and all peoples, will help to overcome the harmful effects of
certain situations forcefully brought to our attention during the Synod: a
globalization which, despite possible benefits, has also produced forms of
social injustice; the nightmare of some countries foreign debt, for which
it is urgent to find adequate and equitable solutions; the scourge of
unemployment due, at least in part, to imbalances existing between
countries; the difficult challenges caused by immigration and human
mobility, together with the sufferings which give rise to them.
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Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of The United
States Of America
Pope John Paul II, December 16, 1997
No expression of society's commitment to liberty and justice for all can
be more basic than the protection afforded to those in society who are
most vulnerable. The United States of America was founded on the
conviction that an inalienable right to life was a self-evident moral truth,
fidelity to which was a primary criterion of social justice. The moral
history of your country is the story of your people's efforts to widen the
circle of inclusion in society, so that all Americans might enjoy the
protection of law, participate in the responsibilities of citizenship, and
have the opportunity to make a contribution to the common good.
Whenever a certain category of people - the unborn or the sick and old are excluded from that protection, a deadly anarchy subverts the original
understanding of justice. The credibility of the United States will depend
more and more on its promotion of a genuine culture of life, and on a
renewed commitment to building a world in which the weakest and most
vulnerable are welcomed and protected.
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Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador of Eritrea
Pope John Paul II, December 18, 1997
As you know, last year the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations sponsored a World Food Summit here in Rome. The
question at issue was the need to ensure worldwide food security,
especially in the face of the tragic consequences of drought and hunger in
various parts of the globe. During the previous decade, terrible famines
visited great disaster upon the peoples in your part of Africa, and food
shortages of more recent years continue to cause hardship and death.
Throughout the world there are still hundreds of millions of people who
suffer from malnutrition, and no immediate solution has yet been
forthcoming. For this reason, the need is ever more urgent, as I said to the
participants at the World Food Summit, for all people to work together in
order to find a remedy to this situation, "so that we will no longer have,
side by side, . . . the starving and the wealthy, . . . those who lack the
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necessary means and others who lavishly waste them" (Address to the
World Food Summit in Rome, 13 November 1996, No. 2).
Any effort to solve this problem demands economic and political
decisions made by governmental bodies, both national and international,
aimed at encouraging and enhancing local agricultural production while
at the same time protecting farmland and conserving natural resources.
Aid to developing countries and procedures for determining fair trade
terms and credit agreements should go hand in hand with a strategy for
the effective sharing of technological advancements and the appropriate
training of people, so that these countries themselves will be the agents of
their own progress.
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Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, January 25, 1998
Various places are witnessing the resurgence of a certain capitalist neoliberalism which subordinates the human person to blind market forces
and conditions the development of peoples on those forces. From its
centers of power, such neoliberalism often places unbearable burdens
upon less favored countries. Hence, at times, unsustainable economic
programs are imposed on nations as a condition for further assistance. In
the international community, we thus see a small number of countries
growing exceedingly rich at the cost of the increasing impoverishment of
a great number of other countries; as a result the wealthy grow ever
wealthier, while the poor grow ever poorer.
Dear brothers and sisters: the Church is a teacher in humanity. Faced
with these systems, she presents a culture of love and of life, restoring
hope to humanity, hope in the transforming power of love lived in the
unity willed by Christ. For this to happen, it is necessary to follow a path
of reconciliation, dialogue and fraternal acceptance of one's neighbor, of
every human person. This can be called the social Gospel of the Church.
The Church, in carrying out her mission, sets before the world a new
justice, the justice of the kingdom of God (cf. Mt 6:33). On various
occasions I have spoken on social themes. It is necessary to keep
speaking on these themes, as long as any injustice, however small, is
present in the world; otherwise the Church would not be faithful to the
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mission entrusted to her by Christ. At stake here is man, the concrete
human person. While times and situations may change, there are always
people who need the voice of the Church so that their difficulties, their
suffering and their distress may be known. Those who find themselves in
these situations can be certain that they will not be betrayed, for the
Church is with them and the Pope, in his heart and with his words of
encouragement, embraces all who suffer injustice.
A freedom which is not based on truth conditions man in such a way that
he sometimes becomes the object and not the subject of his social,
cultural, economic and political surroundings; this leaves him almost no
initiative for his personal development. At other times that freedom takes
on an individualistic cast and, with no regard for the freedom of others,
imprisons man in his own egoism. The attainment of freedom in
responsibility is a duty which no one can shirk. For Christians, the
freedom of the children of God is not only a gift and a task, but its
attainment also involves an invaluable witness and a genuine contribution
to the journey towards the liberation of the whole human race. This
liberation cannot be reduced to its social and political aspects, but rather
reaches its fullness in the exercise of freedom of conscience, the basis
and foundation of all other human rights.
For many of the political and economic systems operative today the
greatest challenge is still that of combining freedom and social justice,
freedom and solidarity, so that no one is relegated to a position of
inferiority. The Church's social doctrine is meant to be a reflection and a
contribution which can shed light on and reconcile the relationship
between the inalienable rights of each individual and the needs of society,
so that people can attain their profound aspirations and integral
fulfillment in accordance with their condition as sons and daughters of
God and citizens in society. Hence the Catholic laity should contribute to
this fulfillment by the application of the Church's social teachings in
every sector open to people of goodwill.
In the Gospel proclaimed today, justice is seen as intimately linked to
truth.
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Excerpts From An Address To The Representatives Of The Regional
Administration of Lazio
Pope John Paul II, January 31, 1998
At our annual meetings it has become almost obligatory to touch on the
question of work, which is the priority item on the agenda of the
governments of European nations and also absorbs a large part of your
energy.
Public authorities must work both directly and indirectly for the
achievement of full and dignified employment. Indirectly and according
to the principle of subsidiarity, by creating favorable conditions for the
free exercise of economic activity, leading to abundant employment
opportunities and sources of wealth. Directly and according to the
principle of solidarity, the weakest must be defended by putting limits on
the autonomy of the parties who decide on working conditions, and by
always ensuring the basic essentials for the unemployed worker.
"Young people whom society marginalizes, including the very large
number of immigrants and those who are enslaved by dangerous
delinquencies, must be directed towards the path of work so that the
value of their humanity may be fostered and respected" (Speech to the
Convention "Professional Training and Social Social Solidarity on the
Centenary of Rerum novarum", 1 December 1990; L'Osservatore
Romano English edition, 10 December 1990, p. 3). I hope that the
commitment of the centers for professional formation of Christian
inspiration, which continually exercise a very important function for the
education of youth, is always given due attention both by private
enterprise and public institutions.
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Excerpts From An Address To The National Councils Of Labor
Consultants Of Italy, Spain, and Poland
Pope John Paul II, April 30, 1998
The needs which you are called to answer are numerous. First among
them, obviously, is that of promoting employment and fighting
unemployment. This latter is always an evil and, when it reaches certain
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levels, it can become a true social disaster, even more painful when we
consider the ominous consequences that it entails for families and for
young people.
The high rate of unemployment carries with it serious risks of
exploitation. It is therefore necessary to monitor carefully the fairness of
salaries and working conditions, to see that the rights to health, rest and
insurance are guaranteed. Then, what about the work that mothers do at
home for their families? Should we not work with greater concern for a
legitimate social revaluation of maternal tasks? I sincerely hope that time
is taken to consider these requirements, which have been expressed by
many people, giving concrete value to the hard work connected with
domestic tasks and the need that children have for the care, love and
affection of their parents and especially of their mother.
May your commitment strongly encourage a harmonization of the legal
systems of your respective countries in the area of work. This will
effectively contribute to making the peoples of the continent advance
towards that mutual integration which will be advantageous to everyone.
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Excerpts From Regina Caeli
Pope John Paul II, May 3, 1998
Labor Day, which was observed on 1 May in various parts of the world,
had great importance. It was a fitting occasion for reflecting on the
meaning of work in the life of the individual and of society.
On that day especially, I brought before God in prayer the problems that
currently trouble the world of work: unemployment, underemployment,
the exploitation of child labor and the conditions of insecurity in which
work is sometimes carried out.
I hope that political and trade-union forces will dedicate themselves with
renewed commitment to seeking appropriate solutions to the problems
made even more acute today by the phenomenon of globalization, so that
the dignity of human work and the rights of the worker will always be
respected.
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Excerpts From An Address To The Members Of The Vatican
Foundation Centesimus Annus – Pro Pontifice
Pope John Paul II, May 8, 1998
In this whole web of new and problematic situations, the Magisterium
has not been slow to reassert the perennial principles of the Gospel in
defense of the dignity of the person and of human work, accompanying
the constant, grass-roots activity of Christians in the social sphere with
precise and frequent statements. I therefore congratulate you on your
praiseworthy commitment to spreading and applying the Church’s social
doctrine, and I am grateful to you for this visit, which affords me a
valuable opportunity to become acquainted with the developments of
your laudable activity.
The theme of your meeting is globalization, which now concerns every
aspect of economics and finance. The advantages that a well-regulated
and balanced “globalized” economy can bring to prosperity and to the
development of culture, democracy, solidarity and peace are known to
everyone. However, the harmonization of market demands with those of
ethics and social justice must be constantly pursued. This ethical and
juridical regulation of the market seems more difficult than ever, since
the measures taken by individual States prove increasingly inadequate. It
is therefore necessary to work for a culture of norms that not only
concern the commercial aspects, but take responsibility for defending
human rights all over the world. Indeed, to prevent the globalization of
the economy from producing the harmful results of an uncontrolled
expansion of private or group interests, it is necessary that the
progressive globalization of the economy be increasingly met with a
“global” culture of solidarity attentive to the needs of the weakest.
As members of various organizations concerned with the economy and
work in the promising yet troubling context of globalization, you too are
continually called to interpret the requirements of solidarity according to
the spirit of Christ and the Church’s teaching. In this way you will be
able to witness to God’s tenderness for every person and to promote,
together with the dignity of the person, an international co-existence
which is more just and fraternal because it is inspired by the perennial
truths of the Gospel. In this exalting and difficult task, you are sustained
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by the word of the Lord, who invites us to see every act of love for our
brothers and sisters as an opportunity to serve him: “As you did it to one
of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). I entrust
your good resolutions to the motherly protection of the Blessed Virgin,
who, in “hastening” to respond to Elizabeth’s needs (cf. Lk 1:39), shows
us how to be constantly concerned for the needs of our brothers and
sisters in want.
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Excerpts From An Address At Turin, Italy
Pope John Paul II, May 24, 1998
The image of human suffering is reflected in the Shroud (of Turin). It
reminds modern man, often distracted by prosperity and technological
achievements, of the tragic situation of his many brothers and sisters, and
invites him to question himself about the mystery of suffering in order to
explore its causes. The imprint left by the tortured body of the Crucified
One, which attests to the tremendous human capacity for causing pain
and death to one's fellow man, stands as an icon of the suffering of the
innocent in every age: of the countless tragedies that have marked past
history and the dramas that continue to unfold in the world. Before the
Shroud, how can we not think of the millions of people who die of
hunger, of the horrors committed in the many wars that soak nations in
blood, of the brutal exploitation of women and children, of the millions
of human beings who live in hardship and humiliation on the edges of
great cities, especially in developing countries? How can we not recall
with dismay and pity those who do not enjoy basic civil rights, the
victims of torture and terrorism, the slaves of criminal organizations? By
calling to mind these tragic situations, the Shroud not only spurs us to
abandon our selfishness but leads us to discover the mystery of suffering,
which, sanctified by Christ's sacrifice, achieves salvation for all
humanity. Death is not the ultimate goal of human existence.
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Excerpts From An Address To Cuban Bishops
Pope John Paul II, June 9, 1998
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During my visit to Cuba I had the opportunity to recall several aspects of
the “social Gospel”. The lay faithful must respond with maturity,
perseverance and boldness to the challenges of applying the Church’s
social doctrine to the economic, political and cultural life of the nation. In
this regard, the faithful are called to take part in public life with full
rights and equal opportunity, to make their own contribution to national
progress and to participate generously in rebuilding the country, having
access to the various sectors of social life, such as education and the
means of social communication, within an appropriate legal framework.
Christians in Cuba must join in seeking the common good, contributing
their critical conscience and abilities, and even making sacrifices to foster
the changes which the country needs at this time, with the help of all her
children. Man’s true dignity is found in the truth revealed by Christ. He is
the light of the world, and those who believe in him will not walk in
darkness (cf. Jn 12:46). For this reason, the obstruction of the light,
personal dishonesty and social duplicity must be overcome by the culture
of truth, so that, by profoundly respecting every person and every culture,
the conviction may be proclaimed that the fullness of life is reached when
one transcends the limits of materialism and reaches the ineffable and
transcendent Light that frees us from all selfishness.
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Excerpts From An Address To The Central Institute Of Cooperative
Credit Banks
Pope John Paul II, June 26, 1998
While the association of workers in co-operatives stemmed from the need
to combat the negative effects of an industrialized society obsessed with
financial gain, its goal has always been to meet the requirement of unity
and solidarity. One is aware of the need to look beyond the mere
economic dimensions of human labor, and to overcome the opposition of
the inflexible laws of capital, to the urgent need to defend the dignity of
the human person. These values must be safeguarded in a “market” that
is always in danger of forgetting that “the goods of creation are meant for
all. That which human industry produces ... with the contribution of
work, must serve equally for the good of all” (Sollicitudo rei socialis, n.
39).
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Co-operation, understood in this way, implies appreciating each
individual’s role in the community, while safeguarding the legitimate
interests of the person. In this perspective, I renew the hope, formulated
in the Encyclical Laborem exercens, that intermediate social bodies may
continue to enjoy “real autonomy with regard to the public powers,
pursuing their specific aims in honest collaboration with each other and
in subordination to the demands of the common good, and they would be
living communities both in form and in substance, in the sense that the
members of each body would be looked upon and treated as persons and
encouraged to take an active part in the life of the body” (n. 14).
The very structure of the Co-operative Credit Banks, which is based on a
society of persons and not on capital, suggests that the main objective is
not profit, but the satisfaction of social needs. Moreover, the
establishment of branches throughout the area permits members to know
their mutual possibilities and capacities, as well as to intervene
effectively in the local context. This important service thus contributes to
the harmony and well-being of the whole of society which can avail itself
of personal qualities and resources which might otherwise be ignored.
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Excerpts From An Address To The World Congress On The Pastoral
Promotion Of Human Rights
Pope John Paul II, July 4, 1998
The second objective of the pastoral promotion of human rights consists
in asking “the essential questions concerning man’s situation today and in
the future” (Redemptor hominis, n. 15), with objectivity, loyalty and a
sense of responsibility.
In this regard, one can see that in our times the economic and social
conditions in which people live assume particular importance. The
persistence of extreme poverty, which contrasts with the opulence of a
minority in a world marked by great humanistic and scientific
breakthroughs, is a real scandal, one of those situations that seriously
hinder the full exercise of human rights today. In your work you will
certainly have noticed, almost every day, the effects of poverty, hunger or
the lack of access to the most basic services, on people’s lives and on
their struggle for their own survival and that of their loved ones.
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Too often the poorest, because of their precarious situation, are the worst
hit by the economic crises that affect developing countries. Economic
prosperity, we must remember, is primarily the result of human work, of
honest and often laborious toil. The restructuring of the economy on a
world scale must be based on the dignity and rights of the person,
especially on the right to work and the worker’s protection.
Today therefore this requires that fresh attention be paid, within the
general framework of human rights, to social and economic rights which
are inseparable. It is important to reject every attempt to deny these rights
a true juridical status and it should be repeated that to achieve their total
and effective implementation, the common responsibility of all the
parties — public authorities, businesses, civil society — must be
involved.
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Excerpts From An Address To The Scalabrinians
Pope John Paul II, September 25, 1998
I still vividly recall the beatification of your founder, Bishop John Baptist
Scalabrini whom, on 9 November last year, I wished to hold up to the
Christian community as a splendid example of a contemporary apostle,
the heavenly protector of millions of immigrants and refugees. As a
zealous Bishop and loving father, he opened his heart with constant
concern to the spiritual and material needs of the poor, embracing in his
tireless apostolic activity all whom Providence entrusted to him. He left
to his spiritual sons a precious legacy of boundless love for all who are
uprooted from their culture and land by the search for work, by natural
disasters or by adverse sociopolitical conditions.
Drawing his vision of the universal destination of goods and of the
essential unity of the human family from the Word of God, he saw
immigration first of all as a law of nature which renews “at every
moment the miracle of creation” and which “makes the world man's
homeland”. But, at the same time, he did not fail to denounce the
sufferings and tragedies caused by emigration, urging appropriate
measures and concrete remedies for them.
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Today you would like to relive his spirit, his same enthusiasm, as you ask
yourselves how to renew, on the threshold of the third millennium, his
desire to serve the poorest and his ardor as an evangelist without borders.
With a new outbreak of the most painful aspects of the migratory
phenomenon such as undocumented migrations and those of refugees
from wars, ethnic hatred and underdevelopment, ever broader horizons
are opening up to your charity and your missionary zeal.
Therefore, in defining the “Scalabrinian Missionary Project on the
Threshold of the Year 2000”, your General Chapter has very fittingly
wished to respond to these needs by examining those areas in the world
of migrants where signs of sorrow and suffering, rejection of those who
are different, fear of others, exploitation and loneliness are most serious.
This is a arduous and complex apostolic task, which first requires of
every Scalabrinian religious an increasingly convinced and transparent
devotion to the poor, chaste and obedient Christ, a deep intimacy with
him nourished by prayer, so that the divine Redeemer may become more
and more the centre and motivation of his life and apostolate. After the
founder’s example, dear brethren, you live the primacy of prayer in a
convinced and practical way, especially fostering devotion to the
Eucharist and to Our Lady: thus you will find the inner motivation and
constant strength to follow the Lord on the way of the Cross; you will
find in particular ever new energy for serving migrants, since fixing your
“gaze on the Lord’s countenance does not diminish [your] commitment
on behalf of humanity; on the contrary, it strengthens this commitment,
enabling it to have an impact on history, in order to free history from all
that disfigures it” (Vita consecrata, n. 75). You will let yourselves be
guided by the divine Spirit in order to share the expectations and hopes of
men and women on the move; you will also be able to enlighten those
who regard immigration as a threat to their own national identity, to their
own safety and privileges, by helping them to see the presence of
individuals from different backgrounds and cultures as a potential
treasure for the host countries.
The Church asks you, dear friends, to keep alive in every receiving
community the values of brotherhood and solidarity, to reduce the areas
of exclusion and to spread the culture of love. This arduous task requires
on your part a complete renewal of fraternal life and the constant and
convinced effort to make religious communities “places” of communion
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and living, transparent images of the Church, the seed and beginning of
God’s kingdom in the world (cf. Lumen gentium, n. 5). In a divided and
unjust world, may your Scalabrinian family, which is present today in
many different ways from the ethnic and cultural standpoint, serve not
only as a sign and witness of a permanent invitation to dialogue but also
as an open home for those who seek opportunities to meet and share their
differences.
The presence of your religious in different geographical areas and
traditions and the special character of your pastoral commitment in a
world of human mobility, often reflecting the needs and afflictions of the
contemporary world, calls on you once again to live the charism of your
institute in a new and incisive way. If the spirit of the congregation is to
be transmitted and lived authentically by the new generations in a variety
of cultures and latitudes, it is necessary, as you yourselves observe, to
formulate your congregation’s ratio institutionis as soon as possible,
identifying clearly and dynamically the best way for the full assimilation
of the institute’s spirituality. Indeed, “the ratio responds to a pressing
need today. On the one hand, it shows how to pass on the institute’s spirit
so that it will be lived in its integrity by future generations, in different
cultures and geographical regions; on the other, it explains to consecrated
persons how to live that spirit in the different stages of life on the way to
full maturity of faith in Christ” (Vita consecrata, n. 68). After the ratio
istitutionis, a plan for continuing formation should be drafted, to provide
every Scalabrinian with a program that encompasses his whole life (cf.
ibid., n. 69).
By helping you adhere to Christ with a renewed and constant love, these
formation paths will lead you to discern wisely God’s signs in history
and, by the witness of your charism, to make their presence somehow
perceptible in the diverse and difficult world of migration. The realm of
human mobility, where you carry out your work of evangelization and
human advancement, is particularly open to lay charisms and
professionalism. Foster the collaboration of the lay faithful in making
your presence more effective among migrants and by offering them a
more diversified image of the Church. This obviously requires of you, as
religious, a special commitment to form lay people with a mature faith, to
initiate them into the life of the Christian community and to lead them to
share the Scalabrinian charism.
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Dear brothers, on the threshold of a new millennium, as the Church is
preparing to celebrate the 2,000th anniversary of the Incarnation of the
Son of God, I would like to entrust your apostolic intentions, the
decisions of your Chapter and your good hopes to the Mother of the
Lord, whom Bl. John Baptist Scalabrini chose as the model of his
spirituality and apostolic work. May Mary, the Woman who was free
because she was full of grace and who left her land and home in haste to
help her cousin Elizabeth, give you the joy of being docile and generous
instruments for the proclamation of the Gospel to the poor of our time,
and make you witnesses of hope.
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Excerpts From An Address To A Symposium Studying 20 Years Of
Diplomatic Activity
Pope John Paul II, November 13, 1998
Everywhere in the world it is the Church’s duty to make her voice heard,
so that the voice of the poor is perceived by all as a basic appeal for
sharing and solidarity. The concern of Peter's Successor and of the local
Churches throughout the world aims at the spiritual, moral and material
good of everyone. Diplomatic life is based on ethical principles which
put the human person at the centre of analyses and decisions, and
recognize the dignity of every human being and of every people, each of
whom has an inalienable right to a decent life in accordance with his true
nature.
It is unacceptable for disparities between the continents to endure
indefinitely for political and economic reasons, and it is the task of
diplomats and national leaders to see that the ethical aspects are given
priority in decision-making processes at every level. From this
standpoint, diplomats, who are in contact with the daily lives of the
peoples they come to know and whom they learn to love, must be
mindful of the distress of individuals and peoples oppressed by situations
that overwhelm them, for they are linked to international systems which
are harder and harder on the developing countries.
Excerpts From A General Audience
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Pope John Paul II, November 18, 1998
Another sign of hope is represented by a “greater awareness of our
responsibility for the environment”. Today, in part as a reaction to the
indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources that has often
accompanied industrial development, human beings are rediscovering the
meaning and value of the environment as a hospitable dwelling (oîkos),
where they are called to live their life. The threats that hang over
humanity’s future, because of the lack of respect for the balance of the
ecosystem, are spurring men of culture and science, as well as the
competent authorities, to study and implement various measures and
projects. They aim not only at repairing the damage caused thus far, but
especially at mapping out a social development that is in harmony with
respect for and appreciation of the natural environment.
This keen sense of responsibility for the environment must also
encourage Christians to rediscover the deep meaning of the creative plan
revealed by the Bible. God wanted to entrust man and woman with the
task of filling the earth and having dominion over it in his name, as his
representative (cf. Gn 1:28), extending and in a certain way bringing to
completion his own creative work.
Among the signs of hope in our time, we must also recall the “efforts to
restore peace and justice wherever they have been violated, a desire for
reconciliation and solidarity among different peoples, particularly the
complex relationship between the North and the South of the world”
(Tertio millennio adveniente, n. 46). In the century now drawing to a
close, we have witnessed the terrible tragedy of two world wars and
today there are further wars and tensions resulting in great suffering for
peoples and nations throughout the world. Never as in this century have
such enormous masses of people experienced and continued to
experience conditions of life unworthy of man — due in part to
pernicious mechanisms of exploitation.
For this reason too, the human conscience, urged by the mysterious
action of the Spirit, has grown in its resolve to make peace and justice
indispensable priorities. Today conscience sees the persistence of unjust
conditions, underdevelopment and the violation of human rights as an
intolerable crime. Moreover, war is rightly rejected as a way to resolve
conflicts. There is a growing understanding that only the paths of
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dialogue and reconciliation can heal the wounds caused by history in the
life of nations. They alone can lead to a positive resolution of the
problems which still arise in international relations.
The contemporary world is definitely being structured into a system of
interdependence at the economic, cultural and political levels. It is no
longer possible to reason solely on the basis of the interests, however
legitimate, of individual peoples and nations: a truly universal awareness
must be achieved.
For this reason my venerable Predecessor Pope Paul VI wanted
prophetically to focus humanity's sights on the goal of a “civilization of
love”, in which it would be possible to achieve the ideal of one human
family, while respecting the identity of each of its members and with a
mutual exchange of gifts.
On the way towards this “civilization of love”, believers, docile to the
action of the Holy Spirit, are called to make their irreplaceable
contribution, radiating in history the light of Christ, the Word of God
made flesh. As the Council recalls, he “reveals to us that “God is love’ (1
Jn 4:8), and at the same time teaches that the fundamental law of human
perfection, and consequently of the transformation of the world, is the
new commandment of love. He assures those who trust in the charity of
God that the way of love is open to all men and that the effort to establish
a universal brotherhood will not be in vain” (Gaudium et spes, n. 38).
In a world marked by growing economic, cultural and political
interdependence, the challenge is to bring about a new sense of solidarity
that will make everyone more aware of the needs and interests of others.
Christians have a particular responsibility to build such a civilization of
love, and in this task they must follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit,
who teaches us that the fundamental law of human perfection is none
other than Christ’s new commandment of love.
Excerpts From Incarnationis Mysterium
Pope John Paul II, November 29, 1998
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There is also a need to create a new culture of international solidarity and
cooperation, where all — particularly the wealthy nations and the private
sector — accept responsibility for an economic model which serves
everyone. There should be no more postponement of the time when the
poor Lazarus can sit beside the rich man to share the same banquet and
be forced no more to feed on the scraps that fall from the table (cf. Lk
16:19-31). Extreme poverty is a source of violence, bitterness and
scandal; and to eradicate it is to do the work of justice and therefore the
work of peace.
The Jubilee is a further summons to conversion of heart through a change
of life. It is a reminder to all that they should give absolute importance
neither to the goods of the earth, since these are not God, nor to man's
domination or claim to domination, since the earth belongs to God and to
him alone: “the earth is mine and you are strangers and sojourners with
me” (Lev 25:23). May this year of grace touch the hearts of those who
hold in their hands the fate of the world's peoples!
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Excerpts From An Address To The Bishops Of The Pacific
Pope John Paul II, December 5, 1998
It is paradoxical that the process of greater unification which
globalization promises sometimes leads to greater disunity and
alienation. Instead of fostering a spirit of co-operation and solidarity, it
can engender an attitude of “sauve qui peut” both within nations and
between them. This can mean the exploitation of weaker nations by
stronger ones; it can mean corruption which divides leaders from the
people whom they are supposed to serve; it can ignite conflict between
diverging interests in a way which makes it impossible to order society
on the basis of the common good. The voice of the Bishops must be
clearly heard in favor of the spirit of co-operation and solidarity which
alone can ensure the well-being of your peoples.
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Excerpts From A Letter On The Gospel Of Work To The Diocese Of
Rome
311
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1998
Work is a way to self-fulfillment, through the growth and development of
the potential and abilities which are acquired by training, experience and
concrete activity.
This process is more evident in certain professions connected with the
fields of culture, art, the cinema and the theatre, as well as with scientific
research, but it also takes place in the exercise of more executive roles,
since human work presupposes intelligence and aims at impressing an
intelligent plan on the material and social reality in which the person
works.
However, consideration of the gap between what is proposed and what
people actually succeed in doing, that is, an awareness of the personal
and socio-cultural limitations which affect us, often adds painful
elements to the concrete experience of work. This experience, moreover,
is radically marked by sin, which takes the form of unbridled
competitiveness, jealousy, arrogance, superficiality or indifference in
mutual relations, injustice and abuse.
The pace of work, determined by the race for efficiency and profit, often
leads to absolutizing the complex demands of economic activity, to the
detriment of the humanization of the workplace and the fundamental
rights of the person. Precisely for these reasons, work is sometimes
experienced as toil unavoidably linked to survival, rather than a way to
fulfill oneself and reach the goal desired by God.
Frequently we are faced with choosing between fidelity to the values and
principles professed, even going against the tide and paying the price,
and accepting the prevailing mentality in many areas, perhaps even being
reduced to compromising one's conscience.
How are we to deal with these difficult situations?
In the many problematic circumstances of life, the Christian knows he
can count on the gift of wisdom, which is obtained by prayer and
strengthened by listening to the Lord's word and obeying the
Magisterium of the Church. It is this gift of the Spirit, received in
Baptism and Confirmation, which helps us find the best way to bear
witness to the truth and the moral good, if necessary to the point of
conscientious objection.
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However, the Christian also knows that work is part of the daily path of
purification and salvation for those who accept it in a spirit of obedience
to God's will and of humble and patient service to others. In the Cross of
Christ he will find the strength to face situations of hardship or difficulty
and to offer everyone an effective and consistent witness.
From the Christian vision of work springs the constant commitment to
give priority in every circumstance to the good of the person and to his
full spiritual, cultural and social development.
Thus, in hospitals it is the sick person who must be the center of every
medical, nursing or administrative service; in schools and universities, it
is the student who should be helped, through teaching and formation, to
be trained one day to fulfill his own task in society; in factories and in the
offices of public and private firms, in commercial and business activities,
it is the achievement of a better quality of life and not merely increased
output and profits which are the absolute and indispensable law; in
professional life, in administrative offices and in the service sector, it is
honesty, competence and quality services which should be given priority
in satisfying people's requests; in communications the primary value is
service to the truth, which must be maintained with constant fidelity; in
the administration of justice it is the right of every person and respect for
lawfulness which must guide magistrates and lawyers; in sports, tourism
and hospitality it is the growth of the human person that should be
promoted in all his abilities and in his physical and spiritual needs.
The quality of the workplace depends primarily on individuals. It is their
efforts that can make it a vital place for collaboration, communion and
relationships marked by respect and mutual esteem, by cooperation and
solidarity, and by a witness consistent with the moral values of their own
profession. As Scripture recalls: "A brother helped by a brother is like a
strong city" (Prv 18:19).
Therefore the Christian does not regard his colleagues as rivals but as
coworkers, and treats those who benefit his own professional activity as
brothers and sisters to be served for the love of Christ. This vision of
work, leading to attitudes and conduct that are not formal or superficial
but marked by constant dialogue, acceptance and understanding, makes
the workplace an occasion for human growth and sanctification.
The right ordering of relations in the workplace requires the constant
exercise of justice: this must be promoted by trade unions and various
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organizations, whose purpose is to ensure not only a just wage but also
respect for rights and duties of individuals and the harmonious
development of professional and working conditions.
A sense of justice also requires the improvement of professional skills,
respect for the values of honesty and lawfulness, and attention to the
needs of those involved in productive activities.
Lastly, the organization of work must bear in mind the expectations of
the family and of women, with particular regard to maternity, Sunday rest
and leisure time.
As I recalled in my recent Apostolic Letter Dies Domini: "Through
Sunday rest, daily concerns and tasks can find their proper perspective:
the material things about which we worry give way to spiritual values; in
a moment of encounter and less pressured exchange, we see the true face
of the people with whom we live. Even the beauties of nature - too often
marred by the desire to exploit, which turns against man himself - can be
rediscovered and enjoyed to the full.... If after six days of work - reduced
in fact to five for many people - people look for time to relax and to pay
more attention to other aspects of their lives, this corresponds to an
authentic need which is in full harmony with the vision of the Gospel
message" (n. 67).
Justice goes hand in hand with solidarity, which links men and women of
the working world and leads to inescapable commitments which go
beyond personal or group advantage. Justice and solidarity require us to
address the serious problem of those seeking their first job or who are
unemployed.
In the city of Rome as well, these situations represent the pressing
anxiety of too many families and weigh heavily on the future of young
people, shattering their expectations, hopes and plans.
The crisis of the labor market is accompanied by new forms of poverty
which affect a growing number of families, the elderly, the disabled and
immigrants, while important sectors of urban life such as health care, the
school, the home and social services are going through a difficult period
and not only for economic reasons.
The solution to these problems calls for the timely and responsible
commitment of everyone: political institutions, industries, public and
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private business people, trade unions, professionals, merchants and
craftsmen, laborers, schools and universities, the media, families, young
people and ecclesial groups must join forces so that the crisis of hope
which seems to dampen the enthusiasm of many Romans does not
become a permanent condition. I hope that with the cooperation of all
and the advent of social, economic and political policies more open to
initiative and change, a more creative and confident attitude will be
fostered in this city.
In this regard, I invite the Christian community and individual believers
to a constant commitment to reflection and planning, so that Rome, by
relying on its spiritual and civil mission and making the most of its
human, cultural and religious heritage, can further its civil and economic
development to the benefit of the whole Italian nation and the world.
Dear workers, teachers, professionals, business people, craftsmen and
merchants, the City Mission is a great opportunity to examine the many
aspects of the service you provide in your work or profession. It is a
summons to everyone, but particularly to believers in Christ, whose
efforts in the workplace and in professional activity cannot be limited to
economic, social and organizational problems and needs, but must take
responsibility for witnessing to the Gospel at a personal and public level
as the primary way to make work fully human and an occasion of
salvation for the individual and for society.
The evangelization of the working world entails fidelity and honesty in
carrying out one's professional service, moral consistency in lesser and
greater decisions and fraternal solidarity towards those in need. It also
requires the witness, wherever possible and appropriate, to one's
Christian identity, so that the message of Jesus Christ, the one Savior,
may be offered in every workplace as a gift and grace of inner renewal
and a force for social change. Indeed, the Son of God "worked with
human hands, he thought with a human mind. He acted with a human
will, and with a human heart he loved" (Gaudium et spes, n. 22).
Whoever believes in him and follows him finds the light and strength to
be salt and leaven in every situation and circumstance.
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Excerpts From An Address On The Occasion Of The World Day Of
Peace
315
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1998
Every human being has innate abilities waiting to be developed. At stake
here is the full actualization of one's own person and the appropriate
insertion into one's social environment. In order that this may take place,
it is necessary above all to provide adequate education to those who are
just beginning their lives: their future success depends on this.
From this perspective, how can we not be concerned when we see that in
some of the poorest regions of the world educational opportunities are
actually decreasing, especially in the area of primary education? This is
sometimes due to the economic situation of the particular country, which
prevents teachers from receiving a proper salary. In other cases, money
seems to be available for prestigious projects and for secondary
education, but not for primary schools. When educational opportunities
are limited, particularly for young girls, there will surely arise
discriminatory structures which adversely affect the overall development
of society. The world could find itself divided according to a new
criterion: on the one side, States and individuals endowed with advanced
technologies; on the other, countries and people with extremely limited
knowledge and abilities. As one can easily guess, this would simply
reinforce the already acute economic inequalities existing not only
between States but also within them. In developing countries, education
and professional training must be a primary concern, just as they are in
the urban and rural renewal programs of more economically advanced
peoples.
Another fundamental right, upon which depends the attainment of a
decent level of living, is the right to work. Otherwise how can people
obtain food, clothing, a home, health care and the many other necessities
of life? The lack of work, however, is a serious problem today: countless
people in many parts of the world find themselves caught up in the
devastating reality of unemployment. It is urgently necessary on the part
of everyone, and particularly on the part of those who exercise political
or economic power, that everything possible be done to resolve this
difficult situation. Emergency interventions, necessary as they are, are
not enough in cases of unemployment, illness or similar circumstances
which are beyond the control of the individual, but efforts must also be
made to enable the poor to take responsibility for their own livelihood
and to be freed from a system of demeaning assistance programs.
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The rapid advance towards the globalization of economic and financial
systems also illustrates the urgent need to establish who is responsible for
guaranteeing the global common good and the exercise of economic and
social rights. The free market by itself cannot do this, because in fact
there are many human needs which have no place in the market. “Even
prior to the logic of a fair exchange of goods and the forms of justice
appropriate to it, there exists something which is due to man because he
is man, by reason of his lofty dignity”.
The effects of the recent economic and financial crises have had heavy
consequences for countless people, reduced to conditions of extreme
poverty. Many of them had only just reached a position which allowed
them to look to the future with optimism. Through no fault of their own,
they have seen these hopes cruelly dashed, with tragic results for
themselves and their children. And how can we ignore the effects of
fluctuations in the financial markets? We urgently need a new vision of
global progress in solidarity, which will include an overall and
sustainable development of society, so as to enable all people to realize
their potential.
In this context, I make a pressing appeal to all those with responsibility
for financial relations on the worldwide level. I ask them to make a
sincere effort to find a solution to the frightening problem of the
international debt of the poorest nations. International financial
institutions have initiated concrete steps in this regard which merit
appreciation. I appeal to all those involved in this problem, especially the
more affluent nations, to provide the support necessary to ensure the full
success of this initiative. An immediate and vigorous effort is needed, as
we look to the year 2000, to ensure that the greatest possible number of
nations will be able to extricate themselves from a now intolerable
situation. Dialogue among the institutions involved, if prompted by a
sincere willingness to reach agreement, will lead—I am certain—to a
satisfactory and definitive solution. In this way, lasting development will
become a possibility for those Nations facing the greatest difficulties, and
the millennium now before us will become for them too a time of
renewed hope.
The promotion of human dignity is linked to the right to a healthy
environment, since this right highlights the dynamics of the relationship
between the individual and society. A body of international, regional and
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national norms on the environment is gradually giving juridic form to this
right. But juridic measures by themselves are not sufficient. The danger
of serious damage to land and sea, and to the climate, flora and fauna,
calls for a profound change in modern civilization's typical consumer
life-style, particularly in the richer countries. Nor can we underestimate
another risk, even if it is a less drastic one: people who live in poverty in
rural areas can be driven by necessity to exploit beyond sustainable limits
the little land which they have at their disposal. Special training aimed at
teaching them how to harmonize the cultivation of the land with respect
for the environment needs to be encouraged.
The world's present and future depend on the safeguarding of creation,
because of the endless interdependence between human beings and their
environment. Placing human well-being at the centre of concern for the
environment is actually the surest way of safeguarding creation; this in
fact stimulates the responsibility of the individual with regard to natural
resources and their judicious use.
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Excerpts From Ecclesia In Asia
Pope John Paul II, 1999
On the subject of economic development, situations on the Asian
continent are very diverse, defying any simple classification. Some
countries are highly developed, others are developing through effective
economic policies, and others still find themselves in abject poverty,
indeed among the poorest nations on earth. In the process of
development, materialism and secularism are also gaining ground,
especially in urban areas. These ideologies, which undermine traditional,
social and religious values, threaten Asia's cultures with incalculable
damage.
The Synod Fathers spoke of the rapid changes taking place within Asian
societies and of the positive and negative aspects of these changes.
Among them are the phenomenon of urbanization and the emergence of
huge urban conglomerations, often with large depressed areas where
organized crime, terrorism, prostitution, and the exploitation of the
weaker sectors of society thrive. Migration too is a major social
phenomenon, exposing millions of people to situations which are difficult
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economically, culturally and morally. People migrate within Asia and
from Asia to other continents for many reasons, among them poverty,
war and ethnic conflicts, the denial of their human rights and
fundamental freedoms. The establishment of giant industrial complexes
is another cause of internal and external migration, with accompanying
destructive effects on family life and values. Mention was also made of
the construction of nuclear power plants with an eye to cost and
efficiency but with little regard for the safety of people and the integrity
of the environment.
Tourism also warrants special attention. Though a legitimate industry
with its own cultural and educational values, tourism has in some cases a
devastating influence upon the moral and physical landscape of many
Asian countries, manifested in the degradation of young women and even
children through prostitution. The pastoral care of migrants, as well as
that of tourists, is difficult and complex, especially in Asia where basic
structures for this may not exist. Pastoral planning at all levels needs to
take these realities into account. In this context we should not forget the
migrants from Catholic Eastern Churches who need pastoral care
according to their own ecclesiastical traditions.
The persistent reality of poverty and the exploitation of people are
matters of the most urgent concern. In Asia there are millions of
oppressed people who for centuries have been kept economically,
culturally and politically on the margins of society. Reflecting upon the
situation of women in Asian societies, the Synod Fathers noted that
"though the awakening of women's consciousness to their dignity and
rights is one of the most significant signs of the times, the poverty and
exploitation of women remains a serious problem throughout Asia".
Female illiteracy is much higher than that of males; and female children
are more likely to be aborted or even killed after birth. There are also
millions of indigenous or tribal people throughout Asia living in social,
cultural and political isolation from the dominant population. It was
reassuring to hear the Bishops at the Synod mention that in some cases
these matters are receiving greater attention at the national, regional and
international levels, and that the Church is actively seeking to address
this serious situation.
(Jesus) was close to the poor, the forgotten and the lowly, declaring that
they were truly blessed, for God was with them. He ate with sinners,
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assuring them that at the Father's table there was a place for them when
they turned from their sinful ways and came back to him. Touching the
unclean and allowing them to touch him, he let them know the nearness
of God. He wept for a dead friend, he restored a dead son to his widowed
mother, he welcomed children, and he washed the feet of his disciples.
Divine compassion had never been so immediately accessible.
The sick, the lame, the blind, the deaf and the dumb all experienced
healing and forgiveness at his touch. As his closest companions and coworkers he chose an unusual group in which fishermen mixed with tax
collectors, Zealots with people untrained in the Law, and women also. A
new family was being created under the Father's all-embracing and
surprising love. Jesus preached simply, using examples from everyday
life to speak of God's love and his Kingdom; and the people recognized
that he spoke with authority.
How does the humanity of Jesus and the ineffable mystery of the
Incarnation of the Son of the Father shed light on the human condition?
The Incarnate Son of God not only revealed completely the Father and
his plan of salvation; he also "fully reveals man to himself". His words
and actions, and above all his Death and Resurrection, reveal the depths
of what it means to be human. Through Jesus, man can finally know the
truth of himself. Jesus' perfectly human life, devoted wholly to the love
and service of the Father and of man, reveals that the vocation of every
human being is to receive love and give love in return. In Jesus we
marvel at the inexhaustible capacity of the human heart to love God and
man, even when this entails great suffering. Above all, it is on the Cross
that Jesus breaks the power of the self-destructive resistance to love
which sin inflicts upon us. On his part, the Father responds by raising
Jesus as the first-born of all those predestined to be conformed to the
image of his Son (cf. Rom 8:29). At that moment, Jesus became once and
for all both the revelation and the accomplishment of a humanity recreated and renewed according to the plan of God. In Jesus then, we
discover the greatness and dignity of each person in the heart of God who
created man in his own image (cf. Gen 1:26), and we find the origin of
the new creation which we have become through his grace.
In the service of the human family, the Church reaches out to all men and
women without distinction, striving to build with them a civilization of
love, founded upon the universal values of peace, justice, solidarity and
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freedom, which find their fulfillment in Christ. As the Second Vatican
Council said so memorably: "The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the
anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in
any way afflicted, these too are the joys and hopes, the griefs and
anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human
fails to raise an echo in their hearts". The Church in Asia then, with its
multitude of poor and oppressed people, is called to live a communion of
life which shows itself particularly in loving service to the poor and
defenseless.
If in recent times the Church's Magisterium has insisted more and more
upon the need to promote the authentic and integral development of the
human person, this is in response to the real situation of the world's
peoples, as well as to an increased consciousness that not just the actions
of individuals but also structures of social, political and economic life are
often inimical to human well-being. The imbalances entrenched in the
increasing gap between those who benefit from the world's growing
capacity to produce wealth and those who are left at the margin of
progress call for a radical change of both mentality and structures in
favor of the human person. The great moral challenge facing nations and
the international community in relation to development is to have the
courage of a new solidarity, capable of taking imaginative and effective
steps to overcome both dehumanizing underdevelopment and the
"overdevelopment" which tends to reduce the person to an economic unit
in an ever more oppressive consumer network. In seeking to bring about
this change, "the Church does not have technical solutions to offer", but
"offers her first contribution to the solution of the urgent problem of
development when she proclaims the truth about Christ, about herself and
about man, applying this truth to a concrete situation". After all, human
development is never a merely technical or economic question; it is
fundamentally a human and moral question.
The social doctrine of the Church, which proposes a set of principles for
reflection, criteria for judgment and directives for action, is addressed in
the first place to the members of the Church. It is essential that the
faithful engaged in human promotion should have a firm grasp of this
precious body of teaching and make it an integral part of their
evangelizing mission. The Synod Fathers therefore stressed the
importance of offering the faithful—in all educational activities, and
especially in seminaries and houses of formation—a solid training in the
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social doctrine of the Church. Christian leaders in the Church and
society, and especially lay men and women with responsibilities in public
life, need to be well formed in this teaching so that they can inspire and
vivify civil society and its structures with the leaven of the Gospel. The
social doctrine of the Church will not only alert these Christian leaders to
their duty, but will also give them guidelines for action in favor of human
development, and will free them from false notions of the human person
and human activity.
Human beings, not wealth or technology, are the prime agents and
destination of development. Therefore, the kind of development that the
Church promotes reaches far beyond questions of economy and
technology. It begins and ends with the integrity of the human person
created in the image of God and endowed with a God-given dignity and
inalienable human rights. The various international declarations on
human rights and the many initiatives which these have inspired are a
sign of growing attention on a worldwide level to the dignity of the
human person. Unfortunately, these declarations are often violated in
practice. Fifty years after the solemn proclamation of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, many people are still subjected to the most
degrading forms of exploitation and manipulation, which make them
veritable slaves to those who are more powerful, to an ideology,
economic power, oppressive political systems, scientific technocracy or
the intrusiveness of the mass media.
The Synod Fathers were well aware of the persistent violations of human
rights in many parts of the world, and particularly in Asia, where
"teeming millions are suffering from discrimination, exploitation, poverty
and marginalization". They expressed the need for all God's people in
Asia to come to a clear awareness of the inescapable and unrenounceable challenge involved in the defense of human rights and the
promotion of justice and peace.
In seeking to promote human dignity, the Church shows a preferential
love of the poor and the voiceless, because the Lord has identified
himself with them in a special way (cf. Mt 25:40). This love excludes no
one, but simply embodies a priority of service to which the whole
Christian tradition bears witness. "This love of preference for the poor,
and the decisions which it inspires in us, cannot but embrace the
immense multitudes of the hungry, the needy, the homeless, those
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without medical care and, above all, those without hope of a better future.
It is impossible not to take account of the existence of these realities. To
ignore them would mean becoming like the ‘rich man' who pretended not
to know the beggar Lazarus lying at his gate (cf. Lk 16:19-31)". This is
especially so with regard to Asia, a continent of plentiful resources and
great civilizations, but where some of the poorest nations on earth are to
be found, and where more than half the population suffers deprivation,
poverty and exploitation. The poor of Asia and of the world will always
find their best reason for hope in the Gospel command to love one
another as Christ has loved us (cf. Jn 13:34); and the Church in Asia
cannot but strive earnestly to fulfill that command towards the poor, in
word and in deed.
Solidarity with the poor becomes more credible if Christians themselves
live simply, following the example of Jesus. Simplicity of life, deep faith
and unfeigned love for all, especially the poor and the outcast, are
luminous signs of the Gospel in action. The Synod Fathers called on
Asian Catholics to adopt a lifestyle consonant with the teachings of the
Gospel, so that they may better serve the Church's mission and so that the
Church herself may become a Church of the poor and for the poor.
In her love for the poor of Asia, the Church concerns herself especially
with migrants, with indigenous and tribal peoples, with women and with
children, since they are often the victims of the worst forms of
exploitation. In addition, untold numbers of people suffer discrimination
because of their culture, color, race, caste, economic status, or because of
their way of thinking. They include those who are victimized on the basis
of their conversion to Christianity. I join the Synod Fathers in appealing
to all nations to recognize the right to freedom of conscience and religion
and the other basic human rights.
At the present time Asia is experiencing an unprecedented flow of
refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants and overseas workers. In the
countries to which they come, these people often find themselves
friendless, culturally estranged, linguistically disadvantaged and
economically vulnerable. They need support and care in order to preserve
their human dignity and their cultural and religious heritage. Despite
limited resources, the Church in Asia generously seeks to be a welcoming
home to the weary and heavy-burdened, knowing that in the Heart of
Jesus, where no one is a stranger, they will find rest (cf. Mt 11:28-29).
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In almost every Asian country, there are large aboriginal populations,
some of them on the lowest economic rung. The Synod repeatedly noted
that indigenous or tribal people often feel drawn to the person of Jesus
Christ and to the Church as a community of love and service. Herein lies
an immense field of action in education and health care, as well as in
promoting social participation. The Catholic community needs to
intensify pastoral work among these people, attending to their concerns
and to the questions of justice which affect their lives. This implies an
attitude of deep respect for their traditional religion and its values; it
implies as well the need to help them to help themselves, so that they can
work to improve their situation and become the evangelizers of their own
culture and society.
No one can remain indifferent to the suffering of the countless children in
Asia who fall victim to intolerable exploitation and violence, not just as
the result of the evil perpetrated by individuals but often as a direct
consequence of corrupt social structures. The Synod Fathers identified
child labor, pedophilia and the drug culture as the social evils which
affect children most directly, and they saw clearly that these ills are
compounded by others like poverty and ill-conceived programs of
national development. The Church must do all she can to overcome such
evils, to act on behalf of those most exploited, and to seek to guide the
little ones to the love of Jesus, for to such belongs the Kingdom of God
(cf. Lk 18:16).
The Synod voiced special concern for women, whose situation remains a
serious problem in Asia, where discrimination and violence against
women is often found in the home, in the workplace and even within the
legal system. Illiteracy is most widespread among women, and many are
treated simply as commodities in prostitution, tourism and the
entertainment industry. In their fight against all forms of injustice and
discrimination, women should find an ally in the Christian community,
and for this reason the Synod proposed that where possible the local
Churches in Asia should promote human rights activities on behalf of
women. The aim must be to bring about a change of attitude through a
proper understanding of the role of men and women in the family, in
society and in the Church, through greater awareness of the original
complementarity between men and women, and through clearer
appreciation of the importance of the feminine dimension in all things
human. The contributions of women have all too often been undervalued
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or ignored, and this has resulted in a spiritual impoverishment of
humanity. The Church in Asia would more visibly and effectively uphold
women's dignity and freedom by encouraging their role in the Church's
life, including her intellectual life, and by opening to them ever greater
opportunities to be present and active in the Church's mission of love and
service.
Considering the question of human promotion in Asia, the Synod Fathers
recognized the importance of the process of economic globalization.
While acknowledging its many positive effects, they pointed out that
globalization has also worked to the detriment of the poor, tending to
push poorer countries to the margin of international economic and
political relations. Many Asian nations are unable to hold their own in a
global market economy. And perhaps more significantly, there is also the
aspect of a cultural globalization, made possible by the modern
communications media, which is quickly drawing Asian societies into a
global consumer culture that is both secularist and materialistic. The
result is an eroding of traditional family and social values which until
now had sustained peoples and societies. All of this makes it clear that
the ethical and moral aspects of globalization need to be more directly
addressed by the leaders of nations and by organizations concerned with
human promotion.
The Church insists upon the need for "globalization without
marginalization". With the Synod Fathers, I call upon the particular
Churches everywhere, and especially those in the Western countries, to
work to ensure that the Church's social doctrine has its due impact upon
the formulation of ethical and juridical norms for regulating the world's
free markets and for the means of social communication. Catholic leaders
and professionals should urge governments and financial and trade
institutions to recognize and respect such norms.
Furthermore, in her search for justice in a world marred by social and
economic inequalities, the Church cannot ignore the heavy burden of
debt incurred by many developing nations in Asia, with its consequent
impact upon their present and future. In many cases, these countries are
forced to cut down spending on the necessities of life such as food,
health, housing and education, in order to service their debts to
international monetary agencies and banks. This means that many people
are trapped in living conditions which are an affront to human dignity.
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While aware of the technical complexities of this matter, the Synod
recognized that this issue tests the capacity of peoples, societies and
governments to value the human person and the lives of millions of
human beings more highly than financial and material gain.
The approach of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 is an opportune time
for the Episcopal Conferences of the world, especially of the wealthier
nations, to encourage international monetary agencies and banks to
explore ways of easing the international debt situation. Among the more
obvious are a renegotiation of debts, with either substantial reduction or
outright cancellation, as also business ventures and investments to assist
the economies of the poorer countries. At the same time the Synod
Fathers also addressed the debtor countries. They emphasized the need to
develop a sense of national responsibility, reminding them of the
importance of sound economic planning, transparency and good
management, and invited them to wage a resolute campaign against
corruption. They called upon the Christians of Asia to condemn all forms
of corruption and the misappropriation of public funds by those holding
political power. The citizens of debtor countries have too often been
victims of waste and inefficiency at home, before falling victim to the
international debt crisis.
When concern for economic and technological progress is not
accompanied by concern for the balance of the ecosystem, our earth is
inevitably exposed to serious environmental damage, with consequent
harm to human beings. Blatant disrespect for the environment will
continue as long as the earth and its potential are seen merely as objects
of immediate use and consumption, to be manipulated by an unbridled
desire for profit. It is the duty of Christians and of all who look to God as
the Creator to protect the environment by restoring a sense of reverence
for the whole of God's creation. It is the Creator's will that man should
treat nature not as a ruthless exploiter but as an intelligent and
responsible administrator. The Synod Fathers pleaded in a special way for
greater responsibility on the part of the leaders of nations, legislators,
business people and all who are directly involved in the management of
the earth's resources. They underlined the need to educate people,
especially the young, in environmental responsibility, training them in
the stewardship over creation which God has entrusted to humanity. The
protection of the environment is not only a technical question; it is also
and above all an ethical issue. All have a moral duty to care for the
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environment, not only for their own good but also for the good of future
generations.
In conclusion, it is worth remembering that in calling on Christians to
work and sacrifice themselves in the service of human development the
Synod Fathers were drawing upon some of the core insights of biblical
and ecclesial tradition. Ancient Israel insisted passionately upon the
unbreakable bond between worship of God and care for the weak,
represented typically in Scripture as "the widow, the stranger and orphan"
(cf. Ex 22:21-22; Dt 10:18; 27:19), who in the societies of the time were
most vulnerable to the threat of injustice. Time and again in the Prophets
we hear the cry for justice, for the right ordering of human society,
without which there can be no true worship of God (cf. Is 1:10-17; Am
5:21-24). In the appeal of the Synod Fathers we thus hear an echo of the
Prophets filled with the Spirit of God, who wants "mercy not sacrifice"
(Hos 6:6). Jesus made these words his own (cf. Mt 9:13), and the same is
true of the Saints in every time and place. Consider the words of Saint
John Chrysostom: "Do you wish to honor the body of Christ? Then do
not ignore him when he is naked. Do not pay him silken honors in the
temple only then to neglect him when he goes cold and naked outside. He
who said; ‘This is my body' is the One who also said, ‘You saw me
hungry and you gave me no food'... What good is it if the Eucharistic
Table groans under the weight of golden chalices, when Christ is dying
of hunger? Start by satisfying his hunger, and then with what remains
you may adorn the altar as well!". In the Synod's appeal for human
development and for justice in human affairs, we hear a voice which is
both old and new. It is old because it rises from the depths of our
Christian tradition, which looks to that profound harmony which the
Creator intends; it is new because it speaks to the immediate situation of
countless people in Asia today.
Excerpts From An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
1999
Pope John Paul II
The World Food Summit, at which FAO member States and the entire
United Nations family solemnly committed themselves to a more
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vigorous fight against hunger and malnutrition, remains a vivid memory
in the international community and in public awareness throughout the
world. This year's celebration of World Food Day is a welcome occasion
for His Holiness Pope John Paul II to reaffirm his appreciation of that
initiative and to renew his support for the work undertaken by the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations under your excellent
direction.
The goal of securing concrete results within the first years of the new
millennium appears increasingly linked, not only to decisions of a
political and technical nature, but to a direct change of attitudes, lifestyle, and personal, community and governmental action on the various
levels. Despite the inevitable difficulties which may be encountered
along the way, united and determined action is the only efficacious
response to the cry of those who live personally the tragedy of hunger.
Knowing the causes, defining modes of behavior, implementing policies
and providing assistance may appear sufficient but are in fact inadequate
without constant reference to people and their actual needs.
The experience of international efforts and of FAO in particular
demonstrates that the mere availability of food is not sufficient to banish
hunger. Correct political, economic and environmental conditions are
necessary to provide a constant and adequate level of food security.
Translated into the ethics of international relations, this means focusing
attention on the individual and collective commitment to devising
practical ways of implementing a real sharing of resources, so that
everyone will feel responsible for his "neighbor" —whether person,
community, nation or State. Awareness that "giving" is superior to
"having" provides a firm foundation both for relations among peoples
and for international solidarity. To allow the life-expectancy of millions
of human beings and entire communities to be compromised or even
denied due to lack of daily sustenance is a glaring negation of humanity's
common conscience and constitutes a violation of fundamental rights,
beginning with people's social and economic rights. This situation cannot
leave us indifferent.
The fact is that certain forms of international assistance, being
increasingly tied to a limited vision of globalization, risk ignoring the
reality of the men and women, in the countryside or in the city, who
remain excluded from the world economy, from organized intervention
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or assistance, and even from the benefits deriving from their own work.
The theme of the current World Food Day, "Investing in Food Security",
offers a fresh starting-point for practical international action capable of
involving different kinds of contributions, so long as they are free of
preconditions or selfish interests.
These are the reflections which the Holy Father wishes to offer to all
those throughout the world who celebrate World Food Day, as well as to
those who in any way are involved in the alleviation of hunger and
malnutrition. His hope is that every individual person will search his
heart and find therein those profound human motives which alone can
inspire a renewed "spirit of sharing".
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Pontifical Academy Of Social
Sciences
Pope John Paul II, March 6, 1999
For the third consecutive year, you are continuing your reflections on the
theme of work, thereby showing the importance that should be given to
this subject not only at the economic level, but also in the social realm
and for the growth and development of individuals and peoples. The
human person must be at the centre of the employment question.
Society is subject to many changes as a result of scientific and
technological advances and the globalization of markets; all these can be
positive factors for workers, since they are a source of development and
progress; but they can also pose numerous risks to people by using them
as cogs in the economy and in the unbridled quest for productivity.
Unemployment is a source of distress and "can become a real social
disaster" (Encyclical Laborem exercens, n. 18); it weakens individuals
and entire families, making them feel marginalized because they can
scarcely meet their basic needs and they feel neither recognized nor
useful to society; this leads to the spiral of indebtedness, from which it is
difficult to escape, but which calls for understanding on the part of public
and social institutions, and support and solidarity from the national
community. I am grateful to you for seeking new ways to reduce
unemployment; concrete solutions are certainly difficult, since the
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mechanisms of the economy are complex and are almost always of a
political and financial nature. Many things also depend on the norms
governing taxes and trade unions.
Employment is certainly a major challenge in international life. It
presupposes a sound distribution of work and solidarity between all
persons of a working age who are able to do so. In this spirit, it is not
normal for some professional categories to be preoccupied with
preserving acquired benefits, which can only have negative repercussions
on employment in a country. Furthermore, the parallel system of blackmarket labor seriously damages a country's economy, since it represents a
refusal to participate in national life through social contributions and
taxes; likewise, it places some workers, especially women and children,
in an uncontrollable and unacceptable state of submission and servility,
not only in poor countries but also in industrialized nations. It is the
authorities' duty to see that everyone has the same opportunities
regarding employment and the work code.
Work is an essential element for everyone. It contributes to his personal
growth because it is an integral part of his everyday life. Idleness offers
no interior motivation and does not allow a person to plan for the future;
not only does it bring "loss and great want" (Tb 4:13), but it is also the
enemy of a good moral life (cf. Sir 33:29). Work also ensures every
individual a place in society, through the justifiable feeling of being
useful to the human community and through the growth of fraternal
relations; further more, it enables him to participate responsibly in the life
of his country and to contribute to the work of creation.
A considerable number of young people are among those painfully
affected by unemployment. When they enter the job market, they often
have the impression that they will have difficulty in finding a place in
society and in being acknowledged for their real worth. In this area, all
political, economic and social leaders are called to redouble their efforts
on behalf of young people, who must be considered one of a nation's
most valuable assets, to work together to offer them professional training
ever more suited to the current economic situation and to formulate a
policy vigorously geared to employment for everyone. In this way,
confidence and renewed hope will be given to young people, who at
times can have the impression that society does not really need them; this
will noticeably reduce disparities between social classes, as well as the
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phenomena of violence, prostitution, drugs and delinquency, which are
continually on the rise. I encourage all who have a role in the intellectual
and professional formation of young people to guide, support and
encourage them, so that they can be integrated into the working world.
For them a job will mean the recognition of their abilities and efforts and
will open a personal, family and social future for them. In the same way,
through appropriate education and the necessary social assistance, it
would be advisable to help families experiencing difficulty for
professional reasons, and to teach low-income individuals and families
how to balance their budget and not to be enticed by the illusory goods
marketed by consumer society. Indebtedness is a situation from which it
is often difficult to escape.
Since employment cannot increase indefinitely, for the sake of human
solidarity it is important to envisage a reorganization and better
distribution of work, without forgetting the necessary sharing of
resources with the unemployed. Effective solidarity among all is more
necessary than ever, particularly for those who have been unemployed
for a long time and for their families, who cannot remain in poverty and
destitution without the national community being actively mobilized; no
one should be resigned to the fact that some remain unemployed.
In a business, wealth is not only created by the means of production,
capital and profit, but comes first and foremost from the men and women
who, through their work, produce what then becomes consumer goods or
services. Hence all wage-earners, each at his own level, must have their
share of responsibility, working for the common good of the business
and, ultimately, for all society (cf. Sollicitudo rei socialis, n. 38). It is
essential to have confidence in people, to develop a system that gives
priority to the sense of innovation on the part of individuals and groups,
to participation and solidarity (cf. ibid., n. 45), and that fundamentally
encourages employment and development. The utilization of people's
skills is a driving force of the economy. Looking at a business solely in
economic or competitive terms entails risks; it endangers human stability.
Company directors and decision makers should be aware that it is
essential to base their actions on human capital and on moral values (cf.
Veritatis splendor, nn. 99-101), in particular, on respect for individuals
and their inalienable need to have a job and to live on the fruits of their
professional activity. Nor should we forget the quality of a business'
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organization, the participation of all in its smooth functioning, as well as
a renewed attention to peaceful relations between all the workers. I
earnestly appeal for an ever greater mobilization of those variously
involved in social life and of all unions and management personnel to
commit themselves, each in their own way, to serving the individual and
humanity through decisions in which the human person, especially the
weakest and the neediest, has the central place and has his specific
responsibility truly recognized. The globalization of the economy and of
employment also calls for the globalization of responsibilities.
The imbalances between poor and wealthy countries continue to grow.
Industrialized nations have a duty in justice and a serious responsibility
towards developing countries. Disparities are becoming more and more
glaring. Paradoxically, some countries having natural wealth above or
below ground are subject to unacceptable exploitation by other countries
in such a way that entire populations cannot benefit from the wealth of
their own land or from their work. These nations should be given the
opportunity to develop their own natural resources by involving them
more closely in world economic activity.
The point of departure for a revitalization of employment is an ethical
duty and the need for a fundamental change in consciences. All economic
development that does not take account of the human and moral aspect
will have a tendency to crush the human person. The economy, labor and
business are first and foremost at the service of persons. Strategic choices
cannot be made to the detriment of those who work in a firm. It is
important to offer a job to all our contemporaries through a just and
responsible allocation of work. Undoubtedly, we can also envisage a
review of the relationship between salary and work, in order to reaffirm
the value of manual labor, which is often difficult and is considered
secondary. In fact, salary policies should take into account not only a
business' productivity, but also its employees. Too large a difference
between salaries is unjust, for it devalues a certain number of
indispensable jobs and creates social disparities that are damaging to
everyone.
To meet the challenges that society must face on the threshold of the
third millennium, I appeal to the Christian community to give ever
greater support to those who are struggling for the cause of employment,
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and to walk with men and women on the path of an ever more human
economy (cf. Encyclical Centesimus annus, n. 62).
In this spirit, I thank you for the valuable service you offer the Church by
being particularly attentive to social phenomena that are important for
individuals and for humanity as a whole. As I entrust you to the
intercession of St Joseph, patron of workers, and of the Virgin Mary, I
cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to you, to your families and to all
your loved ones.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Representatives Of The World
Of Work Of Rome
Pope John Paul II, March 19, 1999
Four years have passed since, in Piazza di Spagna at the foot of the statue
of the Immaculate Conception, I asked that Rome prepare itself for the
Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 with a city mission. Your presence here
today is a significant testimony of the ground that has been covered. In
fact, the mission in the work place is the final but not conclusive stage of
the various projects developed during these years. Starting with the visits
to families we have gone on to meet those who live in the areas of their
work and who share the same daily labor. After the example of the first
believers, we too must feel committed to proclaiming the "Good News"
of Jesus Christ. We need to repeat every day with the Apostle Paul: "For
necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!" (1
Cor 9:16).
The mission in the various milieus of social life challenges you to find
the forms most in keeping with the new evangelization and the language
most suited to it. Each of you is entrusted with the task of finding the way
to proclaim the Gospel in the places where you work. Sometimes,
especially in a direct encounter with people, an explicit proclamation is
needed without ever feeling ashamed of being Christians; in other
circumstances perhaps, silence would be more beneficial, to give more
room to the power of witness. In each of these cases, however, you can
never forget that the mission is an essential part of the Christian faith.
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Dear workers, your presence is all the dearer to me for various reasons.
In the first place, because your work is representative of civic life. Indeed
you provide a major part of those services that are indispensable to a city,
if it is to have human features. Light, water, transport, cleanliness... are
all precious elements for the citizens. What would life in Rome be
without your daily work? Then, in view of the Jubilee, when the stream
of visitors to the city will increase, your work will become even more
important because, thanks to your services, you will help pilgrims get a
better picture of the beauty of what the human genius has achieved in our
Rome down the centuries. In this way you will contribute to highlighting
the fascination that emanates from each of its stones and age-old
monuments.
Present among you are 200 workers of the Italian Social Security. It is
given to you too, dear brothers and sisters, to carry out the most useful
task of ensuring an adequate pension to those who have dedicated so
many years of their life to work, as well as for those who, for various
reasons, have found themselves in situations of difficulty or
marginalization. Work with generosity and concern so that the period of
waiting can be shortened and the resources available to social security,
which are certainly not abundant, used in the way most useful to society.
Today, I am thinking in a special way of those who are still looking for
their first position. For many young people, unemployment creates
situations of anxiety and sometimes, deep disappointment. They see
themselves barred de facto from assuming direct responsibility in society
and are often forced to delay starting a family. If this situation lasts too
long it becomes dangerous and unbearable, creating a barrier between
individuals and society, and gives rise to a sense of distrust which does
not help the development of a civic consciousness.
These thoughts, which the feast of St Joseph gives me the opportunity to
express to you who are present here, and through you to all the workers
of the Diocese of Rome, aim to emphasize the value of work and the
importance of fighting unemployment. The purpose of the mission which
has been taking place in the various milieus is to remind all believers that
their attention to the weakest and the most defenseless must not stop: we
are Christian always and everywhere. If the parish is the privileged place
where the growth of faith can be supported through participation in the
sacramental life and in the different community events, it is in the world
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of work that witness is borne to what is believed, especially through the
outreach of charity. Sometimes work, either because of the organization
of time shifts or the establishing of time schedules and deadlines, causes
feelings of hardship. It can happen that some, lured by the perspective of
promotion, go so far as to falsify their own relationship with their
colleagues. In that case, solidarity suffers and the sincerity and friendship
of mutual relationships are replaced by suspicion and criticism, resulting
in the person's withdrawal into himself. This attitude is false and
deceptive. May it not happen to you: at the work place, live openly the
principal content of the faith you profess: that is, the love of Christ who
generously and gratuitously goes to meet everyone.
In recent weeks, the missionaries have brought you a Letter from me, in
addition to the crucifix. With it, I have sought to be close to you in the
difficult but nonetheless always interesting adventure of work which
aims to continue the creative work of God the Father. I ask that all of you
be witnesses of hope: a hope that looks to the future without subjecting
itself to the numerous daily problems, but founded on the certitude of
God's presence. Fortified by this hope, we will cross the threshold of the
third millennium, bearing in our hearts the conviction that we must
proclaim Christ with all our strength to those we meet on our way, to
help them rediscover life's meaning in the personal encounter with our
Lord Jesus Christ.
As I look forward to welcoming you again for the Pentecost Vigil at
which we will thank the Father together for the great gift of the city
mission, I cordially bless you and your families, asking the Lord, through
the intercession of St Joseph and the Virgin Mary, to make your work a
source of authentic brotherhood and trust in life for everyone.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A General Audience
Pope John Paul II, May 19, 1999
The dialogue of action has particular importance. Among these works we
should mention education in peace and respect for the environment,
solidarity with the world of suffering, the promotion of social justice and
the integral development of peoples. Christian charity, which knows no
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borders, gladly joins forces with the shared witness given by the
members of other religions, rejoicing over the good they accomplish.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address At Zamosc, Poland
Pope John Paul II, June 12, 1999
When the good of science or economic interests prevail over the good of
the person, and ultimately of whole societies, environmental destruction
is a sign of a real contempt for man. All who have at heart the good of
man in this world need to bear constant witness to the fact that “respect
for life, and above all for the dignity of the human person, is the ultimate
guiding norm for any sound economic, industrial or scientific progress”
(Message for the 1990 World Day of Peace, No. 7)
In speaking of respect for the land, I cannot forget those who are most
closely linked to it and know its value and dignity. I think of the farmworkers who, not only here in Zamosc but throughout Poland, perform
the hard work in the fields, making them yield the products essential for
the life of those living in the cities and villages. Only those who till the
land can really testify that the barren earth does not produce fruit, but
when cared for lovingly it is a generous provider. With gratitude and
respect I bow before those who for centuries have made this land fruitful
by the sweat of their brow, and who – when it was necessary to defend it
– did not spare even their blood. With the same gratitude and respect I
also speak to all who today are engaged in the hard work of tilling the
land. May God bless the work of your hands!
I know that at a time of social and economic changes there are many
problems which often painfully affect the Polish countryside. The process
of reform needs to recognize the problems of farm-workers and resolve
them in the spirit of social justice.
I speak of this in the land of Zamosc, where the rural question has been
discussed for centuries. We need only recall the works of Szymon
Szymonowic, or the work of the Rural Society founded in Hrubieszów
two hundred years ago. Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, as Bishop of this
area and later Primate of Poland, often mentioned the importance of
farming for the Nation and the State, and the need for all social groups to
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show solidarity with the rural communities. Today I cannot fail to take up
this tradition. I do so by repeating with the Prophet these words filled
with hope: “As the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes
what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and praise to spring up before all the nations” (Is 61:11).
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, June 14, 1999
Accepting the invitation of the ages, we cannot forget the divine
perspective of sharing in the work of creation, which confers upon all
human effort true meaning and dignity. Without this perspective, work
can easily lose its subjective dimension. When this happens, the man who
does the work is no longer important, and all that matters is the material
worth of what is produced. Man is no longer regarded as a craftsman, as
one who creates, but as an instrument of production.
It seems that in this time of necessary economic changes in our country,
signs of such a danger have appeared. Two years ago, I spoke of this at
Legnica. Because of the laws of the market, human rights are forgotten;
this happens in varying degrees all over the world. It happens, for
example, when the claim is made that economic profit justifies taking
away the job of someone who loses not only a job but every prospect for
maintaining himself or the family. It also happens when, to increase
production, the worker is denied the right to rest, the right to care for the
family, or the freedom to plan his daily life. This is always the case when
the value of work is defined not according to human effort, but according
to the price of the product – which creates a situation where the pay does
not correspond to the work that is done.
Yet it must also be said that this concerns not only employers but also
employees. The one who accepts a job can also give in to the temptation
to treat it as an object, as no more than a source of material enrichment.
The job can dominate a man’s life to the point where he no longer notices
his need to look after his health, the development of his personality, the
happiness of his loved ones or in the end his relationship with God.
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I mention this today in order to awaken consciences. The structures of the
State and the economy have an influence on attitudes towards work, but
the dignity of work depends upon the human conscience. It is here that it
is given its ultimate value. In the conscience the voice of the Creator is
heard incessantly, a voice pointing to what is the true good for man and
the world entrusted to him. Those who have lost the right judgment of
conscience can transform the blessing of work into a curse.
Wisdom is needed to discover ever anew the supernatural dimension of
work, given as a task to man by the Creator. A correctly formed
conscience is needed to discern the absolute value of one’s work. A spirit
of sacrifice is needed lest our own humanity and the happiness of others
are lost on the altar of well- being.
“By the labour of your hands you shall eat; you will be happy and
prosper” (Ps 127:2). I pray to God with all my heart that these words of
the Psalm will become today and always a message of hope for all those
in Zaglebie, in Poland and throughout the world who take up the daily
task of subduing the earth. I pray still more fervently that these words
will bring hope to the hearts of those who very much want to work but
have the misfortune to be unemployed. I pray to God that the economic
development of our country and of other countries in the world may
proceed in such a way that all people – as Saint Paul says – may “work in
quietness and . . . earn their own living” (2 Th 3:12). I raise my voice in
saying this because I want you to realize – I want every worker in this
country to know – that the Pope and the Church are interested in your
problems.
“The Lord your God has blessed you in all the works of your hands; he
knows your going through this great wilderness” (Deut 2:7) – for
centuries the Church has borne these words of the Book of Deuteronomy
as a message of hope. If man can discern in the work of his hands the
sign of God’s blessing, he will have no doubt that this same God exists –
is near – and cares constantly for man’s journey, especially when he
crosses the great wilderness of daily problems and nagging worries.
There is a need today for the service of hope, which up to this time the
Church in Poland has carried out so well. Man needs witness to the
presence of God! Man today, especially the worker, needs a Church that
bears this witness with new force. Times change, men and circumstances
change, new problems emerge. The Church cannot ignore these changes
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and must accept the challenges which they present. Man is the primary
and fundamental way for the Church, the way of her daily life and her
experience, of her mission and her labors. Therefore the Church of our
time must be aware of all that seems opposed to this, so that “human life
[may] be ever more human and . . . every element of this life [may]
correspond to man’s true dignity – in a word, she must be aware of all
that is opposed to that process” (Redemptor Hominis, 14).
We learn this sensitivity towards man and his problems by looking to the
life and service of the Patron of your Diocese, Saint Albert Chmielowski,
and to the Servant of God Mother Teresa Kierocinska, called Mother of
Zaglebie. With sensitivity they discovered the suffering and bitterness of
those who could not find their proper place within the social and
economic structures of the time and they brought help to the most needy.
The program that they outlined is always relevant. Even at the end of the
twentieth century they teach us that we cannot close our eyes to the
misery and suffering of those who cannot find their place in the often
complicated new reality. May every parish become a community of
people sensitive to the fate of those who find themselves in a difficult
situation. Search always for new ways to meet this challenge. Let the
words of the Scripture be an encouragement for everyone: “You shall
give freely to [the needy], and your heart shall not be grudging when you
give to him; because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your
work and in all that you undertake” (cf. Deut 15:10).
The Church’s witness through works of mercy and teaching cannot,
however, take the place of what is done by the people and institutions
responsible for shaping of the world of work. Therefore, one of the
Church’s most important tasks in this field is the formation of human
consciences, a formation requiring the utmost tact and discretion, with a
view to imparting to everyone a sensitivity to these problems. Only when
this fundamental truth is active in the conscience of each person – the
truth that man is both subject and creator, and that work must serve the
good of the person and society – only then will it be possible to avoid the
dangers that come with practical materialism. The world of work needs
people with properly formed consciences. The world of labor expects the
Church to serve consciences.
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Excerpts From A Message To The Conference Of Catholic
International Organizations
Pope John Paul II, September 30, 1999
The area where you are meeting clearly sheds light on the theme you
have chosen: "The eradication of poverty: our practices and
perspectives". In a world all too often marked by greed, violence and
deceit, which leave their mark in various forms of alienation and
exploitation, it is urgently necessary to encourage a new effort of
solidarity. It is equally desirable to mobilize consciences and ethical
resources in order boldly to seek more humane solutions to the problems
of so many peoples left on the margins of the globalization process, and
whose weakest members are excluded from the benefits of development.
The issues connected with the poverty of individuals and peoples, which
in our day dominate the international scene, are of critical importance.
They cannot be resolved by facile slogans or ineffective statements. As
Catholic international organizations, you have a long experience and
great competence in the area of international life. You know the
difficulties encountered and the efforts of the community of nations to
face the impoverishment of an ever growing portion of humanity. I
encourage you energetically to promote a culture of solidarity and
cooperation among peoples, in which everyone accepts his
responsibilities to eradicate extreme poverty, a source of violence,
bitterness and scandal (cf. Bull of Indiction of the Great Jubilee
Incarnationis mysterium, n. 12); you will thus have a share in
proclaiming the Gospel; you will help men and women discover the face
of God, Father of all mercies, and will help build a world where justice
and peace reign. Therefore, a radical change in mentalities and
international practices, based on genuine conversion of heart, is urgently
needed.
With Christians who in different ways participate in international life and
cooperate with all who truly seek man's good, you can make a special
contribution to the work of the human community.
To carry out this commitment more fully, I encourage you to turn
constantly to the sources of your Catholic identity and to be inspired by
the heritage of the Church's social teaching. It is this heritage, in fact,
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which makes your distinctive presence constructive and hopeful. The
Church needs you and relies on you. I pray that the grace of the Great
Jubilee will help you enter the third millennium inspired by a concern to
discover new and more effective ways to be present and active in the
world. I encourage you to pursue this renewal with determination,
constantly strengthening your membership in the Church, with the
support of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the dicastery of the
Roman Curia with which you maintain a trusting and profound dialogue,
as well as with the Secretariat of State.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A General Audience
Pope John Paul II, October 27, 1999
The Second Vatican Council underscores a specific dimension of charity
which prompts us, following Christ's example, to reach out to those who
are most poor: "Christ was sent by the Father "to bring good news to the
poor ... to heal the contrite of heart' (Lk 4: 18), "to seek and to save what
was lost' (Lk 19: 10). Similarly, the Church encompasses with her love all
those who are afflicted by human misery and she recognizes in those who
are poor and who suffer, the image of her poor and suffering founder.
She does all in her power to relieve their need and in them she strives to
serve Christ" (Lumen gentium, n. 8).
Today let us look closely at the teaching of Sacred Scripture about the
reasons for the Church's preferential love of the poor.
It should be noted first of all that there is a development from the Old to
the New Testament in evaluating the poor and their situation. In the Old
Testament we often see the common human conviction that wealth is
better than poverty and is the just reward for the upright and God-fearing
person: "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in
his commandments.... Wealth and riches are in his house" (Ps 112: 1, 3).
Poverty is considered a punishment for those who reject the instruction of
wisdom (cf. Prv 13: 18).
However, from another perspective, the poor become the object of
special attention as victims of perverse injustice. The prophets' invectives
against the exploitation of the poor are famous. The prophet Amos (cf.
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2: 6-15) includes oppression of the poor among his accusations against
Israel: "They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of
shoes - they that trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth,
and turn aside the way of the afflicted" (ibid., vv. 6-7). The connection
between poverty and injustice is also stressed in Isaiah: "Woe to those
who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing
oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my
people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may
make the fatherless their prey" (Is 10: 1-2).
This connection also explains why there are numerous laws defending the
poor and those who are socially the weakest: "You shall not afflict any
widow or orphan. If you do afflict them, and they cry out to me, I will
surely hear their cry" (Ex 22: 22-23; cf. Prv 22: 22-23; Sir 4: 1-10). To
defend the poor is to honor God, Father of the poor. Generosity to them is
therefore justified and recommended (Dt 15: 1-11; 24: 10-15; Prv 14: 21;
17: 5).
In the developing reflection on the theme of poverty, the latter acquires a
religious value. God speaks of "his" poor (cf. Is 49: 13) who are
identified with the "remnant of Israel", described as a humble and lowly
people by the prophet Zephaniah (cf. 3: 12). It is also said of the future
Messiah that he will take the poor and the oppressed to heart, as Isaiah
states in the famous text about the shoot that would sprout from the
stump of Jesse: "With righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide
with equity for the meek of the earth" (Is 11: 4).
This is why in the New Testament the good news of deliverance is
announced to the poor, as Jesus himself stresses, applying to himself the
prophecy of the Book of Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent
me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord" (Lk 4: 18; cf. Is 61: 1-2).
To possess the "kingdom of heaven", it is necessary to have the interior
attitude of the poor (cf. Mt 5: 3; Lk 6: 20). In the parable of the great
feast, the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame - in a word the most
suffering and marginalized social categories - were invited to the banquet
( cf. Lk 14: 21). St James would later say that God has "chosen those who
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are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which
he has promised to those who love him" (Jas 2: 5).
"Evangelical" poverty always implies great love for the poorest of this
world. In this third year of preparation for the Great Jubilee, we must
rediscover God as the provident Father who has compassion on human
suffering in order to relieve all who are afflicted. Our charity too must be
expressed in sharing and in human development understood as the
integral
growth
of
each
person.
Throughout history Gospel radicalism has spurred many of Jesus'
disciples to seek poverty to the point of selling their own goods and
giving them as alms. Poverty here becomes a virtue which, besides
alleviating the lot of the poor, becomes a spiritual path to true wealth,
that is, to an unfailing treasure in heaven (cf. Lk 12: 32-34). Material
poverty is never an end in itself, but a means of following Christ, about
whom Paul said to the Corinthians: "though he was rich, yet for your
sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich" (2
Cor 8: 9).
Here I can only stress again that the poor represent today's challenge
especially for the wealthy peoples of our world, where millions of people
are living in inhuman conditions and many are literally dying of hunger.
We cannot proclaim God the Father to these brethren without the
commitment to work together in Christ's name to build a more just
society.
The Church, especially in her social Magisterium from Rerum novarum
to Centesimus annus, has always strived to address the theme of the very
poor. The Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 must be another opportunity for
deep conversion of heart, so that the Spirit may raise up new witnesses to
this cause. Christians, together with all people of good will, must
contribute, by appropriate economic and political measures, to those
structural changes which are so necessary for humanity to be freed from
the plague of poverty (cf. Centesimus annuns, n. 57).
Excerpts From A Message To The Members Of The Pontifical
Council For Justice And Peace
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Pope John Paul II, November 4, 1999
In its now long history, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has
played an important role in promoting the social teaching of the Church.
Founded at the request of the Second Vatican Council, it is called to
bring to the whole of God’s People a fuller knowledge of their part in
furthering the progress of the human family, especially of its poorer
members, through the pursuit of social justice among peoples and nations
(cf. Motu Proprio, 6 January 1967). Its scope has always been, and
remains more than ever, global. On the eve of the Great Jubilee, you
continue to show your determination to remain faithful to this mission.
The recent efforts of the Pontifical Council to spread an awareness of the
social teaching of the Church have been directed to making leaders, both
ecclesiastical and civil, ever more mindful of their obligation to promote
the dignity of each human person by addressing such questions as the
elimination of extreme poverty and the promotion of an effective
approach to human rights. You have successfully brought these concerns
directly to different parts of the world by seeking the help of the local
Churches in organizing seminars on the Church’s social teaching, within
very specific contexts. By doing this in Africa, Asia and Latin America,
you are giving full expression to the spirit of the Great Jubilee, which is
meant to be a time of liberation, and of the restoration of equity and
peace among peoples (cf. Lev 25). You have done so in an evangelical
spirit, because true freedom, justice and peace are gifts of a loving God
who seeks the collaboration of those whom he created in love. I
encourage you in your efforts to make the practice of the social teaching
of the Church an ever more deeply felt commitment among the faithful.
In the same spirit, you have both supported and promoted efforts in
regional and international forums to help the poorest countries free
themselves from the burden of debt and underdevelopment, and you have
supported efforts to bring an end to internal conflicts.
Last year, I entrusted the Pontifical Council with the task of producing “a
compendium or approved synthesis of Church social doctrine” which
would show the connection between it and the new evangelization
(Ecclesia in America, 54). Such a document will help the Church’s
members to understand better the importance of this teaching. The
Jubilee offers an excellent occasion for such a publication. The very
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concept of the Jubilee commemorating the birth of Jesus includes
proclaiming the Good News to the poor, freeing the oppressed and giving
sight to the blind (cf. Mt 11:4-5; Lk 7:22), releasing people from their
debts, and restoring land (Lev 25:8-28), questions which the Pontifical
Council has been effectively addressing during the years of preparation
for this great event.
At this Plenary Assembly you will be considering the current
environmental crisis in the light of the social teaching of the Church. The
question of the environment is closely related to other important social
issues, insofar as the environment embraces all that surrounds us and all
upon which human life depends. Hence the importance of a correct
approach to the question. In this regard, reflection on the biblical
foundations of care for the created world can clarify the obligation to
promote a sound and healthy environment.
The use of the earth’s resources is another crucial aspect of the
environmental question. A study of this complex problem goes to the
very heart of the organization of modern society. Reflecting on the
environment in the light of Sacred Scripture and the social teaching of the
Church, we cannot but raise the question of the very style of life
promoted by modern society, and in particular the question of the uneven
way in which the benefits of progress are distributed. The Pontifical
Council will render a valuable service to the Church, and through the
Church to all of humanity, in promoting a deeper understanding of the
obligation to work for greater justice and equity in the way people are
enabled to share in the resources of God’s creation.
On the occasion of your meeting, I gladly invoke divine blessings on
each of the Council’s Members and Consultors. I thank you all for the
considerable help that you give to the Holy See on the basis of your
specific skills and your rich and varied experience in many parts of the
world. May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and
the members of your families.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For The 43rd Italian Catholic Social Week
Pope John Paul II, November 10, 1999
345
The Church, from her origins and, in the contemporary era, through the
Encyclical Rerum novarum, has proclaimed and practiced a preferential
option for the poor, considering it a "special form of primacy in the
exercise of Christian charity" (Centesimus annus, n. 11; cf. Sollicitudo rei
socialis, n. 42). I follow with concern the data showing that the gap
between rich and poor is also widening in Italy, and the state of poverty
extending and diversifying. These facts suggest complex phenomena
which are in part extraneous to this country. We cannot be resigned to
this reality, but must respond with a renewed commitment to solidarity
and justice, by searching for new ways to combine the demands of the
economy with social needs.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The 30th Conference Of The Food
And Agriculture Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 18, 1999
I pay tribute to your work and the work of all who are part of the United
Nations’ efforts to promote the well-being of the human family,
particularly by ensuring that everyone has an adequate share in the food
resources of the earth.
At a moment like this, our concerns are broad, as we survey the entire
planet and the multitude of the human family. Millions of human beings
are denied the most basic necessities of life – food, water, shelter.
Diseases both new and old continue to affect countless lives. The scourge
of violence and war is unceasing. The gap between rich and poor
increases alarmingly. Scientific and technological progress is not always
accompanied by attention to the moral and ethical values which alone can
ensure its correct application for the genuine good of people today and
tomorrow. In so many ways, life itself is under assault, with the weak
inevitably suffering the most. Faced with facts such as these, many
people are overcome by a kind of moral paralysis, believing that little or
nothing can be done to address these great problems at their roots. The
best we can manage – they claim – is a palliative approach which may
relieve the symptoms but can do nothing to tackle the causes.
Yet what is required is not paralysis, but action – which is why the work
of your Organization is so important. This century is strewn with
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examples of programs and actions which have aggravated rather than
relieved human suffering. It should now be clear that ideologically
motivated action is not the solution to hunger, to land-reform and to all
the other issues involved in bringing about greater justice in the use of
the world’s resources. What is needed is the more profound and infinitely
more creative power of hope. This is the word I speak to you today –
hope; and it is the word which the Church never ceases to speak in all her
efforts to go to the roots of suffering in the world.
This hope is something more than the shallow optimism which comes
only when we refuse to admit the darkness in our midst. It is rather a
realistic and confident vision which belongs to those who have seen the
darkness as it is and discovered light at its heart.
The hope of which the Church speaks entails a vision of the human
person as created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26). It
engages the fundamental question of the truth about man and the
meaning of our human existence. In this respect, in this last part of the
twentieth century a positive sign is the fact that, through the efforts of
many, including organizations like your own, there is a growing sense of
the human person’s worth and dignity, and of the inviolable rights which
flow from it. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an example
of this, even if the discrepancy between word and action at times remains
very great. Yet it is a cause for satisfaction that people are recognizing
more and more that there are certain innate and inviolable rights which
do not depend on any human authority or consensus. As demonstrated in
the collapse of the various totalitarian systems of our time, the attempt of
the State to place itself above such rights wreaks havoc on society and, in
the end, is self-defeating.
In the view of Christians and other believers, fundamental rights are
rooted in the dignity of the human being, endowed with reason and free
will and therefore privileged to bear personal responsibility (cf.
Dignitatis Humanae, 2). To speak of hope, therefore, is to acknowledge
the transcendent character of the person and to respect its practical
implications. When this transcendence is denied or ignored, the vacuum
is filled by some form of authoritarianism or by the exaggerated notion of
the completely autonomous individual, which leads to a slavery of
another kind. Without openness to the unique and inviolable value of
every human being, our vision of the world will be distorted or
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incomplete, and our efforts to relieve suffering and redress injustices will
be doomed to failure.
In the search for hope at the dawn of the third millennium, we must look
to the positive ideas and structures which have emerged in the
international community’s continuing endeavors to improve the
conditions of life of the world’s peoples. With the means available today,
poverty, hunger and disease can no longer be regarded as either normal
or inevitable. Much can be done to defeat them, and the human family
looks expectantly to the United Nations, and in particular the Food and
Agriculture Organization, to take the lead in helping to build a world in
which people are no longer denied the most basic necessities.
I renew the wish so often expressed that in the new millennium the
United Nations itself may become a more effective instrument of
development, solidarity and peace in the world. A strong United Nations
Organization would ensure the recognition that there are human rights
which transcend the will of individuals and nations. The effective
recognition of these rights would in fact be the best guarantee of
individual freedom and national sovereignty within the family of peoples.
With profound appreciation of all that your Organization has done to help
the poorest in our midst and looking confidently to the future that lies
before you, I entrust the work of your Conference to the guiding hand of
him who, in biblical terms, “fills the hungry with good things” (Lk 1:52).
Upon you, your loved ones and all involved in the noble work of the
Food and Agriculture Organization I invoke the abundant blessings of
Almighty God.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For The World Migration Day
Pope John Paul II, November 21, 1999
Within the framework of a liberalism without adequate controls, the gap
between the "emerging" and the "losing" countries is widening. The
former have capital and technologies that allow them to enjoy the world's
resources at will, a possibility that they do not always use with a spirit of
solidarity and sharing. The latter, instead, do not have easy access to the
resources needed for adequate human development, and sometimes even
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lack the means of subsistence; crushed by debt and torn by internal
divisions, they often end up wasting their meagre wealth on war (cf.
Encyclical Centesimus annus, n. 33). As I recalled in my Message for the
1998 World Day of Peace, the challenge of our time is to assure a
globalization in solidarity, a globalization without marginalization (cf. n.
3).
In many regions of the world today people live in tragic situations of
instability and uncertainty. It does not come as a surprise that in such
contexts the poor and the destitute make plans to escape, to seek a new
land that can offer them bread, dignity and peace. This is the migration of
the desperate: men and women, often young, who have no alternative
than to leave their own country to venture into the unknown. Every day
thousands of people take even critical risks in their attempts to escape
from a life with no future. Unfortunately, the reality they find in host
nations is frequently a source of further disappointment.
At the same time, States with a relative abundance tend to tighten their
borders under pressure from a public opinion disturbed by the
inconveniences that accompany the phenomenon of immigration. Society
finds itself having to deal with the "clandestine", men and women in
illegal situations, without any rights in a country that refuses to welcome
them, victims of organized crime or of unscrupulous entrepreneurs.
On the threshold of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, as the Church
acquires a renewed awareness of her mission at the service of the human
family, this situation also raises some serious questions. The
globalization process can be an opportunity, if cultural differences are
accepted as an opportunity for meeting and dialogue, and if the unequal
distribution of the world's resources leads to a new awareness of the
necessary solidarity which must unite the human family. If, on the
contrary, inequalities increase, poorer populations are forced into the
exile of desperation, while the wealthy countries find they are prisoners
of an insatiable craving to concentrate the available resources in their
own hands.
Aware of the dramas but also of the opportunities inherent in the
migration phenomenon and "contemplating the mystery of the
Incarnation of the Son of God, the Church prepares to cross the threshold
of the third millennium" (Incarnationis mysterium, n. 1). In the
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Incarnation the Church recognizes God's initiative in making "known to
us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his
purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to
unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth" (Eph 1: 910). Christian commitment draws strength from Christ's love, which is
Good News for all human beings.
In the light of this Revelation, the Church, Mother and Teacher, works so
that every person's dignity is respected, the immigrant is welcomed as a
brother or sister, and all humanity forms a united family which knows
how to appreciate with discernment the different cultures which comprise
it. In Jesus, God came seeking human hospitality. This is why he makes
the willingness to welcome others in love a characteristic virtue of
believers. He chose to be born into a family that found no lodging in
Bethlehem (cf. Lk 2: 7) and experienced exile in Egypt (cf. Mt 2: 14).
Jesus, who "had nowhere to lay his head" (Mt 8: 20), asked those he met
for hospitality. To Zacchaeus he said: "I must stay at your house today"
(Lk 19: 5). He even compared himself to a foreigner in need of shelter: "I
was a stranger and you welcomed me" (Mt 25: 35). In sending his
disciples out on mission, Jesus makes the hospitality they will enjoy an
act that concerns him personally: "He who receives you receives me, and
he who receives me receives him who sent me" (Mt 10: 40).
In this Jubilee year and in the context of a human mobility that has
expanded everywhere, his invitation to hospitality becomes timely and
urgent. How can the baptized claim to welcome Christ if they close the
door to the foreigner who comes knocking? "If anyone has the world's
goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how
does God's love abide in him?" (1 Jn 3: 17).
The Son of God became man to reach out to all, giving preference to the
least ones, the outcast, the stranger. When he began his mission in
Nazareth, he presented himself as the Messiah who proclaims the Good
News to the poor, brings release to captives and restores sight to the
blind. He came to proclaim a "year of the Lord's favor" (cf. Lk 4: 18),
which is liberation and the beginning of a new era of brotherhood and
solidarity.
"The Jubilee, "a year of the Lord's favor', characterizes all the activity of
Jesus; it is not merely the recurrence of an anniversary in time"
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(Apostolic Letter Tertio millennio adveniente, n. 11). Christ's work, ever
present in his Church, seeks to bring all who feel strangers into a new
fraternal communion; and his disciples are called to make themselves the
servants of this mercy, so that no one will be lost (cf. Jn 6: 39).
In celebrating the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, the Church does not
want to forget the tragedies which have marked the century now drawing
to a close: the bloody wars which have devastated the world, the
deportations, extermination camps, "ethnic cleansing" and the hatred
which has spread and continues to darken human history.
The Church hears the suffering cry of all who are uprooted from their
own land, of families forcefully separated, of those who, in the rapid
changes of our day, are unable to find a stable home anywhere. She
senses the anguish of those without rights, without any security, at the
mercy of every kind of exploitation, and she supports them in their
unhappiness.
In all the societies of the world the figure of the exile, the refugee, the
deportee, the clandestine, the migrant and the "street people" gives the
Jubilee celebration a very concrete meaning, which for believers becomes
a call to change their mentality and their life, in accordance with Christ's
appeal: "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" (Mk 1: 15).
In its highest and most demanding motivation, this call to conversion
certainly includes the effective recognition of the rights of migrants: "It
is urgent in their regard that one know how to overcome a strictly
nationalistic attitude to create a State which recognizes their right to
emigration and encourages their integration.... It is the duty of all - and
especially Christians - to work energetically to establish the universal
brotherhood which is the indispensable basis of true justice and a
condition for lasting peace" (Paul VI, Encyclical Octogesima adveniens,
n. 17).
Working for the unity of the human family means being committed to the
rejection of all discrimination based on race, culture or religion as
contrary to God's plan. It means bearing witness to a fraternal life based
on the Gospel, which respects cultural differences and is open to sincere
and trustful dialogue. It includes the advancement of everyone's right to
be able to live peacefully in his own country, as well as attentive concern
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that in every State immigration laws be based on the recognition of
fundamental human rights.
May the Virgin Mary, who set out with haste to visit her cousin Elizabeth
and, in receiving hospitality, rejoiced in God her Savior (cf. Lk 1: 39-47),
sustain everyone who in this Jubilee year sets out with their hearts open
to others, and help them to meet them as brothers and sisters, children of
the same Father (cf. Mt 23: 9).
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Excerpts From A Message For The Celebration Of The World Day
Of Peace
Pope John Paul II, December 8, 1999
Globalization, for all its risks, also offers exceptional and promising
opportunities, precisely with a view to enabling humanity to become a
single family, built on the values of justice, equity and solidarity.
For this to happen, a complete change of perspective will be needed: it is
no longer the well-being of any one political, racial or cultural
community that must prevail, but rather the good of humanity as a whole.
The pursuit of the common good of a single political community cannot
be in conflict with the common good of humanity, expressed in the
recognition of and respect for human rights sanctioned by the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. It is necessary, then, to abandon
ideas and practices - often determined by powerful economic interests which subordinate every other value to the absolute claims of the nation
and the State. In this new perspective, the political, cultural and
institutional divisions and distinctions by which humanity is ordered and
organized are legitimate in so far as they are compatible with
membership in the one human family, and with the ethical and legal
requirements which stem from this.
In every case, in the face of such tragic and complex situations and
contrary to all alleged "reasons" of war, there is a need to affirm the
preeminent value of humanitarian law and the consequent duty to
guarantee the right to humanitarian aid to suffering civilians and
refugees.
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The recognition of these rights and their effective implementation must
not be allowed to depend on the interests of any of the parties in conflict.
On the contrary, there is a duty to identify all the means, institutional or
otherwise, which can best serve in a practical way to meet humanitarian
objectives. The moral and political legitimacy of these rights is in fact
based on the principle that the good of the human person comes before
all else and stands above all human institutions.
Here I wish to restate my conviction that, in the face of modern armed
conflicts, negotiation between parties, with appropriate attempts at
mediation and pacification by international and regional bodies, is of the
greatest importance. Negotiation is necessary in order to prevent such
conflicts and to end them once they have broken out, restoring peace
through an equitable settlement of the rights and interests involved.
This conviction concerning the positive role played by mediation and
pacification agencies should be extended to the non-governmental
humanitarian organizations and religious bodies which, discreetly and
without ulterior motives, promote peace between opposed groups and
help to overcome age-old rivalries, reconcile enemies, and open the way
to a new and shared future. While honoring their noble dedication to the
cause of peace, I wish to remember with profound esteem all who have
given their lives so that others might live: I lift up my prayers to God for
them and I invite other believers to do the same.
Peace on earth to those whom God loves!" From the problem of war, our
gaze naturally turns to another closely related issue: the question of
solidarity. The lofty and demanding task of peace, deeply rooted in
humanity's vocation to be one family and to recognize itself as such, has
one of its foundations in the principle of the universal destination of the
earth's resources. This principle does not delegitimize private property;
instead it broadens the understanding and management of private
property to embrace its indispensable social function, to the advantage of
the common good and in particular the good of society's weakest
members. Unfortunately, this basic principle is widely disregarded, as
shown by the persistent and growing gulf in the world between a North
filled with abundant commodities and resources and increasingly made
up of older people, and a South where the great majority of younger
people now live, still deprived of credible prospects for social, cultural
and economic development.
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No one should be deceived into thinking that the simple absence of war,
as desirable as it is, is equivalent to lasting peace. There is no true peace
without fairness, truth, justice and solidarity. Failure awaits every plan
which would separate two indivisible and interdependent rights: the right
to peace and the right to an integral development born of solidarity.
"Injustice, excessive economic or social inequalities, envy, distrust and
pride raging among men and nations constantly threaten peace and cause
wars. Everything done to overcome these disorders contributes to
building up peace and avoiding war".
At the beginning of a new century, the one issue which most challenges
our human and Christian consciences is the poverty of countless millions
of men and women. This situation becomes all the more tragic when we
realize that the major economic problems of our time do not depend on a
lack of resources but on the fact that present economic, social and
cultural structures are ill-equipped to meet the demands of genuine
development.
Rightly then the poor, both in developing countries and in the prosperous
and wealthy countries, "ask for the right to share in enjoying material
goods and to make good use of their capacity to work, thus creating a
world that is more just and prosperous for all. The advancement of the
poor constitutes a great opportunity for the moral, cultural and even
economic growth of all humanity". Let us look at the poor not as a
problem, but as people who can become the principal builders of a new
and more human future for everyone.
In this context we also need to examine the growing concern felt by
many economists and financial professionals when, in considering new
issues involving poverty, peace, ecology and the future of the younger
generation, they reflect on the role of the market, on the pervasive
influence of monetary and financial interests, on the widening gap
between the economy and society, and on other similar issues related to
economic activity.
Perhaps the time has come for a new and deeper reflection on the nature
of the economy and its purposes. What seems to be urgently needed is a
reconsideration of the concept of "prosperity" itself, to prevent it from
being enclosed in a narrow utilitarian perspective which leaves very little
space for values such as solidarity and altruism.
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Here I would like to invite economists and financial professionals, as
well as political leaders, to recognize the urgency of the need to ensure
that economic practices and related political policies have as their aim the
good of every person and of the whole person. This is not only a demand
of ethics but also of a sound economy. Experience seems to confirm that
economic success is increasingly dependent on a more genuine
appreciation of individuals and their abilities, on their fuller participation,
on their increased and improved knowledge and information, on a
stronger solidarity.
These are values which, far from being foreign to economics and
business, help to make them a fully "human" science and activity. An
economy which takes no account of the ethical dimension and does not
seek to serve the good of the person - of every person and the whole
person - cannot really call itself an "economy" , understood in the sense
of a rational and constructive use of material wealth.
The very fact that humanity, called to form a single family, is still
tragically split in two by poverty - at the beginning of the twenty-first
century, more than a billion four hundred million people are living in a
situation of dire poverty - means that there is urgent need to reconsider
the models which inspire development policies.
In this regard, the legitimate requirements of economic efficiency must
be better aligned with the requirements of political participation and
social justice, without falling back into the ideological mistakes made
during the twentieth century. In practice, this means making solidarity an
integral part of the network of economic, political and social
interdependence which the current process of globalization is tending to
consolidate.
These processes call for rethinking international cooperation in terms of a
new culture of solidarity. When seen as a sowing of peace, cooperation
cannot be reduced to aid or assistance, especially if given with an eye to
the benefits to be received in return for the resources made available.
Rather, it must express a concrete and tangible commitment to solidarity
which makes the poor the agents of their own development and enables
the greatest number of people, in their specific economic and political
circumstances, to exercise the creativity which is characteristic of the
human person and on which the wealth of nations too is dependent.
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In particular it is necessary to find definitive solutions to the long standing problem of the international debt of poor countries, while at the
same time making available the financial resources necessary for the
fight against hunger, malnutrition, disease, illiteracy and the destruction
of the environment.
Today more than in the past there is an urgent need to foster a
consciousness of universal moral values in order to face the problems of
the present, all of which are assuming an increasingly global dimension.
The promotion of peace and human rights, the settling of armed conflicts
both within States and across borders, the protection of ethnic minorities
and immigrants, the safeguarding of the environment, the battle against
terrible diseases, the fight against drug and arms traffickers, and against
political and economic corruption: these are issues which nowadays no
nation is in a position to face alone. They concern the entire human
community, and thus they must be faced and resolved through common
efforts.
A way must be found to discuss the problems posed by the future of
humanity in a comprehensible and common language. The basis of such a
dialogue is the universal moral law written upon the human heart. By
following this "grammar" of the spirit, the human community can
confront the problems of coexistence and move forward to the future
with respect for God's plan.
The encounter between faith and reason, between religion and morality,
can provide a decisive impulse towards dialogue and cooperation
between peoples, cultures and religions.
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassadors
Pope John Paul II, December 16, 1999
The approach of the new millennium is an invitation for all men and
women to pay ever greater attention to their brothers and sisters in
humanity, especially those who are called to exercise important political
economic or social responsibilities, tasks that are primarily a service to
the entire human community. It is on this condition that our
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contemporaries will continue to hope for a better future and will
resolutely commit themselves on behalf of their brothers and sisters.
Globalization should not lead to an increased impoverishment of the most
disadvantaged peoples, who are often forced to comply with the
economic regulations of wealthy countries. The economy must also be
governed by social policies at the national and international level, and not
depend solely on financial factors, which leads to tragic situations for
numerous peoples whose debts make all development impossible.
Nations with a long history of democracy and technology and longstanding economic and social vitality, have acquired knowledge and
know-how. They can put these at the service of countries that have
difficulty in managing their infrastructures and the organizations that are
indispensable for economic growth, health needs and basic personal
necessities. By so doing, they will not seek their own advantage but will
be concerned to support the building of a nation and will strive to
encourage a just freedom for the good of all society. It is also important
to develop aid to countries committed to fighting poverty and injustice,
sources of many flashpoints of violence and violations of human rights.
In these areas the time has come more than ever for all peoples to show
concrete and tangible solidarity, for a better distribution of the world's
wealth and goods.
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Excerpts From An Address To The Secretary General And The
Administrative Committee On Coordination Of The United Nations
Pope John Paul II, April 7, 2000
The unbounded expansion of world commerce and the amazing progress
in the fields of technology, communications and information exchange
are all part of a dynamic process that tends to abolish the distances
separating peoples and continents. However, the ability to exercise
influence in this new global setting is not the same for all nations, but is
more or less tied to a country’s economic and technological capacity. The
new situation is such that, in many cases, decisions with worldwide
consequences are made only by a small, restricted group of nations.
Other nations either manage — often with great effort — to bring these
decisions into line with what is in the interest of their citizens or — as
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happens with the weakest countries — they try simply to adjust to these
decisions as best they can, sometimes with negative consequences for
their people. The majority of the world’s nations, therefore, are
experiencing a weakening of the State in its capacity to serve the
common good and promote social justice and harmony.
Moreover, the globalization of the economy is leading to a globalization
of society and culture. In this context, Non-Governmental Organizations,
representing a very broad spectrum of special interests, are becoming
ever more important in international life. And perhaps one of the best
results of their action so far is the awareness which they are creating of
the need to move from an attitude of defense and promotion of particular
and competing special interests to a holistic vision of development. A
case in point is their increasing success in creating a keener awareness in
industrialized countries of their shared responsibility for the problems
facing less developed countries. The campaign to reduce or cancel the
foreign debt of the poorest nations is another example, though not the
only one, of a growing sense of international solidarity.
The growth of this new awareness in society presents the United Nations
system with a unique opportunity to contribute to the globalization of
solidarity by serving as a meeting place for States and civil society and as
a convergence of the varied interests and needs — regional and particular
— of the world at large. Cooperation between International Agencies and
Non-Governmental Organizations will help to ensure that the interests of
States – legitimate though they may be – and of the different groups
within them, will not be invoked or defended at the expense of the
interests or rights of other peoples, especially the less fortunate. Political
and economic activity conducted in a spirit of international solidarity can
and ought to lead to the voluntary limitation of unilateral advantages so
that other countries and peoples may share in the same benefits. In this
way the social and economic well-being of everyone is served.
At the dawn of the twenty-first century, the challenge is to build a world
in which individuals and peoples fully and unequivocally accept
responsibility for their fellow human beings, for all the earth’s
inhabitants. Your work can do much to empower the multilateral system
to bring about such international solidarity. The premise of all this effort
is the recognition of the dignity and centrality of every human being as
an equal member of the human family and, for believers, as God’s equal
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children. The task then is to ensure the acceptance at every level of
society of the logical consequences of our shared human dignity, and to
guarantee respect for that dignity in every situation.
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Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, May 1, 2000
At this moment I cannot fail to express my solidarity with all who are
suffering because of unemployment, inadequate wages or lack of material
resources. I am well aware of the peoples who are reduced to a poverty
that offends their dignity, prevents them from sharing the earth's goods
and obliges them to eat whatever scraps fall from the tables of the rich
(cf. Incarnationis mysterium, n. 12). The effort to remedy these situations
is a labor of justice and peace.
The new realities that are having such a powerful impact on the
productive process, such as the globalization of finance, economics, trade
and labor, must never violate the dignity and centrality of the human
person, nor the freedom and democracy of peoples. If solidarity,
participation and the possibility to manage these radical changes are not
the solution, they are certainly the necessary ethical guarantee so that
individuals and peoples do not become tools but the protagonists of their
future. All this can be achieved and, since it is possible, it becomes a
duty.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From The Jubilee Of Workers
Pope John Paul II, May 1, 2000
The festival of work brings to mind the industriousness of men and
women who, in accordance with the command of the Lord of life, desire
to work for a future of hope, justice and solidarity for all humanity.
Today on this path of civilization, thanks to new technologies and global
computerized communications, fresh possibilities of progress are
emerging. However, there is no shortage of new problems, which
combine with already existing ones and give rise to legitimate
preoccupation. Realities such as unemployment, exploitation of minors
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and low wages persist, and are even getting worse in some parts of the
world. It must be recognized that the organization of labor does not
always respect the dignity of the human person, and the universal
destination of resources is not always given due consideration.
The commitment to resolve these problems in all parts of the world
involves everyone. It concerns you, owners and management, you,
financiers, and you, craftsmen, trades people and workers. All must work
so that the economic system in which we live does not upset the
fundamental order of the priority of work over capital, of the common
good over private interest. It is ever more necessary, as Mr Juan Somavia
said a short while ago, to establish a global coalition in favor of “decent
work”.
Globalization is a reality present today in every area of human life, but it
is a reality which must be managed wisely. Solidarity too must become
globalized. The Jubilee offers a suitable opportunity to open our eyes to
the poverty and marginalization, not only of individuals but also of
groups and peoples. In the Bull of Indication of the Jubilee I recalled that
“some nations, especially the poorer ones, are oppressed by a debt so
huge that repayment is practically impossible” (Incarnationis Mysterium,
12). To reduce or indeed to remit this debt: here is a Jubilee gesture
which would be so desirable!
This appeal is addressed to the rich and developed nations, but also to
people of great wealth and to those who are in a position to foster
solidarity among peoples.
May it ring out at this historic encounter, at which Christian workers and
non-confessional labor organizations have united in a common effort.
Workers, employers, collaborators, financiers, trades people, join your
arms, your minds, your hearts to contribute to the building of a society
which respects man and his work. Man is more valuable for what he is
than for what he has. Whatever is done for the sake of greater justice,
wider fraternity and a more human ordering of social relationships counts
for more than any progress in the technical field.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, the Pope is well aware of your problems, your
concerns, your expectations and hopes. He appreciates your toil, your
attachment to your families, your professional commitment. He is close
to you in your efforts to build a more just and sharing society, he
encourages and blesses you.
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___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address On The Ethical Dimensions Of The
Global Economy
Pope John Paul II, May 2, 2000
The serious phenomenon of unemployment, which affects men, women
and young people, and for which a solution is sought in many ways,
would certainly have a positive outcome if economics, finance and the
national and global organization of work itself were never to lose sight of
the good of man as their ultimate goal.
Today so-called "globalization" is making the world of work even more
complex. This is a new phenomenon, which needs to be recognized and
evaluated with careful and precise study, since it seems clearly
"ambivalent". It can be something good for man and for society, but
could also prove harmful, with serious consequences. Everything
depends on certain basic decisions: whether "globalization" serves man,
every individual, or exclusively benefits a development that is not
governed by the principles of solidarity, participation or responsible
subsidiarity.
In this regard, it is important to remember that the more global the
market, the more it must be balanced by a global culture of solidarity that
is attentive to the needs of the weakest. Moreover, democracy, including
economic democracy, must be safeguarded, as must a correct conception
of the person and of society.
Man has the right to a development that involves every aspect of his life.
The economy, even if globalized, must always be integrated into the
overall fabric of social relations, of which it forms an important, but not
exclusive, component.
Globalization also requires a new culture, new rules and new institutions
at the world level. Politics and economics must collaborate in this area to
define short-, medium- and long-term projects whose goal will be the
cancellation or at least reduction of the public debt of the world's poor
countries. A commendable journey of co-responsibility has been
undertaken in this regard; it should be strengthened and even globalized
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so that all countries will feel involved. A demanding journey, which for
this reason enhances the responsibility of each and every one.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From To The World Movement Of Christian Workers
Pope John Paul II, May 7, 2000
Through their work men and women have the mission of building a just
and fraternal world, where workers see their rightful place and dignity
recognized. By taking care of creation, they preserve and develop the
goods of the earth. Work thus relates them to God, whose work of
creation they continue to develop (cf. Encyclical Laborem exercens, n.
25), contributing to the realization of the divine plan in history (cf.
Gaudium et spes, n. 34). Work also relates man to his brethren through
love of neighbor and the possibility, for the whole of society, of
benefiting from the products of each one's labor.
To allow workers to be increasingly involved in professional life, it is
important that your movement be concerned, at its various organizational
levels, with the spiritual, moral and intellectual formation of its members,
thereby giving them the means to rediscover the sense and value of work
for the individual and for the community (cf. Encyclical Centesimus
annus, n. 6; Encyclical Laborem exercens, n. 8), and also giving them
tools for reflection and analysis, and principles for their personal and
social action. Likewise, it would be good for each person to find his own
place in professional or extra-professional networks, in order to be able to
take an active part in civic life.
Indeed, every person is an indispensable element of business and social
life and must be aware of his role at the service of the community.
Even if it has an important place in human life, work is not everything.
So that people can maintain a better balance, attention should be paid to
recreation, to personal and family life, to Sunday rest which allows them
to turn to God so that they can live every moment of life more intensely.
This attention prevents them from being locked into the cycle of
unrestrained buying and selling, too often considered the essential reason
for human work, and to focus their life differently.
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You are fully aware of the enormous changes that are radically changing
the economy and the world of work today, under the impact of great
technological progress and new politico-cultural situations. No one,
whether business manager, worker, political leader or social agent should
be resigned to a globalization that is based solely on economic criteria, or
acquiesce in the fatality of blind mechanisms. In dialogue and
collaboration with all their partners in social life, workers are called to
commit themselves to avoiding the ravages of globalization and of a
technology that crushes man. The new economic situation involves
developing new tools of analysis and action; in this area especially, lay
organizations must help in the search for answers that are inspired by
Gospel values.
Special attention should be devoted to young people seeking
employment, to the unemployed and to those who are underpaid or who
lack material means; it is essential that everyone be mobilized for the
integration and reintegration of people who are at the age to have a
profession, and to see that situations of poverty and misery, which offend
their dignity, are overcome by an ever more active solidarity. Today we
are, and rightly so, more attentive to the protection of workers, who must
not be subject to inhuman pressures, so that the inalienable dignity of
individuals and the rights of each person may be respected, especially his
right to a dignified life (cf. Leo XIII, Rerum novarum, nn. 4, 34), as well
as the proper development of a career plan. It is also advisable to think
seriously about the question of pensions for all workers. After a life of
work, the latter have the right to a decent pension (cf. Pius XI, Encyclical
Quadragesimo anno, n. 81), which will allow them to live and to support
those who still depend on them. This is a normal expression of solidarity,
equity and justice between generations, for which the Church appeals to
all our contemporaries.
The Jubilee Year is a particularly appropriate time for reflecting on new
forms of political, economic and social solidarity at all levels of society.
The culture of workers, despite all the obstacles, must remain a culture of
solidarity: in everyday working life, in neighborhoods, with young
people. Now more than ever, it is through your charity and sense of
justice that this solidarity will be able to take root, grow and bear fruit.
The Jubilee Year is also a favorable time for analyzing the economic and
social imbalances in the world, in each country and in relations between
countries, by re-establishing a correct hierarchy of values, with priority
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being given to the dignity of the working man and woman, their freedom,
their responsibility and their necessary participation in company life. The
Jubilee is also a particularly significant occasion for reflecting on the
ways to extend solidarity on a global scale, especially to poor countries,
particularly those oppressed by the burden of their debt. If the
globalization of the economy and the development of new technologies
offer real opportunities for progress, at the same time they increase the
situations of unemployment, marginalization and extreme job insecurity,
the first and principal victims of which are women, who, in some
countries where a subsistence economy prevails, are the pillars of that
economy. Solidarity and participation are the moral guarantees that
individuals and peoples will not be mere tools but will become the
protagonists of their future. Therefore, we need to strive for a
"globalization of solidarity" and a globalization without the
marginalization of individuals or peoples.
A concrete sign of this solidarity must be given by canceling the debt of
the poorest countries or at least by significantly reducing it, while
ensuring through the transparency of civil society that the reductions
allowed of debts, loans or investments are used for the common good,
and at the same time by offering scientific aids and personnel to guide the
changes in the local economy. This type of assistance will enable
indigenous people to be humanly and technically trained, with a view to
the true advancement of workers, and to enable the people in the
countries concerned to take charge of their economy. Your movement,
which is present on all the continents, makes a particularly valuable
contribution in this area.
__________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Ambassadors
Pope John Paul, May 25, 2000
You know the spiritual importance of the Jubilee Year for the Church,
which has wanted at the same time to make a pressing appeal to the
international community at the turn of the millennium, so that each nation
and each people will be helped in its development, especially on the
African continent, whose numerous peoples are harshly tried by the
conflicts that tragically affect the civilian populations. The change of
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century, in fact, is a particularly appropriate occasion for envisaging
further progress on the question of the debt of the poorest countries, in
order to help them take an active part in international life. This step is a
hand held out to nations living below the poverty line, so that they can
renew their hope for a better future; it must be accompanied by deep
reflection in order to take a new look at the organization of the world
economy, which excessively burdens certain countries, to the detriment
of those that produce raw materials and to the advantage of the wealthiest
nations.
In order to restore a just and equitable balance, wealthy countries must
combine the cancellation of the debt with human and material support, so
that leaders will be trained who can take charge of their countries' future
destinies in a disinterested way and make these countries more
autonomous and less directly dependent on the more developed countries,
by harmonizing their economies with their own specific culture. Creating
the appropriate local infrastructures and measures for re-establishing the
national economies will give the indigenous peoples the means to be the
true protagonists in building their societies and full partners in
international relations. Here we have an essential element for the
construction of a fraternal society, to which each people can make its
own contribution. This is also the way to establish peace and respect for
human rights, which call for the recognition of each individual, along
with his culture and spirituality, and for consideration to be given to each
people's desire for a land of their own and a share in the riches of
creation.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, June 2, 2000
"Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality" (Heb
13: 1-2).
The passage from the Letter to the Hebrews, which we heard a few
moments ago, links the exhortation to offer hospitality to the guest, the
pilgrim and the stranger with the commandment of love, which sums up
the new law of Christ. "Do not neglect to show hospitality". This
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message rings out in a particular way today, dear migrants and itinerant
people, as we celebrate this special Jubilee.
Among you are migrants from various countries and continents; refugees
who have fled situations of violence and are asking to see their
fundamental rights recognized; foreign students, wishing to complete
their scientific and technical training; people of the sea and sky, who
work at the service of those who travel by ship or plane; tourists,
interested in knowing new surroundings, environments, customs and
traditions; nomads, who have traveled the roads of the world down the
centuries; circus people, who bring their attractions and healthy
entertainment to public squares. To each and all, my most cordial
embrace.
Your presence recalls that the Son of God himself, when he came to
dwell among us, became a migrant (cf. 1 Jn 1: 14). He became a pilgrim
in the world and in history.
"Come, O blessed of my Father, ... for ... I was a stranger and you
welcomed me" (Mt 25: 23-35).
Jesus says that we can enter the kingdom of God only by practicing the
commandment of love. We do not enter it, then, through racial, cultural
or religious privileges, but indeed by doing the will of the Father who is
in heaven. (cf. Mt 7: 21).
Your Jubilee, dear migrants and itinerant people, expresses with
remarkable eloquence the central place which the charity of acceptance
must hold in the Church. In taking on our human and historical condition,
Christ was united in a way with every human being. He accepted every
one of us and, in the commandment of love, asked us to imitate his
example, that is, to accept one another as Christ accepted us (cf. Rom
15: 7).
Ever since the Son of God "pitched his tent among us", every person has
in a way become a "place" of encounter with him. Welcoming Christ in
our needy brothers and sisters is the condition for being able to meet him
"face to face" and perfectly at the end of our earthly journey.
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Thus the exhortation of the author of the Letter to the Hebrews is still
timely: "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby
some have entertained angels unawares" (Heb 13: 2).
I make my own the words of my venerable predecessor, the Servant of
God Paul VI, who, in his homily at the close of the Second Vatican
Council, said: "For the Catholic Church, no one is a stranger, no one is
excluded, no one is distant" (AAS, 58 [1966], pp. 51-59). In the Church,
wrote the Apostle of the Gentiles at the very beginning, there are no
strangers or sojourners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members
of the household of God (cf. Eph 2: 19).
Unfortunately, we still encounter in the world a closed-minded attitude
and even one of rejection, due to unjustified fears and concern for one's
own interests alone. These forms of discrimination are incompatible with
belonging to Christ and to the Church. Indeed, the Christian community
is called to spread in the world the leaven of brotherhood, of that
fellowship of differences which we can also experience at our meeting
today.
Certainly, in a complex society like ours which is marked by many
tensions, the culture of acceptance must be joined with prudent and farsighted laws and norms, which allow the most to be made of the positive
aspects of human mobility and to provide for its possibly negative
aspects. This will ensure that every person is effectively respected and
accepted.
Even more in the era of globalization, the Church has a precise message:
to work so that this world of ours, which is often described as a "global
village", may truly be more united, more fraternal, more welcoming.
Here is the message which this Jubilee celebration is meant to spread
everywhere: always put man and respect for his rights at the centre of the
phenomena of mobility.
Having been entrusted with the universal message of salvation, the
Church knows that her primary task is to proclaim the Gospel to every
individual and to all peoples. From the moment when the risen Christ
sent the Apostles to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth, her
horizons are those of the whole world. It was in the multiethnic,
multicultural and multi-religious context of the Mediterranean that the
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first Christians began to recognize one another and to live as brothers and
sisters since they were children of God.
Today it is not only the Mediterranean but the whole world which is open
to the complex dynamics of a universal brotherhood. Your presence here
in Rome, dear brothers and sisters, stresses how important it is that this
phenomenon of human growth should be constantly enlightened by
Christ and by his Gospel of hope. It is in this perspective that we must
continue our efforts, sustained by divine grace and by the intercession of
the great patron saints of migrants: from St Frances Xavier Cabrini to Bl.
John Baptist Scalabrini. These saints and blesseds remind us what the
Christian vocation among men and women is: walking with them as
brothers or sisters, sharing their joys and hopes, difficulties and
sufferings. Like the disciples of Emmaus, believers, supported by the
living presence of the risen Christ, become in turn the traveling
companions of their brothers and sisters in trouble, offering them the
word which rekindles hope in their hearts. With them they break the
bread of friendship, brotherhood and mutual help.
This is how to build the civilization of love. This is how to proclaim the
hoped-for coming of the new heavens and the new earth to which we are
heading.
Let us invoke the intercession of these patron saints for all those who
belong to the great family of migrants and itinerant people. Let us invoke
in a special way the protection of Mary, who went before us on the
pilgrimage of faith, so that she might guide the steps of every man and
woman who seeks freedom, justice and peace. May she accompany the
individuals, families and communities who are on the move. May she fill
the hearts of residents with cordiality and acceptance; may she foster
relations of mutual understanding and solidarity among those who know
they are called one day to share the same joy in the house of the heavenly
Father! Amen!
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Excerpts From An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 4, 2000
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As World Food Day approaches, my thoughts turn to you, Mr DirectorGeneral, and to those who work with you, to express my appreciation of
all that has been done in the past and my heartfelt encouragement to
continue your generous work for our brothers and sisters who are
suffering from hunger and malnutrition.
The theme proposed this year, "A millennium free from hunger", is
particularly inspiring, both for the perspective it opens on the new
millennium and for the glimpse it gives of the relationship between
freedom and the satisfaction of basic human needs. This holds special
significance for Christians, who see the Jubilee of the Year 2000 as the
"year of grace" in which once again the incarnate Word of God
"proclaims release to captives" (cf. Lk 4: 18-19).
To free hundreds of millions of human beings who are currently victims
of this scourge is not an easy task. First of all, it presupposes the
commitment to uproot the causes of hunger and malnutrition. In this
regard, it should be remembered, as we learn precisely in the FAO's latest
annual report, that wars and internal conflicts are the primary cause of
food shortages. It is painful to note that precisely "for the rural
population, internal conflicts are more devastating than international
wars". Here too the question of freedom and responsibility arises. In fact,
"if, for example, man was responsible for 10% of the food crises in 1984,
he was responsible for 50% in 1999". Freedom from hunger also means
freedom from war. It is not by chance that, when praying in the Litany of
the Saints for deliverance, the Catholic Church associates illness and
hunger with war: "a peste, fame et bello libera nos, Domine".
We must also recognize that overcoming the problem of hunger and food
insecurity does not depend simply on greater food production. There
would be enough food for everyone in the world if it were adequately
distributed. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The problem is an ancient
one: it was already noted by St Augustine when he invited wealthy
Christians to share some of their goods with those who had none. He
eloquently remarked: "He who has no need of food wants to be fed in the
poor", "In paupere se pasci voluit, qui non esurit" (Sermon 206, 2). And
he concluded: "Let voluntary mortification sustain those who have
nothing", "Castigatio volentis fiat sustentatio non habentis" (Sermon 210,
12).
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It would be no small achievement for this World Food Day, if those who
have an abundance of material goods were to commit themselves to a
reasonably austere lifestyle, so that they can aid those who have nothing
to eat. If some would free themselves from excessively extravagant
habits, it would bring freedom to others, who could thus escape the
devastating scourge of hunger and malnutrition.
When the Christian, in fidelity to the Savior's command, recites each day
the prayer he himself taught us, he turns to God the Father and asks, in
the plural, for bread: "Give us this day our daily bread". The Christian
knows well that he cannot withdraw into selfish consideration of his own
well-being alone. The divine Teacher also taught him to take
responsibility for the needs of others. His prayer will therefore be true, if
it is expressed in a sincere commitment to concrete solidarity.
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Excerpts From The Jubilee Of The Agricultural World
Pope John Paul II, November 11, 2000
I am pleased to be able to meet you on the occasion of the Jubilee of the
Agricultural World, for this moment of celebration and reflection on the
present state of this important sector of life and the economy, as well as
on the ethical and social perspectives that concern it.
The Jubilee of farmers coincides with the traditional "Thanksgiving Day"
promoted in Italy by the praiseworthy Confederation of Farmers, to
whom I extend my most cordial greetings. This "Day" makes a strong
appeal to the perennial values cherished by the agricultural world,
particularly to its marked religious sense. To give thanks is to glorify
God who created the land and its produce, to God who saw that it was
"good" (Gn 1: 12) and entrusted it to man for wise and industrious
safekeeping.
Dear men and women of the agricultural world, you are entrusted with
the task of making the earth fruitful. A most important task, whose urgent
need today is becoming ever more apparent. The area where you work is
usually called the "primary sector" by economic science. On the world
economic scene, your sector varies considerably, in comparison to others,
according to continent and nation. But whatever the cost in economic
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terms, plain good sense is enough to highlight its real "primacy" with
respect to vital human needs. When this sector is underappreciated or
mistreated, the consequences for life, health and ecological balance are
always serious and usually difficult to remedy, at least in the short term.
The Church has always had special regard for this area of work, which
has also been expressed in important magisterial documents. How could
we forget, in this respect, Bl. John XXIII's Mater et Magistra? At the
time he put his "finger on the wound", so to speak, denouncing the
problems that were unfortunately making agriculture a "depressed sector"
in those years, regarding both "labor productivity" and "the standard of
living
of
farm
populations"
(cf.
ibid.,
nn.
123-124).
In the time between Mater et Magistra and our day, it certainly cannot be
said that these problems have been solved. Rather it should be noted that
there are others in addition, in the framework of new problems stemming
from the globalization of the economy and the worsening of the
"ecological question".
The Church obviously has no "technical" solutions to offer. Her
contribution is at the level of Gospel witness and is expressed in
proposing the spiritual values that give meaning to life and guidance for
practical decisions, including at the level of work and the economy.
Without doubt, the most important value at stake when we look at the
earth and at those who work is the principle that brings the earth back to
her Creator: the earth belongs to God! It must therefore be treated
according to his law. If, with regard to natural resources, especially under
the pressure of industrialization, an irresponsible culture of "dominion"
has been reinforced with devastating ecological consequences, this
certainly does not correspond to God's plan. "Fill the earth and subdue it;
and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air"
(Gn 1: 28). These famous words of Genesis entrust the earth to man's use,
not abuse. They do not make man the absolute arbiter of the earth's
governance, but the Creator's "co-worker": a stupendous mission, but
one which is also marked by precise boundaries that can never be
transgressed with impunity.
This is a principle to be remembered in agricultural production itself,
whenever there is a question of its advance through the application of
biotechnologies, which cannot be evaluated solely on the basis of
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immediate economic interests. They must be submitted beforehand to
rigorous scientific and ethical examination, to prevent them from
becoming disastrous for human health and the future of the earth.
The fact that the earth belongs constitutively to God is also the basis of
the principle, so dear to the Church's social teaching, of the universal
destination of the earth's goods (cf. Centesimus annus, n. 6). What God
has given man, he has given with the heart of a father who cares for his
children, no one excluded. God's earth is therefore also man's earth and
that of all mankind! This certainly does not imply the illegitimacy of the
right to property, but demands a conception of it and its consequent
regulation which will safeguard and further its intrinsic "social function"
(cf. Mater et Magistra, n. 111; Populorum progressio, n. 23).
Every person, every people, has the right to live off the fruits of the earth.
At the beginning of the new millennium, it is an intolerable scandal that
so many people are still reduced to hunger and live in conditions
unworthy of man. We can no longer limit ourselves to academic
reflections: we must rid humanity of this disgrace through appropriate
political and economic decisions with a global scope. As I wrote in my
Message to the Director-General of the FAO on the occasion of World
Food Day, it is necessary "to uproot the causes of hunger and
malnutrition" (cf. L'Osservatore Romano English edition, 1 November
2000, p. 3). As is widely known, this situation has a variety of causes.
Among the most absurd are the frequent conflicts within States, which
are often true wars of the poor. And there remains the burdensome legacy
of an often unjust distribution of wealth in individual nations and at the
world level.
This is an aspect which the celebration of the Jubilee brings precisely to
our special attention. For the original institution of the Jubilee, as it is
formulated in the Bible, was aimed at re-establishing equality among the
children of Israel also by restoring property, so that the poorest people
could pick themselves up again and everyone could experience, including
at the level of a dignified life, the joy of belonging to the one people of
God.
Our Jubilee, 2,000 years after Christ's birth, must also bear this sign of
universal brotherhood. It represents a message that is addressed not only
to believers, but to all people of good will, so that they will be resolved,
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in their economic decisions, to abandon the logic of sheer advantage and
combine legitimate "profit" with the value and practice of solidarity. As I
have said on other occasions, we need a globalization of solidarity, which
in turn presupposes a "culture of solidarity" that must flourish in every
heart.
Thus, while we never cease to urge the public authorities, the great
economic powers and the most influential institutions to move in this
direction, we must be convinced that there is a "conversion" that involves
us all personally. We must start with ourselves. For this reason, in the
Encyclical Centesimus annus, along with the discussions of the
ecological question, I pointed to the urgent need for a "human ecology".
This concept is meant to recall that "not only has God given the earth to
man, who must use it with respect for the original good purpose for
which it was given to him, but man too is God's gift to man. He must
therefore respect the natural and moral structure with which he has been
endowed" (Centesimus annus, n. 38). If man loses his sense of life and
the security of moral standards, wandering aimlessly in the fog of
indifferentism, no policy will be effective for safeguarding both the
concerns of nature and those of society. Indeed, it is man who can build
or destroy, respect or despise, share or reject. The great problems posed
by the agricultural sector, in which you are directly involved, should be
faced not only as "technical" or "political" problems, but at their root as
"moral problems".
It is therefore the inescapable responsibility of those who work with the
name of Christians to give a credible witness in this area. Unfortunately,
in the countries of the so-called "developed" world an irrational
consumerism is spreading, a sort of "culture of waste", which is
becoming a widespread lifestyle. This tendency must be opposed. To
teach a use of goods which never forgets either the limits of available
resources or the poverty of so many human beings, and which
consequently tempers one's lifestyle with the duty of fraternal sharing, is
a true pedagogical challenge and a very far-sighted decision. In this task,
the world of those who work the land with its tradition of moderation and
heritage of wisdom accumulated amid much suffering, can make an
incomparable contribution.
I am therefore very grateful for this "Jubilee" witness, which holds up the
great values of the agricultural world to the attention of the whole
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Christian community and all society. Follow in the footsteps of your best
tradition, opening yourselves to all the developments of the technological
era, but jealously safeguarding the perennial values that characterize you.
This is also the way to give a hope-filled future to the world of
agriculture. A hope that is based on God's work, of which the Psalmist
sings: "You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it (Ps 65: 10).
As I implore this visit from God, source of prosperity and peace for the
countless families who work in the rural world, I would like to impart an
Apostolic Blessing to everyone at the end of this meeting.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, November 12, 2000
"The Lord keeps faith forever" (Ps 146: 6).
For you, people of the agricultural world, it is a daily experience,
constantly repeated in the observation of nature. You know the language
of the soil and the seeds, of the grass and the trees, of the fruit and the
flowers. In the most varied landscapes, from the harshness of the
mountains to the irrigated plains under the most varied skies, this
language has its own fascination which you know so well. In this
language, you see God's fidelity to what he said on the third day of
creation: "Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and
fruit trees bearing fruit (Gn 1: 11). In the movement of nature, which is
calm and silent but full of life, the original pleasure of the Creator is still
vibrant: "And God saw that it was a good thing"! (Gn 1: 12).
Yes, the Lord keeps faith forever. And you, experts in this language of
fidelity - a language that is ancient but ever new - are naturally people of
gratitude. Your prolonged contact with the wonder of the earth's products
lets you see them as an inexhaustible gift of divine Providence. This is
why your annual day is "thanksgiving day" par excellence. This year it
has an even higher spiritual value since it is occurring during the Jubilee
which celebrates the 2,000th anniversary of Christ's birth.
You have come to give thanks for the fruits of the earth, but first of all to
acknowledge him as the Creator and, at the same time, the most beautiful
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fruit of our earth, the "fruit" of Mary's womb, the Savior of humanity
and, in a certain sense, of the "cosmos" itself. Indeed, creation, as Paul
says, "has been groaning in travail" and cherishes the hope of being set
free "from its bondage to decay" (Rom 8: 21-22).
The "groaning" of the earth prompts us to think of your work, dear men
and women of agriculture, work that is so important and yet not free from
discomfort and hardship. The passage we heard from the Book of Kings
recalls a typical situation of suffering due to drought. The prophet Elijah,
exhausted from hunger and thirst, is both the agent and the beneficiary of
a miracle of generosity. It fell to a young widow to rescue him, sharing
with him her last handful of flour and the last drops of her oil; her
generosity touches God's heart, to the point that the prophet can say:
"The jar of meal shall not be spent, and the cruse of oil shall not fail, until
the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth".
The culture of the farming world has always been marked by a sense of
impending risk to the harvest, due to unforeseeable climatic misfortunes.
However, in addition to the traditional burdens, there are often others due
to human carelessness. Agricultural activity in our era has had to reckon
with the consequences of industrialization and the sometimes disorderly
development of urban areas, with the phenomenon of air pollution and
ecological disruption, with the dumping of toxic waste and deforestation.
Christians, while always trusting in the help of Providence, must make
responsible efforts to ensure that the value of the earth is respected and
promoted.
Agricultural work should be better and better organized and supported by
social measures that fully reward the toil it involves and the truly great
usefulness that characterizes it. If the world of the most refined
technology is not reconciled with the simple language of nature in a
healthy balance, human life will face ever greater risks, of which we are
already
seeing
the
first
disturbing
signs.
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, be grateful to the Lord, but at the
same time be proud of the task that your work assigns to you. Work in
such a way that you resist the temptations of a productivity and profit that
are detrimental to the respect for nature. God entrusted the earth to
human beings "to till it and keep it" (cf. Gn 2: 15). When this principle is
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forgotten and they become the tyrants rather than the custodians of
nature, sooner or later the latter will rebel.
But you understand clearly, dear friends, that this principle of order,
which applies to agricultural work as well as to every other area of
human activity, is rooted in the human heart. The "heart" itself is
therefore the first ground to be cultivated. It was not by chance that,
when Jesus wanted to explain the work of God's word, he used the
parable of the sower as an illuminating example taken from the farming
world. God's word is a seed meant to bear abundant fruit, but
unfortunately it often falls on unsuitable ground, where stones or weeds
and thorns - various terms for our sins - prevent it from taking root and
growing (cf. Mt 13: 13-23, par.). Thus, a Father of the Church gives the
following advice precisely to a farmer: "So when you are in the field and
are looking at your farm, consider that you too are Christ's field and
devote attention to yourself as you do to your field. The same beauty that
you require your peasant to give to your field, give to God in the
cultivation of your heart ..." (St Paulinus of Nola, Letter 39, 3 to Aper
and Amanda).
It is because of this "cultivation of the spirit" that you are here to
celebrate the Jubilee today. You present to the Lord, even before your
professional efforts, the daily work of purifying your heart: a demanding
task, which we will never succeed in doing on our own. Our strength is
Christ, who, as the Letter to the Hebrews just reminded us, "appeared
once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself" (Heb 9: 26).
This sacrifice, offered once and for all on Golgotha, is made real for us
every time we celebrate the Eucharist. Here Christ makes himself present
with his body and blood to become our food.
How significant it must be for you, men and women of the agricultural
world, to contemplate on the altar this miracle which crowns and exalts
the very wonders of nature. Is not a miracle worked each day when a seed
becomes an ear of corn and so many grains from it ripen to be ground
and made into bread? Is not the cluster of grapes that hangs on the branch
of the vine one of nature's miracles? All this already mysteriously bears
the mark of Christ, since "all things were made through him, and without
him was not anything made that was made" (Jn 1: 3). But greater still is
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the event of grace in which the Word and the Spirit of God make the
bread and wine, "fruit of the earth and work of human hands", the Body
and Blood of the Redeemer. The Jubilee grace that you have come to
implore is none other than a superabundance of Eucharistic grace, the
power that raises us and heals us from within by grafting us on to Christ.
The attitude that we should take towards this grace is suggested to us by
the Gospel example of the poor widow who puts her small coins into the
treasury but in fact gives more than everyone else, since she is not giving
out of her abundance, but is putting in "her whole living" (Mk 12: 44).
Thus this unknown woman is following in the footsteps of the widow of
Zarephath, who opened her home and her table to Elijah. Both are
sustained by their faith in the Lord. Both draw from faith the strength for
heroic charity.
They invite us to open our Jubilee celebration to the horizons of love and
to see all the poor and needy of this world. What we do for the least of
them we will have done for Christ (cf. Mt 25: 40).
And how could we forget that the sphere of agricultural work involves
human situations that deeply challenge us? Entire peoples, who depend
primarily on farming in economically less developed regions, live in
conditions of poverty. Vast regions have been devastated by frequent
natural disasters. And sometimes these misfortunes are accompanied by
the consequences of war, which not only claims victims, but sows
destruction, depopulates fertile lands and even leaves them overrun with
weapons and harmful substances.
The Jubilee began in Israel as a great time for reconciliation and the
redistribution of goods. To accept this message today certainly cannot
mean limiting oneself to a small donation. We must contribute to a
culture of solidarity which, at the political and economic level, both
national and international, encourages generous and effective initiatives
for the benefit of less fortunate peoples.
Today we want to remember all these brothers and sisters in our prayer,
with the intention of expressing our love for them in active solidarity, so
that everyone without exception can enjoy the fruits of "mother earth"
and live lives worthy of God's children.
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___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For The World Day Of Peace
Pope John Paul, II, December 8, 2000
A style and culture of dialogue are especially important when it comes to
the complex question of migration, which is an important social
phenomenon of our time. The movement of large numbers of people
from one part of the planet to another is often a terrible odyssey for those
involved, and it brings with it the intermingling of traditions and
customs, with notable repercussions both on the countries from which
people come and on those in which they settle. How migrants are
welcomed by receiving countries and how well they become integrated in
their new environment are also an indication of how much effective
dialogue there is between the various cultures.
The question of cultural integration is much debated these days, and it is
not easy to specify in detail how best to guarantee, in a balanced and
equitable way, the rights and duties of those who welcome and those who
are welcomed. Historically, migrations have occurred in all sorts of ways
and with very different results. In the case of many civilizations,
immigration has brought new growth and enrichment. In other cases, the
local people and immigrants have remained culturally separate but have
shown that they are able to live together, respecting each other and
accepting or tolerating the diversity of customs. Regrettably, situations
still exist in which the difficulties involved in the encounter of different
cultures have never been resolved, and the consequent tensions have
become the cause of periodic outbreaks of conflict.
In such a complex issue there are no "magic" formulas; but still we must
identify some basic ethical principles to serve as points of reference. First
of all, it is important to remember the principle that immigrants must
always be treated with the respect due to the dignity of every human
person. In the matter of controlling the influx of immigrants, the
consideration which should rightly be given to the common good should
not ignore this principle. The challenge is to combine the welcome due to
every human being, especially when in need, with a reckoning of what is
necessary for both the local inhabitants and the new arrivals to live a
dignified and peaceful life. The cultural practices which immigrants bring
with them should be respected and accepted, as long as they do not
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contravene either the universal ethical values inherent in the natural law
or fundamental human rights.
Faced with growing inequalities in the world, the prime value which must
be ever more widely inculcated is certainly that of solidarity. A society
depends on the basic relations that people cultivate with one another in
ever widening circles — from the family to other intermediary social
groups, to civil society as a whole and to the national community. States
in turn have no choice but to enter into relations with one another. The
present reality of global interdependence makes it easier to appreciate the
common destiny of the entire human family, and makes all thoughtful
people increasingly appreciate the virtue of solidarity.
At the same time it is necessary to point out that this growing
interdependence has brought to light many inequalities, such as the gap
between rich and poor nations; the social imbalance within each nation
between those living in opulence and those offended in their dignity since
they lack even the necessities of life; the human and environmental
degradation provoked and accelerated by the irresponsible use of natural
resources. These social inequalities and imbalances have grown worse in
certain places, and some of the poorest nations have reached a point of
irreversible decline.
Consequently, the promotion of justice is at the heart of a true culture of
solidarity. It is not just a question of giving one's surplus to those in need,
but of "helping entire peoples presently excluded or marginalized to enter
into the sphere of economic and human development. For this to happen,
it is not enough to draw on the surplus goods which in fact our world
abundantly produces; it requires above all a change of lifestyles, of
models of production and consumption, and of the established structures
of power which today govern societies".
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Ecclesia In Oceania
Pope John Paul II, 2001
Respect for the human person entails respect for the inviolable rights that
flow from a person's dignity. All basic rights are prior to society and must
be recognized by it. Failure to respect the dignity or rights of another
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person is contrary to the Gospel and destructive of human society. The
Church encourages young people and adults to respond to injustice and to
the failure to respect human rights, some of which are either under threat
in Oceania or need to be more widely respected.
Among these is the right to work and employment, so that people can
support themselves and raise and educate a family. Unemployment
among youth is a major concern, leading in some countries to a rising
incidence of youth suicide. Labor unions can perform a unique role in
defending workers' rights. To be faithful to their calling, politicians,
government officials and police must be honest and avoid corruption in
all its forms, for it is always a serious injustice to citizens.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Novo Millennio Ineunte
Pope John Paul II, January 6, 2001
The Jubilee was also a great event of charity — and it could not be
otherwise. Already in the years of preparation, I had called for greater
and more incisive attention to the problems of poverty which still beset
the world. The problem of the international debt of poor countries took
on particular significance in this context. A gesture of generosity towards
these countries was in the very spirit of the Jubilee, which in its original
Biblical setting was precisely a time when the community committed
itself to re-establishing justice and solidarity in interpersonal relations,
including the return of whatever belonged to others. I am happy to note
that recently the Parliaments of many creditor States have voted a
substantial remission of the bilateral debt of the poorest and most
indebted countries. I hope that the respective Governments will soon
implement these parliamentary decisions. The question of multilateral
debt contracted by poorer countries with international financial
organizations has shown itself to be a rather more problematic issue. It is
to be hoped that the member States of these organizations, especially
those that have greater decisional powers, will succeed in reaching the
necessary consensus in order to arrive at a rapid solution to this question
on which the progress of many countries depends, with grave
consequences for the economy and the living conditions of so many
people.
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Beginning with intra-ecclesial communion, charity of its nature opens out
into a service that is universal; it inspires in us a commitment to practical
and concrete love for every human being. This too is an aspect which
must clearly mark the Christian life, the Church's whole activity and her
pastoral planning. The century and the millennium now beginning will
need to see, and hopefully with still greater clarity, to what length of
dedication the Christian community can go in charity towards the
poorest. If we have truly started out anew from the contemplation of
Christ, we must learn to see him especially in the faces of those with
whom he himself wished to be identified: "I was hungry and you gave me
food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you
welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you
visited me, I was in prison and you came to me" (Mt 25:35-37). This
Gospel text is not a simple invitation to charity: it is a page of
Christology which sheds a ray of light on the mystery of Christ. By these
words, no less than by the orthodoxy of her doctrine, the Church
measures her fidelity as the Bride of Christ.
Certainly we need to remember that no one can be excluded from our
love, since "through his Incarnation the Son of God has united himself in
some fashion with every person". Yet, as the unequivocal words of the
Gospel remind us, there is a special presence of Christ in the poor, and
this requires the Church to make a preferential option for them. This
option is a testimony to the nature of God's love, to his providence and
mercy; and in some way history is still filled with the seeds of the
Kingdom of God which Jesus himself sowed during his earthly life
whenever he responded to those who came to him with their spiritual and
material needs.
In our own time, there are so many needs which demand a compassionate
response from Christians. Our world is entering the new millennium
burdened by the contradictions of an economic, cultural and
technological progress which offers immense possibilities to a fortunate
few, while leaving millions of others not only on the margins of progress
but in living conditions far below the minimum demanded by human
dignity. How can it be that even today there are still people dying of
hunger? Condemned to illiteracy? Lacking the most basic medical care?
Without a roof over their heads?
The scenario of poverty can extend indefinitely, if in addition to its
traditional forms we think of its newer patterns. These latter often affect
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financially affluent sectors and groups which are nevertheless threatened
by despair at the lack of meaning in their lives, by drug addiction, by fear
of abandonment in old age or sickness, by marginalization or social
discrimination. In this context Christians must learn to make their act of
faith in Christ by discerning his voice in the cry for help that rises from
this world of poverty. This means carrying on the tradition of charity
which has expressed itself in so many different ways in the past two
millennia, but which today calls for even greater resourcefulness. Now is
the time for a new "creativity" in charity, not only by ensuring that help is
effective but also by "getting close" to those who suffer, so that the hand
that helps is seen not as a humiliating handout but as a sharing between
brothers and sisters.
We must therefore ensure that in every Christian community the poor
feel at home. Would not this approach be the greatest and most effective
presentation of the good news of the Kingdom? Without this form of
evangelization through charity and without the witness of Christian
poverty the proclamation of the Gospel, which is itself the prime form of
charity, risks being misunderstood or submerged by the ocean of words
which daily engulfs us in today's society of mass communications. The
charity of works ensures an unmistakable efficacy to the charity of
words.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A General Audience
Pope John Paul II, January 10, 2001
The voice of the prophets - like that of Isaiah which we have just heard echoes again and again to remind us that we must commit ourselves to
liberating the oppressed and to working for justice. Without this
commitment, our worship of God is not pleasing to him. It is an intense
call, sometimes expressed in paradoxical tones, as when Hosea delivers
this divine oracle also cited by Jesus (cf. Mt 9: 13; 12: 7): "I desire
steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt
offerings" (6: 6)
With stinging intensity the prophet Amos also presents God, who turns
his gaze elsewhere and accepts no rites, feasts, fasts, music or prayers,
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when outside the sanctuary the righteous are sold for silver and the needy
for a pair of sandals, and the head of the poor is trampled like dust (cf. 2:
6-7). Therefore the invitation is given without hesitation: "But let justice
roll down like the waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream"
(5: 24). Speaking in God's name, then, the prophets reject worship that is
isolated from life, liturgy that is separated from justice, prayer that is
detached from daily involvement, faith that is devoid of works.
Isaiah's cry: "Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct
oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow" (1: 16-17), is
echoed in the teaching of Christ, who tells us: "If you are offering your
gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something
against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be
reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Mt 5: 2324). At the close of every human life and at the end of the history of
humanity, God's judgment will be concerned precisely with love, the
practice of justice and aid to the poor (cf. Mt 25: 31-46). Faced with a
community torn apart by divisions and injustices, as the one at Corinth
was, Paul goes so far as to demand the suspension of Eucharistic
participation, inviting Christians first to examine their own conscience, in
order not to be guilty of profaning the Body and Blood of the Lord (cf. 1
Cor 11: 27-29).
For Christians, the service of love, consistently connected with faith and
the liturgy (cf. Jas 2: 14-17), the commitment to justice, the struggle
against any oppression and the protection of personal dignity are not the
expressions of a philanthropy motivated solely by membership in the
human family. They are, instead, choices and acts which have a deeply
religious spirit, and are true and proper sacrifices pleasing to God, as the
Letter to the Hebrews says (cf. 13: 16). St John Chrysostom's admonition
is particularly trenchant: "Would you honor the Body of Christ? Do not
despise his nakedness; do not honor him here in church clothed in silk
vestments and then pass him by unclothed and frozen outside" (In
Matthaeum hom., 50, 3).
Precisely because "in the modern world the sense of justice has been
reawakening on a vast scale ... the Church shares with the people of our
time this profound and ardent desire for a life that is just in every aspect,
nor does she fail to examine the various aspects of the sort of justice that
the life of people and society demands. This is confirmed by the field of
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Catholic social doctrine, greatly developed in the course of the last
century" (Dives in misericordia, n. 12). This commitment to reflection
and action must receive an extraordinary impetus from the Jubilee itself.
In its biblical context, it was a celebration of solidarity: when the trumpet
of the jubilee year sounded, everyone returned "to his property and ... to
his family", as the official text of the Jubilee says (Lv 25: 10).
First of all, land alienated because of various economic or family
circumstances was restored to its former owners. Thus the jubilee year
allowed everyone to return to an ideal starting-point through the bold and
courageous work of distributive justice. Here we see what could be
called the "utopian" dimension, which is proposed as a practical remedy
to the consolidation of privileges and dishonesty: it is an attempt to spur
society towards a higher ideal of solidarity, generosity and fraternity. The
restitution of lost land could be expressed in modern historical terms, as I
have often suggested, by cancelling outright, or at least reducing, the
international debt of the poorer countries (cf. Tertio millennio adveniente,
n. 51).
The other jubilee task consisted in allowing every slave to return in
freedom to his family (cf. Lv 25: 39-41). Poverty had reduced him to the
humiliation of slavery; now he is given the chance to build his own future
in freedom, within his own family. This is why the prophet Ezekiel calls
the jubilee year the "year of liberty", that is, of redemption (cf. Ez 46:
17). And another book of the Bible, Deuteronomy, looks to a society of
justice, freedom and solidarity in these words: "There will be no poor
among you.... If there is among you a poor man, one of your brethren ...
you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand" (15: 4, 7)
We too must aim at this goal of solidarity: "Solidarity of the poor among
themselves, solidarity with the poor to which the rich are called,
solidarity among the workers and with the workers" (Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction on Christian Freedom and
Liberation, n. 89). Lived in this way, the Jubilee that has just ended will
continue to bear abundant fruits of justice, freedom and love.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For The World Day Of Migration
Pope John Paul II, February 2, 2001
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With this present Message, on the occasion of the World Day of
Migration, I wish to reflect on the evangelizing mission of the Church
with respect to the vast and complex phenomenon of emigration and
mobility. This year, the following theme was chosen for the
commemoration: The pastoral care of migrants, a way to accomplish the
mission of the Church today. This is an area that many pastoral agents
have at heart for they know quite well the numerous problems that are
found there. They also know the various situations that make men and
women leave their own country. In fact, mobility that is chosen freely is
one thing; mobility caused by ideological, political or economic
constraint is an entirely different thing. It is not possible to ignore this in
planning and carrying out a suitable pastoral care for the various
categories of migrants and itinerant people.
The Dicastery, which has the institutional task of expressing the
solicitude of the Church for people involved in the phenomenon,
summarizes all of human mobility with the aforementioned terminology.
The term "migrant" is intended first of all to refer to refugees and exiles
in search of freedom and security outside the confines of their own
country. However, it also refers to young people who study abroad and
all those who leave their own country to look for better conditions of life
elsewhere. The migration phenomenon is in continuous expansion, and
this poses questions and challenges to the pastoral action of the Church
community. The II Vatican Ecumenical Council, in the Decree Christus
Dominus, called for a "special concern … for those among the faithful
who, on account of their way or condition of life, cannot sufficiently
make use of the common and ordinary pastoral service of parish priests
or are totally deprived of it. Among them are very many migrants, exiles
and refugees" (no. 18).
In this complex phenomenon, numerous elements come in: the tendency
to foster the political and juridical unity of the human family, the
noteworthy increase in cultural exchanges, interdependence among
States, particularly in the economic sphere, the liberalization of trade and,
above all, of capital, the multiplication of multinational enterprises, the
imbalance between rich and poor countries, the development of the
means of communication and transportation.
The interplay of such factors produces the movement of masses from one
area of the globe to another. Although in varying forms and degrees,
385
mobility has thus become a general characteristic of mankind. It directly
involves many persons and reaches others indirectly. The vastness and
complexity of the phenomenon calls for a profound analysis of the
structural changes that have taken place, namely the globalization of
economics and of social life. The convergence of races, civilizations and
cultures within one and the same juridical and social order, poses an
urgent problem of cohabitation. Frontiers tend to disappear, distances are
shortened, the repercussion of events is felt up to the farthest areas.
We are witnessing a profound change in the way of thinking and living,
which cannot but present ambiguous aspects together with the positive
elements. The sense of temporariness, for instance, induces one to prefer
what is new to the detriment of stability and a clear hierarchy of values.
At the same time, the spirit becomes more curious and open, more
sensitive and ready for dialogue. In this climate, people may be induced
to deepen their own convictions, but also to indulge in superficial
relativism. Mobility always implies an uprooting from the original
environment, often translated into an experience of marked solitude
accompanied by the risk of fading into anonymity. This situation may
lead to a rejection of the new environment, but also to accepting it acritically, in contrast to the preceding experience. At times, there could
even be a willingness to undergo a passive modernization, which could
easily be the source of cultural and social alienation. Human mobility
means numerous possibilities to be open, to meet, to assemble; however
it is not possible to ignore the fact that it also brings about manifestations
of individual and collective rejection, a fruit of closed mentalities that are
encountered in societies beset by imbalance and fear.
In her pastoral activity, the Church tries to take these serious problems
constantly into consideration. The proclamation of the Gospel is directed
towards the integral salvation of the human person, his authentic and
effective liberation, through the achievement of conditions of life suitable
to his dignity. The comprehension of the human being, that the Church
acquired in Christ, urges her to proclaim the fundamental human rights
and to speak out when they are trampled upon. Thus, she does not grow
tired of affirming and defending the dignity of the human person,
highlighting the inalienable rights that originate from it. Specifically,
these are the right to have one’s own country, to live freely in one’s own
country, to live together with one’s family, to have access to the goods
necessary for a dignified life, to preserve and develop one’s ethnic,
386
cultural and linguistic heritage, to publicly profess one’s religion, to be
recognized and treated in all circumstances according to one’s dignity as
a human being.
These rights are concretely employed in the concept of universal
common good, which includes the whole family of peoples, beyond
every nationalistic egoism. The right to emigrate must be considered in
this context. The Church recognizes this right in every human person, in
its dual aspect of the possibility to leave one’s country and the possibility
to enter another country to look for better conditions of life. Certainly,
the exercise of such a right is to be regulated, because practicing it
indiscriminately may do harm and be detrimental to the common good of
the community that receives the migrant. Before the manifold interests
that are interwoven side by side with the laws of the individual countries,
it is necessary to have international norms that are capable of regulating
everyone’s rights, so as to prevent unilateral decisions that are harmful to
the weakest.
In this regard, in the Message for Migrants’ Day of 1993, I called to mind
that although it is true that highly developed countries are not always able
to assimilate all those who emigrate, nonetheless it should be pointed out
that the criterion for determining the level that can be sustained cannot be
based solely on protecting their own prosperity, while failing to take into
consideration the needs of persons who are tragically forced to ask for
hospitality.
Through her own pastoral activity, the Church tries her best not let
migrants lack the light and the support of the Gospel. In the course of
time, her attention towards Catholics who were leaving their country
increased. Most of all towards the end of the XIX century, huge masses
of Catholic migrants left Europe and navigated across the oceans.
Sometimes, they found themselves in conditions that endangered their
faith because of the lack of priests and structures. Not knowing the local
language, and therefore unable to take advantage of the ordinary pastoral
care of the adopted country, they were abandoned to themselves.
Thus, migration was in fact a danger for the faith, and that caused
concern in many pastors who, in some cases, even reached the point of
discouraging its practice. Later on, however, it became clear that the
phenomenon could not be stopped. Thus the Church sought to introduce
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adequate forms of pastoral action, foreseeing that migration could
become an effective way of spreading the faith in other countries. Based
on the experience made in the course of the years, the Church later
developed an organic pastoral care for emigrants and emanated the
Apostolic Constitution Exsul Familia Nazarethana in 1952. Referring to
migrants, it affirms that it is necessary to see to it that they receive the
same pastoral care and assistance enjoyed by the local Christians, by
adapting the structure provided by ordinary pastoral care for the
preservation and growth of the faith of the baptized faithful, to the
Catholic migrant’s situation.
Subsequently, the II Vatican Council tackled the migration phenomenon
in its various expressions: immigrants, emigrants, refugees, exiles,
foreign students, put together, from the pastoral point of view, into the
category of those who dwell outside their own country and therefore
cannot take advantage of ordinary pastoral care. They are described as
the faithful who, because they live outside their own country or nation,
need specific assistance through a priest who speaks their own language.
We move on from considering the faith that is in danger to more aptly
considering the right of the emigrant, to the respect for one’s cultural
heritage even in pastoral care. From this perspective, the limit placed by
Exsul Familia of giving pastoral assistance only up to the third
generation no longer holds, and the right of migrants to receive assistance
as long as real need continues to exist, is affirmed.
In effect, migrants do not represent a category comparable to those that
make up the parish population – children, youth, married people,
laborers, employees, etc. – who are homogeneous in culture and
language. They belong to another community, which should receive a
pastoral care that bears similarities with that in the country of origin in
terms of respect of the cultural heritage, the need for a priest of the same
tongue and the need for permanent specific structures. It is necessary to
have a stable, personalized and communitarian care of souls, capable of
helping the Catholic faithful at a time of emergency, up to their
incorporation into the local Church, when they will be in the position to
take advantage of the ordinary ministry of priests in the territorial parish.
These principles were included in the canonical regulations in force,
which have incorporated the pastoral care for migrants in the ordinary
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pastoral care. Over and above the individual norms, and also as far as the
pastoral care of human mobility is concerned, what characterizes the new
Code is the ecclesiological inspiration of Vatican II underlying it.
The pastoral care of migrants has thus become an institutionalized
activity, addressed to the faithful, considered not so much as individuals,
but as members of a particular community for which the Church
organizes a specific pastoral service. However, this service is, by its very
nature, temporary and transitory, although the law does not set a definite
time for its cessation. The organizational structure of such a service is not
a substitution but is cumulative with respect to the territorial parochial
care, which it is expected to join sooner or later. In fact, although the
pastoral care of migrants takes into account the fact that a given
community has its own tongue and culture, which cannot be ignored in
daily apostolic work, it does not intend to make their preservation and
development its specific objective.
History shows that in those cases wherein the Catholic faithful were
accompanied during their moved to other countries, they did not only
preserve their faith, but also found a fertile soil to deepen it, personalize
it and bear witness to it through their lives. In the course of the centuries,
migration represented a constant means of proclaiming the Christian
message in entire regions. Today the picture of migration is radically
changing: on one hand, the flow of Catholic migrants is decreasing; on
the other hand, there is an increasing flow of non-Christian migrants,
who settle in countries where the population is Catholic by majority.
In the Encyclical Redemptoris missio, I called to mind the task of the
Church with respect to non-Christian migrants, underlining that by
settling down, they create new occasions for contacts and cultural
exchanges. These urge the Christian community to welcome, to dialogue,
to help and towards fraternity. This presupposes a deeper awareness of
the importance of the Catholic doctrine on non-Christian religions (cfr.
Decl. Nostra Aetate), so as to be able to undertake an attentive, constant
and respectful interreligious dialogue as a means of mutual knowledge
and enrichment. “In the light of the economy of salvation," I wrote in the
aforementioned Encyclical Redemptoris missio, "the Church sees no
conflict between proclaiming Christ and engaging in inter-religious
dialogue. Instead she feels the need to link the two in the context of her
mission ad gentes. These two elements must maintain both their intimate
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connection and their distinctiveness; therefore they should not be
confused, manipulated or regarded as identical as though they were
interchangeable” (no.55).
The presence of non-Christian immigrants in countries of ancient
Christianity represents a challenge to the Church communities. The
phenomenon continues to activate charity in the Church, in terms of
welcome and aid for these brothers and sisters in their search for work
and housing. Somehow, this action is quite similar to what many
missionaries are doing in mission lands. They take care of the sick, the
poor, the illiterate. This is the disciple's way: he responds to the
expectations and necessities of the neighbor in need, although the
fundamental aim of his mission is the proclamation of Christ and his
Gospel. He knows that the proclamation of Jesus is the first act of charity
towards the human person, over and above any gesture of solidarity,
however generous it may be. There is no true evangelization, in fact, “if
the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the kingdom and the
mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God are not proclaimed.” Ap.
Exhort. Evangelii nuntiandi, 22).
Sometimes, due to an environment dominated by growing religious
relativism and indifferentism, it is difficult for the spiritual dimension of
charitable undertakings to emerge. Some people fear that doing charity in
view of evangelization could expose them to the accusation of
proselytism. Proclaiming and bearing witness to the Gospel of charity
constitutes the connective tissue of the mission towards migrants (cfr.
Ap. Lett. Novo millennio ineunte, 56).
At this point, I would like to pay homage to the many apostles who have
consecrated their existence to this missionary task. I would also like to
recall the efforts that the Church has exerted to meet the expectations of
migrants. Among them, I am pleased to mention the International
Catholic Migration Commission, which will be celebrating the 50 th
anniversary of its foundation in 2001. In fact, it was instituted in 1951, by
initiative of the then Substitute at the Secretariat of State, Msgr. Giovanni
Battista Montini. It intended to offer a response to the exigencies of those
involved in migratory movements, provoked by the need to re-propose
the production machinery, which was damaged by the war, and the tragic
situation in which entire populations found themselves. They were forced
to move due to the new geopolitical order dictated by the winners. The
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association’s fifty years of history, with the modifications adopted in
order to cope better with changing situations, give witness to how
various, attentive and substantial were its activities. Speaking at its
inaugural session held on 5 June 1951, the future Pope Paul VI dwelt on
the necessity to demolish the obstacles that prevented migration, so as to
give the unemployed the possibility to work and the homeless a shelter.
He added that the newborn International Commission for Migration’s
cause was the very cause of Christ himself. These words have entirely
preserved their relevance.
As I give thanks to the Lord for the service it has rendered, I wish that the
said Commission would carry on its commitment of attention and aid to
refugees and migrants, with a vigor that becomes more and more
concerned, the more difficult and uncertain the conditions of these
categories of persons appear to be.
Today, the proclamation of the gospel of charity to the vast and
diversified world of migrants implies a particular attention to the cultural
environment. For many persons, going to a foreign country means
encountering ways of life and thinking that is foreign to them that
produce different reactions. Cities and nations increasingly present
multiethnic and multicultural communities. This is a great challenge for
Christians, too. A serene reading of this new situation highlights many
values that merit to be greatly appreciated. The Holy Spirit is not
conditioned by ethnic groups or cultures. He enlightens and inspires
people through many mysterious ways. Through various paths, he brings
everyone close to salvation, to Jesus, the Word incarnate, who is “the
fulfillment of the yearning of all the world’s religions and, as such, he is
their sole and definitive completion” (Ap. Lett. Tertio millennio
adveniente, 6).
This reading will surely help the non-Christian migrant see his own
religiosity as a strong element of cultural identity, and at the same time it
will make it possible for him to discover the values of the Christian faith.
To this end, the collaboration of the local Churches and missionaries who
know the immigrants’ culture will be useful more than ever. This means
establishing links between the community of migrants and those of the
countries of origin, and at the same time informing the communities of
arrival regarding the cultures and the religions of the immigrants, and the
reasons that have caused them to emigrate.
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It is important to help the community of arrival not only in being open to
charitable hospitality but also to a meeting, collaboration and exchange.
Furthermore, it is opportune to open the way to pastoral agents who, from
the countries of origin, come to the countries of immigration to work
among their fellow countrymen. It would be very useful to institute for
them centers of welcome that would prepare them for their new task.
This enriching intercultural and inter-religious dialogue presupposes a
climate that is permeated with mutual trust and respects religious
freedom. Among the sectors to be illuminated by the light of Christ
therefore is freedom, particularly religious freedom, which is still at times
limited or restricted. It is the premise and guarantee of every other
authentic form of freedom. "Religious freedom" - I wrote in Redemptoris
Missio - "is not a question of the religion of the majority or the minority,
but of an inalienable right of each and every human person" (no. 39).
Freedom is a constitutive dimension of the Christian faith itself, since it
is not a transmission of human traditions, or a point of arrival of
philosophical discussion, but a free gift of God, which is communicated
with due respect for the human conscience. It is the Lord who acts
efficaciously through his Spirit; it is He who is the true protagonist.
People are instruments that He uses, to each of whom He assigns a
singular role.
The Gospel is for everyone. No one is excluded from the possibility of
participating in the joy of the divine Kingdom. The mission of the
Church today is exactly that of giving every human being, regardless of
culture or race, the concrete possibility of meeting Christ. I
wholeheartedly wish that this possibility be offered to all migrants and
for this, I assure my prayers.
I entrust the commitment and the generous intentions of those who take
care of migrants, to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, humble Servant of the
Lord, who lived the pains of migration and exile. In the new millennium,
may She be the guide of migrants towards Him who is "the real light that
gives light to everyone" (Jn 1:9).
With these wishes, I wholeheartedly impart to all agents in this important
field of pastoral action a special Apostolic Blessing.
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Excerpts From An Address To The Pontifical Academy Of Social
Sciences
Pope John Paul II, April 27, 2001
The globalization of commerce is a complex and rapidly evolving
phenomenon. Its prime characteristic is the increasing elimination of
barriers to the movement of people, capital and goods. It enshrines a kind
of triumph of the market and its logic, which in turn is bringing rapid
changes in social systems and cultures. Many people, especially the
disadvantaged, experience this as something that has been forced upon
them, rather than as a process in which they can actively participate.
In my Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, I noted that the market
economy is a way of adequately responding to people’s economic needs
while respecting their free initiative, but that it had to be controlled by the
community, the social body with its common good (cf. Nos. 34, 58).
Now that commerce and communications are no longer bound by
borders, it is the universal common good which demands that control
mechanisms should accompany the inherent logic of the market. This is
essential in order to avoid reducing all social relations to economic
factors, and in order to protect those caught in new forms of exclusion or
marginalization.
Globalization, a priori, is neither good nor bad. It will be what people
make of it. No system is an end in itself, and it is necessary to insist that
globalization, like any other system, must be at the service of the human
person; it must serve solidarity and the common good.
One of the Church’s concerns about globalization is that it has quickly
become a cultural phenomenon. The market as an exchange mechanism
has become the medium of a new culture. Many observers have noted the
intrusive, even invasive, character of the logic of the market, which
reduces more and more the area available to the human community for
voluntary and public action at every level. The market imposes its way of
thinking and acting, and stamps its scale of values upon behavior. Those
who are subjected to it often see globalization as a destructive flood
threatening the social norms which had protected them and the cultural
points of reference which had given them direction in life.
393
What is happening is that changes in technology and work relationships
are moving too quickly for cultures to respond. Social, legal and cultural
safeguards – the result of people’s efforts to defend the common good –
are vitally necessary if individuals and intermediary groups are to
maintain their centrality. But globalization often risks destroying these
carefully built up structures, by exacting the adoption of new styles of
working, living and organizing communities. Likewise, at another level,
the use made of discoveries in the biomedical field tend to catch
legislators unprepared. Research itself is often financed by private groups
and its results are commercialized even before the process of social
control has had a chance to respond. Here we face a Promethean increase
of power over human nature, to the point that the human genetic code
itself is measured in terms of costs and benefits. All societies recognize
the need to control these developments and to make sure that new
practices respect fundamental human values and the common good.
The affirmation of the priority of ethics corresponds to an essential
requirement of the human person and the human community. But not all
forms of ethics are worthy of the name. We are seeing the emergence of
patterns of ethical thinking which are by-products of globalization itself
and which bear the stamp of utilitarianism. But ethical values cannot be
dictated by technological innovations, engineering or efficiency; they are
grounded in the very nature of the human person. Ethics cannot be the
justification or legitimization of a system, but rather the safeguard of all
that is human in any system. Ethics demands that systems be attuned to
the needs of man, and not that man be sacrificed for the sake of the
system. One evident consequence of this is that the ethics committees
now usual in almost every field should be completely independent of
financial interests, ideologies and partisan political views.
The Church on her part continues to affirm that ethical discernment in the
context of globalization must be based upon two inseparable principles:
– First, the inalienable value of the human person, source of all human
rights and every social order. The human being must always be an end
and not a means, a subject and not an object, nor a commodity of trade.
– Second, the value of human cultures, which no external power has the
right to downplay and still less to destroy. Globalization must not be a
new version of colonialism. It must respect the diversity of cultures
394
which, within the universal harmony of peoples, are life’s interpretive
keys. In particular, it must not deprive the poor of what remains most
precious to them, including their religious beliefs and practices, since
genuine religious convictions are the clearest manifestation of human
freedom.
As humanity embarks upon the process of globalization, it can no longer
do without a common code of ethics. This does not mean a single
dominant socio-economic system or culture which would impose its
values and its criteria on ethical reasoning. It is within man as such,
within universal humanity sprung from the Creator’s hand, that the norms
of social life are to be sought. Such a search is indispensable if
globalization is not to be just another name for the absolute relativization
of values and the homogenization of life-styles and cultures. In all the
variety of cultural forms, universal human values exist and they must be
brought out and emphasized as the guiding force of all development and
progress.
The Church will continue to work with all people of good will to ensure
that the winner in this process will be humanity as a whole, and not just a
wealthy elite that controls science, technology, communication and the
planet’s resources to the detriment of the vast majority of its people. The
Church earnestly hopes that all the creative elements in society will
cooperate to promote a globalization which will be at the service of the
whole person and of all people.
With these thoughts, I encourage you to continue to seek an ever deeper
insight into the reality of globalization, and as a pledge of my spiritual
closeness I cordially invoke upon you the blessings of Almighty God.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Members Of The Foundation
For “Ethics And Economics”
Pope John Paul II, May 17, 2001
I am pleased to extend my cordial greeting to each one of you. Our
meeting takes place on account of the initiative you have sponsored that
aims at a more detailed study of how to set up an articulated reflection on
395
globalization, solidarity and free economic initiative, on the basis of solid
ethical and spiritual values.
I examined with pleasure the program of the new Ethics and Economy
Foundation, and I encourage you to continue your work to integrate into
the world of economics the viewpoint and directions of the Magisterium
as expressed in the Church's social teaching.
Your institution gathers people from various parts of the world. With
your different cultural sensitivities, you share the common determination
to combine freedom, development and equity according to the Gospel
principles of solidarity. That is more needed now than before in a period
that
has
been
deeply
affected
by
social
changes.
In fact, modern economic processes tend to be increasingly involved in
the system that most observers describe as "globalization". There is no
doubt that this phenomenon has great possibilities for growth and the
production of wealth. But many also admit that it does not in itself
guarantee a fair distribution of goods among the citizens of different
countries. What happens is that the wealth produced is often concentrated
in the hands of a small group of persons, that brings about a further
weakening of the sovereignty of national states. Weakened nation-states
that are synonymous with the less developed countries, are further
undermined by their loss of access to a world system, which is now
governed by a few centers run by a small number privately owned
businesses. The free market is, of course, a distinctive feature of our time.
However, there are indispensable human needs which cannot be left to
the mercy of the free market at the risk of their being brushed aside.
The Church's social doctrine holds that economic growth must be
integrated with other values, so as to become a qualitative growth. As a
result it must be just, stable, respectful of cultural and social
individuality, as well as ecologically suitable. It cannot be separated from
an investment in people, and in the creative and innovative capacity of
the individual, who is the basic resource of any society.
If the term "global" is to be understood logically, it must include
everyone. Thus it forces the nations to eliminate poverty pockets that
result from groups that are socially, economically and politically
marginalized. This is also true of the frequently emphasized need to
396
ensure "quality". The concept must not merely concern the product but,
in the first place, those who produce it. I refer to the need for "total
quality", that is, the overall condition of human beings in the process of
production.
Only if people are the leading actors and not the slaves of the processes
of production, can a business become a real community of individuals.
This is a real challenge to the new technologies that have already eased a
great part of human toil, and to the direct and especially the indirect
employer, that is to say, all the forces that set the direction of finance and
the
economy.
Linked to this is both the human person's ability to dominate his work
and the discovery of an effective solution to the problem of
unemployment, that universal scourge that could be overcome if those
channeling capital were never to lose sight of man as their final goal.
A closer scrutiny makes globalization appear as a basically ambivalent
phenomenon, which could be considered as both a kind of potential good
for humanity and yet also a possible social disaster of staggering
proportions. To give positive bearings to developing globalization, a deep
commitment to building a "globalization of solidarity" is needed by
means of a new culture, new norms and new institutions at national and
international levels. In particular, it will be necessary to intensify the
collaboration between politics and the economy, to launch specific
projects to safeguard those who might become the victims of
globalization processes throughout the world. I am thinking for example,
of ways to lighten the heavy burden of the foreign debt of the less
developed countries and of legislation to protect children from the
exploitation that results from child labor.
Dear brothers and sisters, I express my appreciation of the contribution
you would like to offer to solve such major problems. I sincerely hope
that your contribution will always be enlightened by the Church's
traditional teaching, so that economic freedom may never be separated
from the duty of the just distribution of riches. I assure you of my prayers
and willingly impart my Blessing to you all.
___________________________________________________________
397
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Mexico
Pope John Paul II, May 18, 2001
I would like to encourage your country's political and social leaders to
deal responsibly with the overall economic situation. On several
occasions I have alluded to these situations which, on a global scale,
present many problems and prevent so many countries from emerging
from underdevelopment and achieving desirable levels of well-being. In
the perspective of integral development, until now the globalized
economy has above all benefited a few specific individuals and groups.
On the other hand, new forms of poverty, marginalization and even the
exclusion of large social groups have developed, especially among the
farm workers and indigenous peoples. It is therefore essential to ensure
that political and cultural institutions are truly at the service of the human
being, without distinctions of race or class. The Church thus feels "called
not only to promote greater integration between nations, thus helping to
create an authentic globalized culture of solidarity, but also to cooperate
with every legitimate means in reducing the negative effects of
globalization" (Ecclesia in America, n. 55).
It is important that Mexican society become aware of this and, with a
truly supportive attitude, be prepared to make the necessary sacrifices
that must under no circumstances aggravate the conditions of poverty of
the humblest classes. Consequently it is indispensable to improve,
progressively, the living conditions of the neediest, in the attempt to
guarantee the just means for everyone, also at the fiscal level.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message On The Theme “Work As The Key To
The Social Question”
Pope John Paul II, September 14, 2001
In this important sector of social life, we are undergoing a profound
evolution that at times has the shape of a radical change. The form of
work has changed and its hours and sites have been altered. In the more
industrialized countries the phenomenon has taken on such dimensions
that the model of dependent work that was carried out in big factories
with set hours, already belongs to the past.
398
Like every major transformation, this too presents elements of tension
and, at the same time, of complementarity between the local and global
dimensions of the economy; between what is defined as the "old" and the
"new" economy; between technological innovation and the need to
safeguard the workplace; between economic growth and environmental
compatibility.
It would be a serious error, however, to think that the changes taking
place happen in a deterministic manner. The decisive factor, the "arbiter"
of this complex phase of change, is once again the human person, who
must remain the true protagonist of his work. He can and must take
responsibility in a creative way for the changes that are happening, to
ensure that they promote the growth of the person, of the family, of the
society in which he lives and of the entire human family (cf. Laborem
exercens, n. 10).
In this regard, the emphasis on the subjective dimension of work,
constantly referred to by the social doctrine of the Church, is
enlightening: "Human work proceeds directly from persons created in
the image of God and called to prolong the work of creation by subduing
the earth, both with and for one another" (CCC, n. 2427).
As long as man exists, there will be the free gesture of authentic
participation in creation which is work. Work is one of the essential
components in realizing the vocation of man who, in fulfilling himself,
always discovers that he is called by God to "dominate the earth".
Despite himself, he can never cease to be "a subject that decides about
himself" (Laborem exercens, n. 6). To him God has entrusted this
supreme and demanding freedom. From this viewpoint, today more than
in the past, we can repeat that "human work is a key, probably the
essential key, to the whole social question" (ibid., n. 3).
In these days of study you have been able to confirm that certain
mechanistic and economistic evaluations of productive activity have been
superseded by the scientific analysis of the problems connected with
work. Today, compared with the past, these concepts appear to be
increasingly inadequate to interpret the facts, because they fail to
recognize the absolutely original nature of work, which is man's free and
creative activity.
399
The rapid and accelerated period of change in the world calls for the
overcoming of the current view of the economic and social system in
which human needs, especially, are accorded only a limited and
inadequate consideration. In contrast with every other living being, man
has infinite needs, because his being and his vocation are defined by
reference to the transcendent. Starting from these needs, he tackles the
adventure of transforming reality with his work according to a dynamic
impulse that always goes beyond the results achieved by it.
If the historical forms of work are changing, its permanent foundation
certainly does not, that is, respect for inalienable rights. Unfortunately,
we risk seeing these rights denied. This is particularly the case with
unemployment, which, in the earliest industrialized countries, in an
unprecedented way, involves masses of men and women; I am thinking
of those who worked in outdated production processes; I am thinking of
the young people and of those who live in disadvantaged areas, where
unemployment rates are still high.
Then work has a precarious aspect that on the one hand may offer greater
job opportunities, but on the other, presents risks and burdens which need
to be taken into account, such as the cost of mobility, of professional
requalification, and of social security benefits.
In the less industrialized countries there are even more urgent problems:
the continuing exploitation of child labor; the lack of recognition of the
value of work, especially that of women, in the family and outside it; the
shortage of work due to instability in the context of the workforce,
especially in situations of conflict, and the fragility of the system of local
economic relations faced with the changes due to globalized production.
To deal with these problems, new forms of solidarity must be created,
taking into account the interdependence that forges bonds among
workers. If the changes in progress are profound, there must be a
correspondingly intelligent effort and the will to protect the dignity of
work, strengthening, at various levels, the interested institutions.
Governments have a great deal of responsibility, but no less important is
that of the organizations who defend the collective interests of workers
and of those who provide work. All are called not only to foster these
interests in an honest form and through dialogue, but also to rethink their
400
own functions, their structure, their nature and their kinds of action. As I
wrote in the Encyclical Centesimus annus, these organizations can and
must become places "where workers can express his/her own personality"
(cf. n. 15).
You, too, scientists and men of culture, are called to make a specific and
decisive contribution to the solution of such vast and complex problems,
that in some areas assume dramatic dimensions. Studying the various
aspects of work within a variety of disciplines, you share the
responsibility for understanding the change that is taking place. This
means pointing out the advantages and risks that are implied; in
particular it means suggesting lines of action to direct the change in the
best way for the development of the whole human family.
You have the task of reading and interpreting social phenomena
intelligently, with respect for the truth, without having to take into
account group or personal interests. We can say that your contribution,
because it is "abstract", is essential for the concrete action of economic
policies. So do not tire of applying yourselves with patience and
scientific rigor to this research. May the Lord help you and enlighten you
with wisdom, the gift of his Spirit.
The Church's social teaching will provide you with a reliable guide and
reference. I also hope that this social teaching will continue to benefit
from your contribution, from the categories and the reflections of the
social sciences, according to that fruitful dialogue that is always mutually
advantageous.
With these sentiments, while I wholeheartedly invoke upon all the
protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of her Spouse, St Joseph, a
humble and generous worker, I send my Blessing to each of you.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Homily
Pope John Paul II, September 30, 2001
"Blessed are the poor in spirit". We sang it in the refrain of the
Responsorial Psalm.
401
The evangelical beatitude of poverty, is a precious message for the Synod
Assembly that we are beginning. In fact, poverty is an essential trait of
the person of Jesus and His ministry of salvation and represents one of
the indispensable requirements for the evangelical proclamation to be
heard and welcomed by today's humanity.
Listening to the First Reading, from the Prophet Amos, and paying
attention to the famous parable of the "rich man" and poor Lazarus, as
told by the Evangelist St Luke, we, venerable Brothers, are compelled to
look into our hearts to discern what is our attitude towards earthly goods
and the use we make of them. We are asked to verify to what extent the
personal and community conversion to an effective evangelical poverty
has taken place in the Church. I recall the words from Vatican Council
II: "Just as Christ carried out the work of redemption in poverty and
persecution, so the Church is called to follow the same route that she
might communicate the fruits of salvation to men" (Lumen Gentium, n.
8).
The route of poverty will allow us to transmit to our contemporaries the
"fruits of salvation". As Bishops we are called upon, therefore, to be poor
at the service of the Gospel. To be servants of the revealed word, who
when needed will raise their voices in defense of the least, denouncing
the abuses against those whom Amos called the "carefree" and the
"revelers". To be prophets is to point out with courage the social sins that
are the fruit of consumerism, hedonism, and an economy that produces
an unacceptable gap between luxury and misery, between the few "rich
men" and the many "Lazarus's" condemned to misery. In every age, the
Church was close to the least, and has had holy Pastors who sided, like
intrepid apostles of charity, with the poor.
But for the Pastors' Word to be credible, they must give proof of conduct
detached from private interests and attentive towards the weaker ones.
They must give an example to the community entrusted to them, teaching
and supporting the synthesis of principles of solidarity and social justice
that make up the social doctrine of the Church.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 16, 2001
402
On the occasion of the annual World Food Day I want to renew an appeal
to the consciences and sense of solidarity of individuals and nations,
while we realize that the tragic condition of more than 800 million
starving and undernourished persons, of whom 200 million are children,
is one of the most serious problems of our time.
The theme of this year's observance "Fight Hunger to Reduce Poverty",
links the need to reduce poverty with the fight against hunger, one of the
basic causes of poverty. Indeed, shortage of food seriously threatens life
at its beginning and in its ongoing material and spiritual stages.
For this reason, on the occasion of the World Food Summit, held in
Rome in 1996, in which I personally participated, the Heads of State and
Government made a solemn commitment about the serious problems of
supplying food. Now, five years later, the partial achievement of the
initial goal set out, has led to the present need to organize a new Summit
to influence the political will manifested then, and to muster the needed
resources to cut in half the number of people who suffer hunger, at the
latest, by 2015.
I wish to encourage those who are called to guide the destiny of Nations,
to work to achieve this noble undertaking, which one has to regard as
humanly indispensable and religiously praiseworthy.
The "Our Father", the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples (cf. Mt 6, 913; Lk 11, 2-4), can offer to all believers important points for reflection
and valid motives to inspire action, without harm to anyone's religious
identity.
In fact, the prayer for bread, at the centre of the Lord's Prayer, creates a
double goal since it joins two features of the prayer: first, the prayer for
the full achievement of the divine plan for humanity, and second, the
prayer for what the human being who tends towards God needs for his
life.
The "Our Father" is revealed as the prayer of brothers and sisters who are
aware that they cannot reach God alone and so trust that they will meet
Him together by living in communion. The prayer invites us to discern
the face of God in our neighbors, for whom each of us must take
403
responsibility, especially for those who are weaker and lacking in daily
food. Jesus himself said: "As long as you did it to one of the least of
these my brethren, you did it to me" (Mt 25,40).
After the tragic terrorist attacks on the United States that seriously
wounded peace and social cohesion among peoples, we are now forced to
take more seriously the presence of the Lord in the poor and starving and
to motivate people to come to the aid of the poor.
Renewed spiritual and religious motivation will have a greater impact on
World Food Day, persuading government leaders and men of good will
to respond adequately to the call for justice raised by the victims of the
scourge of hunger, so that all will offer help in accord with their
resources.
I hope that believers will be among the first to work for justice and
solidarity, speedily setting up important ways to bring about cooperation.
If they listen to the cry of the poor, as they observe World Food Day,
they will know how to obtain concrete action from the leaders of their
Nations, and how to be involved themselves in prayer and deeds so that
the important "World Food Summit Five Years Later" may produce the
fruits hoped for
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The 31st Conference Of The Food
And Agriculture Organization
Pope John Paul II, November 3, 2001
The first pages of the Bible describe the luxuriant abundance of the
created world and say that God has given to the human person everything
he needs to lead a life worthy of a creature made in the image and
likeness of God (cf. Gn 1,26). Thus it should not be possible to find
millions of people in the world who are undernourished or starving. The
earth can provide for what they need, so the cause of this lack of food
must be sought elsewhere. In the Book of Genesis, God entrusts creation
to human hands (cf. Gn 1,26; 28) and we must look in this direction if we
want to understand the current disorders. An equitable management of
the goods of creation has been lacking, with an obvious inequality in
sharing resources. In this perspective, your conference desires to be a
404
sign of hope for the world, to show that there are some who are
determined to practice responsible and creative management, aiming to
guarantee "food security' to every member of the human family.
Their determination is based on the recognition of the fact that every
human being enjoys the inviolable right to a proper diet, and that it is
consequently the duty of all men and women, especially those in
responsible positions, to ensure that this right is respected. We should not
only apply this principle to individuals but also to nations. When people
can no longer satisfy their basic needs because of war, poverty, bad
government or mismanagement, or even on account of natural disasters,
others have the moral duty to intervene to help them.
The elimination of hunger in the world implies the will not only to debate
or deplore this situation, but also to take the necessary practical steps to
deal effectively and permanently with this problem.
Among the initiatives that I would especially like to encourage there is
the decision made by the richest nations to devote part of their gross
domestic product to the development of the poorest countries, and to do
their utmost to reduce the burden of their foreign debt. They must
persevere with these efforts even when urgent needs, national or
international, might induce them to abandon them.
After the appalling events of 11 September, there have been great
discussions about justice and the urgent need to correct injustices. In a
religious perspective, injustice is the radical imbalance where man rises
up against God and against his brethren in such a way that disorder reigns
in human relations. Justice, on the contrary, is the perfect harmony
between God, man and the world, which the Bible describes as paradise.
Many of the world's injustices transform the earth into a desert: the most
disturbing of them all is the hunger that millions of people suffer, with its
inevitable repercussions on the problems of peace among nations. Didn't
Pope Paul VI declare in 1967 that development is the new name for
peace (cf. Popolorum progressio, nn. 76-77)? His words have proved
even truer since then. Development involves many aspects but the most
important one is the decision to guarantee every man, woman and child
access to the food they need. This is why your conference does not only
target "food security" but also "world peace", at a time when these values
are seriously threatened.
405
Given your important responsibilities and the great hopes that are open
before you, how could I fail to be with you in prayer? In these days I
assure you of my closeness, as I implore Almighty God for an abundance
of his blessings on the work of your conference, so that the FAO may
continue to spread on earth the peace and justice that come from on high.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Volunteers Of The Diocese Of
Rome
Pope John Paul II, November 10, 2001
I greet you all, dear brothers and sisters, who are eager to serve your
brethren following the example of Jesus who, after washing his disciples'
feet on the eve of his Passion, said to them: "I have given you an
example, that as I have done, you also should do" (Jn 13,15).
What example is he speaking of? The answer is obvious from the context
in which these words were spoken. In performing a service for his
Apostles that was usually reserved for slaves, he foretold his death on the
following day, when he was to give himself on Calvary. Jesus is
speaking, therefore, of a total, unconditional love on which he wants to
inspire his disciples to learn how to model their behavior.
The Lord's words at the Last Supper, should be for you a lifelong
program: in fact, your unqualified mission consists in reproducing the
actions of the One who, although he was in the form of God, out of love
took
the
form
of
a
servant
(cf.
Phil
2,6-7).
In the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte I invited the whole
Church to "put out into the deep", namely, with vigor and renewed
enthusiasm, to spread the Gospel in the new millennium. Today this
appeal resounds particularly for you, who are called to collaborate in a
unique way in the work of the new evangelization.
Thank you for your generous witness in a society that is all too often
dominated by the yearning to have and to possess! As faithful disciples
and imitators of Christ, you are urged to go against the current, choosing
the evangelical option of serving the brethren, not only because you are
motivated by the desire of achieving legitimate objectives of social
406
justice, but also, and above all, because you are impelled by the
unceasing
power
of
divine
charity.
The field of action that unfolds daily before your eyes is enormous.
Indeed, many serious problems afflict our society. Looking at the reality
of our City, how can you not recognize, unfortunately, the shortcomings
of the social services and the inadequacies of the basic services in various
outlying districts, serious forms of inequality of income and of access to
such primary goods as education, housing and health care. Then what can
be said of the marginalization of beggars, nomads, drug addicts and
AIDS patients, not to mention the disintegration of families that penalizes
the weakest, and of the forms of physical or psychological violence
inflicted on women or children? And how can we forget the problems
associated with immigration and with the growing number of lonely
elderly people, of the sick and of the underprivileged?
This disturbing social scene that is often combined with a regrettable lack
of respect for life and for the human person and a disconcerting absence
of moral and religious values, challenges the institutions first, but is also
a particular incentive to the Christian community, which has always seen
charity as a primary route to evangelization and human advancement.
Volunteer work, so widespread in Italy, is an authentic "sign of the
times" and reveals a keen awareness of the solidarity that links human
beings. By giving citizens an opportunity to take an active part in the
management of the services intended for them and for the various
structures and institutions, volunteer work contributes to bringing to them
the "supplement of soul" which makes them more human and respectful
of the human person.
To carry out their prophetic role, the actions of volunteers must be
faithful to certain typical and essential features: first and foremost the
desire for the authentic promotion of persons and of the common good
that goes beyond the minimum of necessary assistance, then the spirit of
unselfish generosity that, after the example of the Lord Jesus, must
always shape the activity of believers.
The life-style of the volunteers who witness to the Gospel should be
carefully maintained, even when they benefit from the forms of economic
support provided by law for performing the tasks of volunteer work.
407
Dear friends, may every inhabitant of our city, no matter what his race or
religion, find in you generous brothers and sisters who know how to
practice charity, not as pure philanthropy, but in the name of Christ. To
remain faithful to this vocation, persevere in prayer and in listening to the
word of God, as well as in participating in the Eucharist. In this way you
will be able to discern in your suffering brethren the face of the Lord,
contemplated in your prayer and in the celebration of the divine
mysteries. Thus you will contribute to the work of the Permanent
Mission, to which in recent years I have so often called the diocesan
Church of Rome.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of The
Republic Of Philippines
Pope John Paul II, February 2, 2002
True progress cannot but take proper account of a people’s cultural and
spiritual needs and traditions. In this sense policies and programs stand or
fall depending on whether or not they favor integral human development.
Thus the increasing globalization of the economy, with its leveling of
cultural differences, is not necessarily and in every case a solution to real
needs. In fact, it can aggravate the imbalances already evident in the
relations between those who benefit from the world’s growing capacity to
produce wealth and those who are left at the margin of progress. The
great moral challenge facing nations and the international community is
to combine development with solidarity — a genuine sharing of benefits
— in order to overcome both dehumanizing underdevelopment and the
"over-development" which considers people as mere economic units in a
consumer system (cf. Ecclesia in Asia, 32). Development therefore is
never a merely technical or economic question; it is fundamentally a
human and moral question. It requires an enhanced sense of moral
commitment on the part of those who serve the common good.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Pontifical Academy For Social
Sciences
Pope John Paul II, April 11, 2002
408
The increasing interdependence among people, families, businesses and
nations, as well as among economies and markets - known as
globalization - has revolutionized the system of social interactions and
relations. If it has positive developments, it also harbors disturbing
threats, notably the exacerbation of inequalities between the powerful
economies and the dependent ones, between those who benefit from new
opportunities, and those who are bypassed. This fact invites you to think
about the subject of solidarity in a new way.
In this connection, with the progressive lengthening of the span of human
life, solidarity between generations must receive greater attention, with
special care for the weaker members of society, children and the elderly.
In this spirit, it is first of all the responsibility of the political and
economic leaders to do everything possible to ensure that globalization
will not take place to the detriment of the least favored and the weakest,
widening the gap between rich and poor, between rich nations and poor
nations.
The leaders of civil society fulfill their mission when they seek above all
the common good with absolute respect for the dignity of the human
person. The importance of the questions our societies have to face and
the challenges for the future should stimulate a common will to seek the
common good for the harmonious and peaceful development of societies
and the well being of all.
Actually, it corresponds to the political sphere to regulate the market, to
subject market laws to solidarity, so that individuals and societies are not
sacrificed by economic changes at all levels and are protected from the
upheavals caused by the deregulation of the market.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Bishops From Nigeria
Pope John Paul II, April 30, 2002
In fact, when proclamation and catechesis succeed in building up the
Church as family, the whole of society benefits: harmony between
different ethnic groups is given a stronger foundation, ethnocentrism is
avoided and reconciliation encouraged, greater solidarity and a sharing of
resources among people, and life in society becomes ever more imbued
409
with an awareness of the obligations which flow from respect for the
God-given dignity of every human being.
Moreover, evangelization and integral human development — the
development of every person and of the whole person — are intimately
linked.
Precisely because people have been endowed with this extraordinary
dignity they should not be reduced to living in sub-human social,
economic, cultural or political conditions. This is the theological basis of
the struggle for the defense of justice and social peace, for the promotion,
liberation and integral human development of all people and of every
individual.
This connection between evangelization and human development
explains the Church’s presence in the social sphere, in the arena of public
and social life. Following the example of her Lord, she exercises her
prophetic role on behalf of all people, especially the poor, the suffering,
the defenseless; she becomes the voice of the voiceless, insisting that the
dignity of the human person should always be at the center of local,
national and international programs.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A General Audience
Pope John Paul II, May 1, 2002
Today, on the first of May, we observe Labor Day. We Christians place
the celebration under the patronage of St Joseph the Worker. We observe
such an important day with initiatives that tend to emphasize the
importance and value of the work by which the human person,
transforming nature and adapting it to his needs, realizes himself as a
human being.
The Lord's invitation to subdue the earth (cf. Gn 2,28), that we find at the
beginning of the history of salvation, holds a definitive and contemporary
importance. Creation is a gift that God entrusts to the human being so
that by carefully cultivating and safeguarding it, it can supply his needs.
From our work comes the "daily bread" that we pray for in the Our
Father.
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One can say that through his work the human person becomes more
human. This is why industriousness is a virtue. For industriousness
effectively to permit the person to become more human, it must always
be joined with the social disposition of work. Only in this way will we
protect the inalienable dignity of the person and the human and social
value of the work that is done. To the watchful protection of St Joseph
the Worker we entrust those who belong to the great family of work in
every place in the world.
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Excerpts From A Message To The World Food Summit
Pope John Paul II, June 10, 2002
I extend this greeting to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, as
well as to the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization
and to the Heads of other International Organizations present at this
meeting. The Holy See expects much from their efforts on behalf of
humanity’s material and spiritual progress.
I express the hope that the present World Food Summit will be crowned
with success: this is what millions of men and women throughout the
world expect.
The last Summit in 1996 had already established that hunger and
malnutrition are not phenomena of a merely natural or structural nature,
affecting only certain geographic areas, but are to be seen as the
consequence of a more complex situation of underdevelopment resulting
from human inertia and self-centeredness.
If the goals of the 1996 Summit have not been met, that can be attributed
also to the absence of a culture of solidarity, and to international relations
often shaped by a pragmatism devoid of ethical and moral foundations.
Moreover, a cause for concern is to be found in the statistics according to
which assistance given to poor countries in recent years appears to have
decreased rather than increased.
Today more than ever there is an urgent need in international
relationships for solidarity to become the criterion underlying all forms of
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cooperation, with the acknowledgment that the resources which God the
Creator has entrusted to us are destined for all.
Of course, much is expected from the experts, whose task it is to point
out when and how to increase agricultural resources, how to achieve
better distribution of products, how to set up food security programs, how
to devise new techniques to boost harvests and increase herds.
The Preamble to the FAO Constitution itself proclaimed the commitment
of each country to raise its level of nutrition and improve the conditions
of its agriculture and of its rural population, in such a way as to increase
production and secure an effective distribution of food supplies in all
parts of the world.
These goals, however, involve a constant reconsideration of the
relationship between the right to be freed from poverty and the duty of
the whole human family to provide practical help to the needy.
For my part, I am pleased that the present World Food Summit is once
more urging the various sectors of the international community,
Governments and Intergovernmental Institutions, to make a commitment
to somehow guaranteeing the right to nutrition in cases where an
individual State is unable to do so because of its own underdevelopment
and poverty. Such a commitment can be seen as entirely necessary and
legitimate, given the fact that poverty and hunger risk compromising
even the ordered coexistence of peoples and nations, and constitute a real
threat to peace and international security.
Hence the importance of the present World Food Summit, with its
reaffirmation of the concept of food security and its call for a
mobilization of solidarity aimed at reducing by half, by the year 2015, the
number of people in the world who are undernourished and deprived of
the bare necessities of life. This is an enormous challenge, and one to
which the Church too is fully committed.
The Catholic Church is ever concerned for the promotion of human rights
and the integral development of peoples, and will therefore continue to
support all who work to ensure that every member of the human family
receives adequate daily food. Her intimate vocation is to be close to the
world’s poor, and she hopes that everyone will become practically
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involved in speedily resolving this problem, one of the gravest facing the
human family.
May the Almighty who is rich in mercy send his blessing upon each one
of you, upon the work you do under the aegis of FAO, and upon all those
who strive for the authentic progress of the human family.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The 31st Conference Of The Food
And Agriculture Organization
Pope John Paul II, June 10, 2002
The first pages of the Bible describe the luxuriant abundance of the
created world and say that God has given to the human person everything
he needs to lead a life worthy of a creature made in the image and
likeness of God (cf. Gn 1,26). Thus it should not be possible to find
millions of people in the world who are undernourished or starving. The
earth can provide for what they need, so the cause of this lack of food
must be sought elsewhere. In the Book of Genesis, God entrusts creation
to human hands (cf. Gn 1,26; 28) and we must look in this direction if we
want to understand the current disorders. An equitable management of
the goods of creation has been lacking, with an obvious inequality in
sharing resources. In this perspective, your conference desires to be a
sign of hope for the world, to show that there are some who are
determined to practice responsible and creative management, aiming to
guarantee "food security' to every member of the human family.
Their determination is based on the recognition of the fact that every
human being enjoys the inviolable right to a proper diet, and that it is
consequently the duty of all men and women, especially those in
responsible positions, to ensure that this right is respected. We should not
only apply this principle to individuals but also to nations. When people
can no longer satisfy their basic needs because of war, poverty, bad
government or mismanagement, or even on account of natural disasters,
others have the moral duty to intervene to help them.
The elimination of hunger in the world implies the will not only to debate
or deplore this situation, but also to take the necessary practical steps to
deal effectively and permanently with this problem.
413
Among the initiatives that I would especially like to encourage there is
the decision made by the richest nations to devote part of their gross
domestic product to the development of the poorest countries, and to do
their utmost to reduce the burden of their foreign debt. They must
persevere with these efforts even when urgent needs, national or
international, might induce them to abandon them.
After the appalling events of 11 September, there have been great
discussions about justice and the urgent need to correct injustices. In a
religious perspective, injustice is the radical imbalance where man rises
up against God and against his brethren in such a way that disorder reigns
in human relations. Justice, on the contrary, is the perfect harmony
between God, man and the world, which the Bible describes as paradise.
Many of the world's injustices transform the earth into a desert: the most
disturbing of them all is the hunger that millions of people suffer, with its
inevitable repercussions on the problems of peace among nations. Didn't
Pope Paul VI declare in 1967 that development is the new name for
peace (cf. Popolorum progressio, nn. 76-77)? His words have proved
even truer since then. Development involves many aspects but the most
important one is the decision to guarantee every man, woman and child
access to the food they need. This is why your conference does not only
target "food security" but also "world peace", at a time when these values
are seriously threatened.
Given your important responsibilities and the great hopes that are open
before you, how could I fail to be with you in prayer? In these days I
assure you of my closeness, as I implore Almighty God for an abundance
of his blessings on the work of your conference, so that the FAO may
continue to spread on earth the peace and justice that come from on high.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Common Declaration With The Ecumenical
Patriarch His Holiness Bartholomew I
Pope John Paul II, June 10, 2002
A solution at the economic and technological level can be found only if
we undergo, in the most radical way, an inner change of heart, which can
lead to a change in lifestyle and of unsustainable patterns of consumption
414
and production. A genuine conversion in Christ will enable us to change
the way we think and act.
First, we must regain humility and recognize the limits of our powers,
and most importantly, the limits of our knowledge and judgment. We
have been making decisions, taking actions and assigning values that are
leading us away from the world as it should be, away from the design of
God for creation, away from all that is essential for a healthy planet and a
healthy commonwealth of people. A new approach and a new culture are
needed, based on the centrality of the human person within creation and
inspired by environmentally ethical behavior stemming from our triple
relationship to God, to self and to creation. Such an ethics fosters
interdependence and stresses the principles of universal solidarity, social
justice and responsibility, in order to promote a true culture of life.
Secondly, we must frankly admit that humankind is entitled to something
better than what we see around us. We and, much more, our children and
future generations are entitled to a better world, a world free from
degradation, violence and bloodshed, a world of generosity and love.
Thirdly, aware of the value of prayer, we must implore God the Creator
to enlighten people everywhere regarding the duty to respect and
carefully guard creation.
We therefore invite all men and women of good will to ponder the
importance of the following ethical goals: to think of the world's children
when we reflect on and evaluate our options for action; to be open to
study the true values based on the natural law that sustain every human
culture; to be humble regarding the idea of ownership and to be open to
the demands of solidarity. Our mortality and our weakness of judgment
together warn us not to take irreversible actions with what we choose to
regard as our property during our brief stay on this earth. We have not
been entrusted with unlimited power over creation, we are only stewards
of the common heritage.
To acknowledge the diversity of situations and responsibilities in the
work for a better world environment. We do not expect every person and
every institution to assume the same burden. Everyone has a part to play,
but for the demands of justice and charity to be respected the most
affluent societies must carry the greater burden, and from them is
415
demanded a sacrifice greater than can be offered by the poor. Religions,
governments and institutions are faced by many different situations; but
on the basis of the principle of subsidiarity all of them can take on some
tasks, some part of the shared effort.
To promote a peaceful approach to disagreement about how to live on
this earth, about how to share it and use it, about what to change and
what to leave unchanged. It is not our desire to evade controversy about
the environment, for we trust in the capacity of human reason and the
path of dialogue to reach agreement. We commit ourselves to respect the
views of all who disagree with us, seeking solutions through open
exchange, without resorting to oppression and domination.
It is not too late. God's world has incredible healing powers. Within a
single generation, we could steer the earth toward our children's future.
Let that generation start now, with God's help and blessing.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address On The Occasion Of World Food Day
Pope John Paul II, October 13, 2002
The annual celebration of World Food Day, by focusing attention on
FAO and its efforts to counter hunger and malnutrition, serves to remind
us once more of the condition of countless people throughout the world
who live in a state of inadequate food security.
The conclusions of the World Food Summit - Five Years Later are still
fresh in our minds. The international community is committed to
guaranteeing that basic freedom from hunger and access to adequate and
healthy food which are primary expressions of the right to life and
respect for human dignity which are so often solemnly proclaimed but
are still far from being a reality. In fact, while humanity’s attainments
offer the hope of a future more responsive to human needs, the world
tragically remains divided between those who live in abundance and
those who are lacking even what is essential for their everyday
sustenance. This situation constitutes one of the most obvious obstacles
for building a society worthy of humanity, a world that is truly human
and fraternal.
416
This year’s chosen theme: "Water, source of food security" is an
invitation to reflect on the importance of water, without which
individuals and communities cannot live. As an indispensable factor in
human activity, water is a basic factor of food security. Nor can we forget
that water, a symbol used in the communal rites of many religions and
cultures, signifies belonging and purification. In Christian terms, water is
used as a sign of a process of interior transformation and conversion.
From its symbolic value springs an invitation to be fully aware of the
importance of this precious commodity, and consequently to revise
present patterns of behavior in order to guarantee, today and in the future,
that all people shall have access to the water indispensable for their
needs, and that productive activities, and agriculture in particular, shall
enjoy adequate levels of this priceless resource. The growing awareness
that water is a limited resource, but absolutely essential to food security,
is leading many today to a change of attitude, a change which must be
favored for the sake of future generations.
It is necessary for the international community and its agencies to
intervene more effectively and visibly in this area. Such an intervention
should be aimed at promoting greater cooperation in protecting water
supplies from contamination and improper use, and from that exploitation
which aims only at profit and privilege. In these efforts, the primary
objective of the international community must be the well-being of those
people – men, women, children, families, communities – who live in the
poorest parts of the world and therefore suffer most from any scarcity or
misuse of water resources.
The conclusions of recent international meetings have shown how the
fight against hunger and malnutrition – and more generally the fight
against poverty and in defense of the earth’s ecosystems – has to be
carried out in many diverse situations and amid rival interests. The first
step in this effort is to regain a sustainable balance between consumption
and available resources.
We are all aware that without attention to the fundamental principles of
the ethical and moral order, principles rooted in the heart and conscience
of every human being, this objective cannot be attained. In fact, the order
of creation and its delicate harmony are in danger of being irremediably
compromised. Biblical wisdom reminds us not to abandon the "source of
fresh water and life" in order to "hew out broken cisterns that can hold no
417
water" (Jer 2:13). We can almost see here a warning about our own
present situation. We are reminded, in other words, that technical
solutions, no matter how developed, are not helpful if they fail to take
into account the centrality of the human person, who, in his spiritual and
material dimensions, is the measure of all rights and therefore must be
the guiding criterion of programs and policies.
Adequate levels of development in every geographical area will be
legitimately and respectfully guaranteed only if access to water is
considered a right of individuals and peoples. For this to happen
international policy must give fresh attention to the inestimable value of
water resources, which are often not renewable and cannot become the
patrimony of only a few since they are a common good of the whole of
humanity. By their nature they "should be shared fairly by all mankind
under the guidance of justice tempered by charity" (Second Vatican
Council, Gaudium et Spes, 69).
May this year’s celebration of World Food Day serve to remind everyone
of the very human dimension of the tragedy of hunger and malnutrition,
and help the international community to reaffirm the moral imperative of
solidarity. This must be the direction of efforts to ensure that every
people and nation will have access to necessary water supplies in order to
guarantee an appropriate level of food security.
Excerpts From A Message For The 89th World Day Of Migrants And
Refugees 2003
Pope John Paul II, October 24, 2002
Migration has become a widespread phenomenon in the modern-day
world and involves all nations, either as countries of departure, of transit
or of arrival. It affects millions of human beings, and presents a challenge
that the pilgrim Church, at the service of the whole human family, cannot
fail to take up and meet in the Gospel spirit of universal charity. This
year’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees should be a time of special
prayer for the needs of all who, for whatever reason, are far from home
and family; it should be a day of serious reflection on the duties of
Catholics towards these brothers and sisters.
418
Among those particularly affected are the most vulnerable of foreigners:
undocumented migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, those displaced by
continuing violent conflicts in many parts of the world, and the victims –
mostly women and children – of the terrible crime of human trafficking.
Even in the recent past we have witnessed tragic instances of forced
movements of peoples for ethnic and nationalistic pretensions, which
have added untold misery to the lives of targeted groups. At the root of
these situations there are sinful intentions and actions that go contrary to
the Gospel and constitute a call to Christians everywhere to overcome
evil with good.
Membership in the Catholic community is not determined by nationality,
or by social or ethnic origin, but essentially by faith in Jesus Christ and
Baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity. The “cosmopolitan” make-up of
the People of God is visible today in practically every particular Church
because migration has transformed even small and formerly isolated
communities into pluralist and inter-cultural realities. Places that until
recently rarely saw an outsider are now home to people from different
parts of the world.
The Church understands that restricting membership of a local
community on the basis of ethnic or other external characteristics would
be an impoverishment for all concerned, and would contradict the basic
right of the baptized to worship and take part in the life of the
community. Moreover, if newcomers feel unwelcome as they approach a
particular parish community because they do not speak the local language
or follow local customs, they easily become “lost sheep”. The loss of
such “little ones” for reasons of even latent discrimination should be a
cause of grave concern to pastors and faithful alike.
This takes us back to a subject which I have often mentioned in my
Messages for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, namely, the
Christian duty to welcome whoever comes knocking out of need. Such
openness builds up vibrant Christian communities, enriched by the Spirit
with the gifts brought to them by new disciples from other cultures. This
basic expression of evangelical love is likewise the inspiration of
countless programs of solidarity towards migrants and refugees in all
parts of the world.
Often, solidarity does not come easily. It requires training and a turning
away from attitudes of closure, which in many societies today have
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become more subtle and penetrating. To deal with this phenomenon, the
Church possesses vast educational and formative resources at all levels. I
therefore appeal to parents and teachers to combat racism and
xenophobia by inculcating positive attitudes based on Catholic social
doctrine.
Being ever more deeply rooted in Christ, Christians must struggle to
overcome any tendency to turn in on themselves, and learn to discern in
people of other cultures the handiwork of God. Only genuine evangelical
love will be strong enough to help communities pass from mere tolerance
of others to real respect for their differences.
Understandably, as I urge Catholics to excel in the spirit of solidarity
towards newcomers among them, I also invite the immigrants to
recognize the duty to honor the countries which receive them and to
respect the laws, culture and traditions of the people who have welcomed
them. Only in this way will social harmony prevail.
The path to true acceptance of immigrants in their cultural diversity is
actually a difficult one, in some cases a real Way of the Cross.
It hardly needs to be said that mixed cultural communities offer unique
opportunities to deepen the gift of unity with other Christian Churches
and ecclesial communities. Many of them in fact have worked within
their own communities and with the Catholic Church to form societies in
which the cultures of migrants and their special gifts are sincerely
appreciated, and in which manifestations of racism, xenophobia and
exaggerated nationalism are prophetically opposed.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Italian Parliament
Pope John Paul II, November 14, 2002
The genuinely "human" nature of society is shown especially in the
attention which it is able show towards its weakest members. If we
consider Italy’s development in the almost sixty years since the
devastation of the Second World War, we can only admire the immense
progress made towards a society in which all are guaranteed acceptable
living conditions. But it is likewise necessary to acknowledge the
continuing grave crisis of unemployment affecting the young in
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particular, and the many forms of poverty, deprivation and
marginalization, both old and new, involving numerous individuals and
families, whether Italians or immigrants to this country. Great therefore is
the need for a willing and comprehensive network of solidarity, in which
the Church is entirely committed to making her own specific
contribution. Such solidarity, however, needs to be able to count above
all on constant and close attention on the part of public Institutions.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Angelus
Pope John Paul II, November 17, 2002
Today in Italy, the Day of Migrants is observed, an annual event that
invites the ecclesial and civil community to reflect on this important and
complex phenomenon.
The Italian Bishops have chosen as the theme for this day, a sentence of
the Apostle Paul: "Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you"
(Rom 15,7). In welcoming every man in Christ, God made himself an
"emigrant" in the paths of time to take to all the Gospel of love and
peace. In contemplating this mystery, how can one not be open to
welcome and recognize that every human being is a son of the one
heavenly Father and, therefore, is our brother?
We live in a time of profound changes that affect persons, ethnic groups
and peoples. Even today we can note serious inequalities, especially
between the north and the south of this world.
This makes the earth, becoming increasingly a "global village", be for
some unfortunately a place of poverty and privations, while others are
busy accumulating great wealth. In this situation, the "other" risks being
frequently considered a competitor, especially if he is "different" due to
language, nationality and culture.
Because of this, it is important that the spirit of welcome be present
everywhere, to be translated into the social behavior of care, especially
for the needy. Everyone is called to contribute to making a better world,
starting in one's own circle of life and work. I very much hope that
families, associations, ecclesial and civil communities will become ever
more schools of hospitality, of civil fellowship and of fruitful dialogue.
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As for immigrants, they must know how to respect the laws of the state
that has welcomed them and thus contribute to a better integration in the
new social situation.
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Excerpts From An Address To The Bishops Of Brazil
Pope John Paul II, November 26, 2002
In paragraph n. 12 of the Apostolic Letter Tertio millennio adveniente, in
preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, I wanted to recall the
tradition of the jubilee years of Israel, a time which was dedicated above
all to God and during which, slaves were freed, property redistributed
and debts written off. It was a question of applying a social justice that
was the reflection of the joy of knowing it was a people chosen and loved
by God. "The social doctrine of the Church ... is thus rooted in the
tradition of the jubilee year" (ibid., n. 13), together with the collection of
principles and criteria which, as the fruit of Revelation and historical
experience, were reflected on and gathered to promote the formation of
the Christian conscience and the working out of justice in human society.
These principles and criteria take the most varied forms. For example,
preferential love for the poor, so that they may attain a more dignified
standard of living; the observance of obligations assumed in contracts
and agreements; the protection of the fundamental rights that are essential
to human dignity; the correct use of one's possessions for one's own
benefit and at the same time for that of the community, in conformity
with the social goal of ownership; the payment of taxes; the satisfactory
and honest execution of assignments and responsibilities, in a spirit of
service; integrity, both in the word given and in legal trials and
judgments; the accomplishment of work with competence and dedication;
respect for freedom of conscience; the accessibility of education and
culture to all; attention to the sick and the unemployed. From a negative
point of view, we can point out among the violations of justice: salaries
that are insufficient for a worker to pay his family's keep; the unjust
acquisition of the property of others; discrimination in work and affronts
to the dignity of women; administrative or entrepreneurial corruption;
excessive greed for money and wealth; urban planning which, in practice,
leads to birth control due to financial pressure; campaigns that violate
422
intimacy, honor or the right to information; technologies that damage the
environment and so forth.
Poverty and social injustice in Brazil began in the colonial period and in
the first years of its Independence. Development programs applied during
the 20th century have ensured the combination of the country's material
growth, the development of a diversified urban-industrial economy and a
responsible middle class, full of creativity and initiative. This progress
has not been able to eliminate poverty and calamity nor to reduce the
inequality of wealth and income, which recently has become even more
pronounced.
Perhaps the economic history of Brazil is a valid proof of the inability of
economic systems to resolve by themselves the problems of human
development without being accompanied and corrected by a strong
ethical foundation and the constant will to serve the human person.
Man cannot be judged as a mere component of the market economy since
"even prior to the logic of a fair exchange of goods and the forms of
justice appropriate to it, there exists something which is due to man
because he is man, by reason of his lofty dignity. Inseparable from that
required "something' is the possibility to survive and at the same time, to
make an active contribution to the common good of humanity."
Besides insufficient measures for social protection and the redistribution
of income, what has really been lacking is an ethical conception of social
life. The mere implementation of long-term plans and measures to correct
the existing imbalances can never do without the commitment of
institutional and personal solidarity on the part of all Brazilians. To this
end, Catholics, who account for the majority of the Brazilian population,
can make a fundamental contribution.
The new international scene, the result of globalization, obliges States to
make important decisions about their capacity to intervene in economic
life even in the endeavor to correct imbalances and social injustice.
Already in 1967, my venerable predecessor Paul VI, drew attention to the
growing interdependence of peoples and pointed out that countries can no
longer live in isolation; it was emphasized at the time that the process of
their interdependence could be counterbalanced by a globalization of
solidarity, in which the stronger nations might guarantee certain financial
423
and commercial benefits to the weaker ones, to help, as far as possible, to
level the international imbalances; otherwise, on the contrary, it might
serve to accentuate deviations (cf. Populorum progressio, nn. 54-55).
Unfortunately, still today globalization often works to benefit the
strongest, ensuring that the current advantages of technological
development be connected with the prevalent international structure.
It is up to you, venerable Brothers, as the hierarchy of the people of God,
to promote the quest for new solutions that embody a Christian spirit. A
vision of the economy and social problems in the perspective of the
Church's social teaching, never fails to lead us to consider things from the
standpoint of human dignity, which transcends the play of purely
economic factors. Moreover, it helps people understand that to obtain
social justice, more is required than the simple application of ideological
schemes originating in the class struggle, such as the occupation of land,
which I already criticized during my Pastoral Visit of 1991, and of public
or private buildings, or, to quote one example, the adoption of extreme
technical measures which could have far more serious consequences than
the injustice they are intended to overcome, such as in the case of a
unilateral failure to fulfill international obligations.
What is most important and most effective, according to the mission
Jesus Christ has entrusted to the bishops is to stimulate the full potential
and talents of the People of God, especially of the laity, so that authentic
justice and solidarity may reign in Brazil, as the fruit of an integral
Christian
life.
In a true democracy there must always be legal room so that, without
recourse to violence, groups can create ways of exerting just pressure to
speed up the achievement of equity and justice for all.
You must therefore work tirelessly for the formation of politicians, of all
Brazilians who have the power to make decisions, however great or small
they may be, and in general, of all the members of society, so that they
may fully assume their responsibilities and be able to give a human and
solidarity face to the economy.
It is necessary to instill a genuine spirit of truthfulness and honesty into
the political and entrepreneurial leaders. Those who play a leading role in
society must seek to foresee the direct and indirect, short- and long-term
social consequences of their decisions, acting to maximize the common
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good, rather than seeking their own personal gain. Christians must be
ready to relinquish an economic or social advantage if it has not been
obtained by absolutely honest means, not only in accord with civil law
but also with the supreme moral model indicated by the very name of
Christian, followers in the footsteps of Christ on earth.
Living consistently as Christians means transforming one's life into a
constant and generous service to one's neighbor.
In my Letter to Priests for Holy Thursday 2002, speaking of the
sacrament of Penance, I sought to foster in my brother priests Jesus'
friendship with Zacchaeus: from a man who lived by exploiting his
brothers, he became a man who decides to give a generous portion of his
possessions to the poor, and to remedy the injustices he had committed.
The episode of Zacchaeus, recounted by the Evangelist Luke, points to
the way of exercising the preferential option for the poor. It is not a
classist option, but serves all Christians and all people, rich and poor
alike, whatever their political party or opinion, as the foundation for
drawing near to Christ's spirit, to awaken in them the miracle of mercy.
By so doing, venerable Brothers, you will succeed in ensuring that in
their lives, all Brazilians, like Zacchaeus, opt for their brothers and
sisters, and you will reveal to Christians and to all people of goodwill in
Brazil the infinite potential of God's love.
In political and economic thought and action, many initiatives will
flourish to protect the common good - economy of communion and
participation, initiatives of educational and social assistance, innovative
forms of assistance for the needy population, etc. - which will express the
variety of the people of God and the immeasurable human and spiritual
riches of the people of this great nation.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Bosnia And
Herzegovina
Pope John Paul II, November 30, 2002
However, it is necessary with great diligence to build and make lasting
peace in justice, solving the problems connected with the country's
future. These include the issue of the refugees and exiles who are waiting
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to be able to return home and an economic recovery that will restore
serenity and confidence to each of the peoples.
Concrete programs are needed that start with the person and respect for
his dignity, that can offer him the possibility of working to gain a
livelihood, that should foster dialogue and collaboration among the
members of civil society with full respect for the identity of each one.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of The
Republic Of Ghana
Pope John Paul II, December 13, 2002
An important aspect of this mission of promoting peace is the task of
fostering ever greater awareness of the prime value of solidarity. As the
modern phenomenon of globalization makes ever clearer, human society
— whether at the national, regional or international levels — is more and
more dependent on the basic relationships that people cultivate with one
another in ever widening circles. These relationships move from the
family to intermediary social groups and on to civil society as a whole,
embracing the entire national community of a given country. States in
turn enter into relationships with one another, and networks of global
interdependence are created, both regional and worldwide.
At the same time, this growing reality of human interaction and
interdependence brings to light many inequalities existing between
peoples and nations: there is a wide gap between rich and poor countries;
within nations there is social imbalance between those living in wealth
and those offended in their dignity by a lack of the basic necessities of
life. And then there is the damage that is done to the human and natural
environment by the irresponsible use of resources. We are confronted by
the sad fact that in certain areas these negative factors have become so
acute that some of the poorest countries appear to have reached a point of
irreversible decline. For this reason, and compellingly so, the promotion
of justice must be at the very heart of the international community’s
efforts to address these problems.
Here it is a question of actively helping individuals and groups currently
suffering exclusion and marginalization to become part of the process of
economic and human development. For affluent regions of the world, this
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means that changes in lifestyles are called for, a change in the models of
production and consumption; in developing areas, a change in the
established structures of power-sharing, both political and economic, is
often required. For the entire human family, it means meeting the many
serious challenges posed by armed aggression and violent conflict,
realities that involve not only peoples and states but also non-institutional
organizations, such as paramilitary and terrorist groups. In the face of
such threats, no one can fail to feel the urgent moral duty to work
actively towards promoting peace and understanding among peoples, a
task which depends in no small part on the establishment — in justice —
of a genuine and effective solidarity.”
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Norway
Pope John Paul II, December 13, 2002
A society faithful to its Christian roots cannot but be a society intensely
concerned to meet the needs of others in less fortunate circumstances. It
is a society which feels a deep-seated responsibility in the face of the
prospect of an ecological crisis or the problems of peace or the lack of
guarantees for the fundamental human rights of people.
The exercise of solidarity within each society is the expression of a firm
and persevering determination to promote the common good. In your
own country such solidarity has a special place in the treatment given to
the growing immigrant communities. Openness, respect and a sincere
readiness for dialogue make it possible for immigrants, while they
struggle to meet their own needs and those of their families, to make a
specific and positive contribution to the country that receives them.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassadors Accredited To
The Holy See
Pope John Paul II, December 13, 2002
Forms of extreme poverty and injustice are the source of violence and
contribute to maintaining and developing many local or regional
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conflicts. I think particularly of the countries in which famine takes place
so regularly. The international community is called to do all it can for the
gradual elimination of these scourges, mainly by providing the material
and human means that will help the peoples who have the greatest need.
Greater support for the organization of the local economies would
certainly empower the indigenous peoples to gain greater control of their
future.
Today poverty poses an alarming threat to the world, endangering
political, economic and social balances. In the spirit of the International
Conference of Vienna on Human Rights in 1993, poverty undermines the
dignity of persons and peoples. One must recognize the right of each
person to what is necessary for life, and to benefit from a share of his
nation's wealth. Through Your Excellencies, once again I desire to launch
a pressing appeal to the international community so that it can reexamine
without delay the twofold issue of the fair allocation of the planet's
wealth and of a technological and scientific assistance to the poor
countries, which is a duty incumbent on the rich countries. Furthering
development involves the education in all areas of expertise of the local
leaders who in the future will be responsible for the welfare of their
people, so that they may benefit more directly from the raw materials and
the wealth to be extracted from beneath and above the ground.
It is in this perspective that the Catholic Church desires to continue her
action, in the diplomatic world and by her presence in various countries
of the world and her closeness to the people, working for the respect of
persons and peoples and for the advancement of all, especially through
integral education and the creation of social structures.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From Ecclesia In Europa
Pope John Paul II, 2003
The whole Church is called to give new hope to the poor. In the Church,
to welcome and serve the poor means to welcome and serve Christ (cf.
Mt 25:40). Preferential love for the poor is a necessary dimension of
Christian existence and service to the Gospel. To love the poor, and to
testify that they are especially loved by God, means acknowledging that
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persons have value in themselves, apart from their economic, cultural,
and social status, and helping them to make the most of their potential.
There is a need, then, to confront the challenge of unemployment, which
in many nations of Europe represents a grave blight on society. To this
can be added the problems connected with the increase in migration. The
Church is called to remember that labor constitutes a good for which
society as a whole must feel responsible.
While restating the ethical criteria which must guide the marketplace and
the economy in scrupulous respect for the centrality of the human person,
the Church will not fail to engage in dialogue with persons involved in
political life, unions and business. This dialogue should aim at building a
Europe seen as a community of peoples and individuals, a community
joined together in hope, not exclusively subject to the law of the
marketplace but resolutely determined to safeguard the dignity of the
human person also in social and economic relations.
The challenges presently facing our service of the Gospel of hope include
the growing phenomenon of immigration, which calls on the Church's
ability to welcome each person regardless of the people or nation to
which he or she belongs. This phenomenon is also prompting European
society and its institutions as a whole to seek a just order and forms of
coexistence capable of respecting everyone, as well as the demands of
legality, within a feasible process of integration.
If we consider, among the causes which lead many to leave their own
land, the state of extreme poverty, underdevelopment and insufficient
freedom which unfortunately still characterizes various countries, there is
a need for courageous commitment on the part of all to bring about a
more just international economic order capable of promoting the
authentic development of every people and country.
The phenomenon of migration challenges Europe's ability to provide for
forms of intelligent acceptance and hospitality. A “universal” vision of
the common good demands this: we need to broaden our gaze to embrace
the needs of the entire human family. The phenomenon of globalization
itself calls for openness and sharing, if it is not to be a source of
exclusion and marginalization, but rather a basis for solidarity and the
sharing of all in the production and exchange of goods.
429
Everyone must work for the growth of a mature culture of acceptance
which, in taking into account the equal dignity of each person and need
for solidarity with the less fortunate, calls for the recognition of the
fundamental rights of each immigrant. Public authorities have the
responsibility of controlling waves of migration with a view to the
requirements of the common good. The acceptance of immigrants must
always respect the norms of law and must therefore be combined, when
necessary, with a firm suppression of abuses.
There is also a need for commitment in identifying possible forms of
genuine integration on the part of immigrants who have been legitimately
received into the social and cultural fabric of the different European
nations. This demands not yielding to indifference regarding universal
human values and a concern for safeguarding the cultural patrimony
proper to each nation. Peaceful coexistence and the exchange of mutual
interior riches will make it possible to build a Europe capable of
becoming a home for everyone, in which each person can be welcomed
and none will suffer discrimination, where all people are treated
responsibly and can live responsibly as members of a single great family.
On her part, the Church is called “to continue her activity in creating and
continually improving her services of welcome and her pastoral attention
for immigrants and refugees”, in order to ensure respect for their dignity
and freedom and to promote their integration.
In particular, specific pastoral care needs to be given to the integration of
Catholic immigrants, with respect for their culture and their distinct
religious traditions. To this end, contacts should be encouraged between
the Churches in their native countries and those to which they have
migrated, in order to study forms of assistance which could include the
presence among immigrants of priests, consecrated men and women, and
properly trained pastoral workers from their own countries.
The service of the Gospel also requires the Church, in defending the
cause of the oppressed and excluded, to call on the political authorities of
the different States and the leaders of European institutions to grant
refugee status to those who have left their country of origin because of
threats to their life, to help them return to their countries, and to create
conditions favoring respect for the dignity of all immigrants and the
defense of their fundamental rights.
430
The appeal to exercise an active charity, which the Synod Fathers
addressed to all the Christians of the European continent, represents the
happy synthesis of an authentic service of the Gospel of hope. I now
propose it anew to you, the Church of Christ in Europe. The joys and
hopes, the sorrows and anxieties of contemporary Europeans, especially
the poor and the suffering, must also be your joys and your hopes, your
sorrows and your anxieties. May nothing which is genuinely human lack
an echo in your heart. Look upon Europe and upon its future with the
sympathy of one who appreciates every positive element, yet do not close
your eyes to all that is inconsistent with the Gospel and denounce it
forcefully.
Church in Europe, welcome every day with renewed freshness the gift of
charity which your Lord offers to you and enables you to accept.
Learn from him the content and the measure of love. Be the Church of
the Beatitudes, constantly conformed to Christ (cf. Mt 5:1-12).
Free from all forms of hindrance and dependency, be poor yourself and a
friend to the poor, welcoming every person and attentive to all forms of
poverty, both old and new.
Continuously purified by the Father's goodness, see in the attitude of
Christ, who always defended the truth yet still showed mercy towards
sinners, the supreme norm of all your actions.
In Jesus, at whose birth peace was proclaimed (cf. Lk 2:14), in him
whose death broke down the walls of enmity (cf. Eph 2:14) and brought
true peace (cf. Jn 14:27), be a builder of peace. Encourage your sons and
daughters to allow their hearts to be purified of all hostility, selfishness
and partisanship, and to favor at all times mutual dialogue and respect.
In Jesus, who is the justice of God, never grow weary of denouncing
injustice in all its forms. Living in the world with the values of the
Kingdom to come, you will be a Church of charity and you will make
your indispensable contribution to the building in Europe of a civilization
ever more worthy of man.
Saying “Europe” must be equivalent to saying “openness”. Despite
experiences and signs to the contrary, which it has not lacked, European
history itself demands this: “Europe is really not a closed or isolated
431
territory; it has been built by expanding overseas and meeting other
peoples, other cultures, other civilizations”. Therefore it needs to be an
open and welcoming Continent, continuing to develop in the current
process of globalization forms of cooperation which are not merely
economic but social and cultural as well.
There is one need to which Europe must respond positively if it is to have
a truly new face: “Europe cannot close in on itself. It cannot and must not
lose interest in the rest of the world. On the contrary, it must remain fully
aware of the fact that other countries, other continents, await its bold
initiatives, in order to offer to poorer peoples the means for their growth
and social organization, and to build a more just and fraternal world”. To
carry out this mission adequately will demand “rethinking international
cooperation in terms of a new culture of solidarity. When seen as a
sowing of peace, cooperation cannot be reduced to aid or assistance,
especially if given with an eye to the benefits to be received in return for
the resources made available. Rather, it must express a concrete and
tangible commitment to solidarity which makes the poor the agents of
their own development and enables the greatest number of people, in
their specific economic and political circumstances, to exercise the
creativity which is characteristic of the human person and on which the
wealth of nations too is dependent”.
Europe must moreover become an active partner in promoting and
implementing a globalization “in” solidarity. This must be accompanied,
as a pre-condition, by a kind of globalization “of” solidarity and of the
related values of equity, justice and freedom, based on the firm
conviction that the marketplace needs to be “appropriately controlled by
the forces of society and by the state, so as to guarantee that the basic
needs of the whole of society are satisfied”.
The Europe handed down to us by history has witnessed the rise,
especially in the last century, of totalitarian ideologies and extreme forms
of nationalism which darkened the hopes of individuals and the peoples
on the Continent and sparked conflicts both within and between nations,
leading up to the immense tragedy of the two World Wars. More recent
ethnic conflicts, which have again led to bloodshed on the continent of
Europe, have once more demonstrated to everyone how fragile peace is,
how it requires an active commitment on the part of all, and how it can be
432
ensured only by opening up new prospects of exchange, forgiveness and
reconciliation between individuals, peoples and nations.
In this state of affairs, Europe, with all its inhabitants, needs to work
tirelessly to build peace within its borders and throughout the world. In
this regard, it must be recalled that “on the one hand, national differences
ought to be maintained and encouraged as the foundation of European
solidarity, while on the other, national identity itself can only be achieved
in openness towards other peoples and through solidarity with them”.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For The Celebration Of The World Day
Of Peace
Pope John Paul II, January 1, 2003
Not only is it clear that Pope John XXIII's vision of an effective
international public authority at the service of human rights, freedom and
peace has not yet been entirely achieved, but there is still in fact much
hesitation in the international community about the obligation to respect
and implement human rights. This duty touches all fundamental rights,
excluding that arbitrary picking and choosing which can lead to
rationalizing forms of discrimination and injustice. Likewise, we are
witnessing the emergence of an alarming gap between a series of new
“rights” being promoted in advanced societies – the result of new
prosperity and new technologies – and other more basic human rights
still not being met, especially in situations of underdevelopment. I am
thinking here for example about the right to food and drinkable water, to
housing and security, to self-determination and independence – which are
still far from being guaranteed and realized. Peace demands that this
tension be speedily reduced and in time eliminated.
The question of peace cannot be separated from the question of human
dignity and human rights. That is one of the enduring truths taught by
Pacem in Terris, which we would do well to remember and reflect upon
on this fortieth anniversary.
Is this not the time for all to work together for a new constitutional
organization of the human family, truly capable of ensuring peace and
harmony between peoples, as well as their integral development?
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It means continuing and deepening processes already in place to meet the
almost universal demand for participatory ways of exercising political
authority, even international political authority, and for transparency and
accountability at every level of public life.
There is an unbreakable bond between the work of peace and respect for
truth. Honesty in the supply of information, equity in legal systems,
openness in democratic procedures give citizens a sense of security, a
readiness to settle controversies by peaceful means, and a desire for
genuine and constructive dialogue, all of which constitute the true
premises of a lasting peace. Political summits on the regional and
international levels serve the cause of peace only if joint commitments
are then honored by each party.
Pacta sunt servanda, says the ancient maxim. If at all times commitments
ought to be kept, promises made to the poor should be considered
particularly binding. Especially frustrating for them is any breach of faith
regarding promises which they see as vital to their well-being. In this
respect, the failure to keep commitments in the sphere of aid to
developing nations is a serious moral question and further highlights the
injustice of the imbalances existing in the world. The suffering caused by
poverty is compounded by the loss of trust. The end result is
hopelessness. The existence of trust in international relations is a social
capital of fundamental value.
In the end, peace is not essentially about structures but about people.
Gestures of peace spring from the lives of people who foster peace first
of all in their own hearts. They are the work of the heart and of reason in
those who are peacemakers (cf. Mt 5:9). Gestures of peace are possible
when people appreciate fully the community dimension of their lives, so
that they grasp the meaning and consequences of events in their own
communities and in the world. Gestures of peace create a tradition.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The Diplomatic Corps
Pope John Paul II, January 13, 2003
434
In a world with a superabundance of information, but which
paradoxically finds it so difficult to communicate and where living
conditions are scandalously unequal, it is important to spare no effort to
ensure that everyone feels responsible for the growth and happiness of
all. Our future is at stake. An unemployed young person, a handicapped
person who is marginalized, elderly people who are uncared for,
countries which are captives of hunger and poverty: these situations all
too often make people despair and fall prey to the temptation either of
closing in on themselves or of resorting to violence.
This is why choices need to be made so that humanity can still have a
future. Therefore, the peoples of the earth and their leaders must
sometimes have the courage to say "No".
"NO TO SELFISHNESS"! In other words, to all that impels man to
protect himself inside the cocoon of a privileged social class or a cultural
comfort which excludes others. The life-style of the prosperous, their
patterns of consumption, must be reviewed in the light of their
repercussions on other countries.
Selfishness is also the indifference of prosperous nations towards nations
left out in the cold. All peoples are entitled to receive a fair share of the
goods of this world and of the know-how of the more advanced
countries.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From A Message For Lent
Pope John Paul II, January 17, 2003
This year, as a guide for our Lenten meditation, I would offer a phrase
taken from the Acts of the Apostles: “It is more blessed to give than to
receive” (Acts 20:35). What we have here is not simply a moral
exhortation, or a command which comes to us from without. The
inclination to give is rooted in the depths of the human heart: every
person is conscious of a desire to interact with others and everyone finds
fulfillment in a free gift of self to others.
Our age, regrettably, is particularly susceptible to the temptation toward
selfishness which always lurks within the human heart. In society
435
generally, and in the media, people are bombarded by messages which
more or less openly exalt the ephemeral and the hedonistic. Concern for
others is certainly shown whenever natural disasters, war and other
emergencies strike, but in general it is difficult to build a culture of
solidarity. The spirit of the world affects our inner propensity to give
ourselves unselfishly to others and drives us to satisfy our own particular
interests. The desire to possess ever more is encouraged. Surely it is
natural and right that people, by using their own gifts and by their own
labor, should work to obtain what they need to live, but an excessive
desire for possessions prevents human beings from being open to their
Creator and to their brothers and sisters. The words of Paul to Timothy
remain relevant in every age: “The love of money is the root of all evils;
it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith
and pierced their hearts with many pangs” (1 Tim 6:10)!
Exploitation of others, indifference towards the suffering of our brothers
and sisters, and the violation of basic rules of morality are just a few
fruits of the thirst for gain. Faced with the tragic situation of persistent
poverty which afflicts so many people in our world, how can we fail to
see that the quest for profit at any cost and the lack of effective,
responsible concern for the common good have concentrated immense
resources in the hands of a few while the rest of humanity suffers in
poverty and neglect?
Appealing to believers and to all people of good will, I would like to
reaffirm a principle which is self-evident yet often ignored: our goal
should not be the benefit of a privileged few, but rather the improvement
of the living conditions of all. Only on this foundation can we build that
international order truly marked by justice and solidarity which is the
hope of everyone.
“It is more blessed to give than to receive”. When believers respond to
the inner impulse to give themselves to others without expecting anything
in return, they experience a profound interior satisfaction.
The efforts of Christians to promote justice, their commitment in defense
of the powerless, their humanitarian work in providing bread for the
hungry and their care for the sick by responding to every emergency and
need, draw their strength from that sole and inexhaustible treasury of love
which is the complete gift of Jesus to the Father. Believers are called to
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follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, true God and true man, who, in
perfect obedience to the will of the Father, emptied himself (cf. Phil 2:6
ff), and humbly gave himself to us in selfless and total love, even unto
death on a cross. Calvary eloquently proclaims the message of the
Blessed Trinity’s love for human beings of all times and places.
Saint Augustine points out that only God, as the Supreme Good, is
capable of overcoming the various forms of poverty present in our world.
Mercy and love for one’s neighbor must therefore be the fruit of a living
relationship with God and have God as their constant point of reference,
since it is in closeness to Christ that we find our joy (cf. De Civitate Dei,
X, 6; CCL 39:1351ff).
The Son of God loved us first, while “we were yet sinners” (Rom 5:6),
with an unconditional love which asks nothing in return. If this is so, how
can we fail to see the season of Lent as a providential opportunity to
make courageous decisions inspired by altruism and generosity? Lent
offers us the practical and effective weapons of fasting and almsgiving as
a means of combating an excessive attachment to money. Giving not only
from our abundance, but sacrificing something more in order to give to
the needy, fosters that self-denial which is essential to authentic Christian
living. Strengthened by constant prayer, the baptized reveal the priority
which they have given to God in their lives.
The love of God poured into our hearts ought to inspire and transform
who we are and what we do. Christians must not think that they can seek
the true good of their brothers and sisters without embodying the charity
of Christ. Even in those cases where they might succeed in improving
important aspects of social or political life, without charity every change
would remain short-lived. The possibility of giving oneself to others is
itself a gift which comes from the grace of God. As Saint Paul teaches:
“God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure”
(Phil 2:13).
To modern men and women, often dissatisfied with a shallow and
ephemeral existence and in search of authentic happiness and love, Christ
offers his own example and issues the invitation to follow him. He asks
those who hear his voice to give their lives for others. This sacrifice is a
source of self-fulfillment and joy, as is seen in the eloquent example of
those men and women who, leaving all security behind, have not
437
hesitated to risk their lives as missionaries in different parts of the world.
It can also be seen in the response of those young people who, prompted
by faith, have embraced a vocation to the priesthood or the religious life
in order to serve God’s plan of salvation. It is likewise the experience of
the growing number of volunteers who readily devote themselves to
helping the poor, the elderly, the sick and all those in need.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Australia
Pope John Paul II, May 15, 2003
Acts of solidarity are more than just unilateral humanitarian acts of good
intent. True humanitarianism recognizes and expresses God’s universal
plan for humanity. It is only in accord with this vision of worldwide
solidarity that the complex challenges of justice, freedom of peoples and
the peace of humanity can be effectively addressed (cf. Familiaris
Consortio, 48). At the heart of this vision is the belief that all men and
women receive their essential and common dignity from God and the
capacity to transcend every social order so as to move towards truth and
goodness (cf. Centesimus Annus 38). It is in this light that your dialogues
and partnerships with those countries north of your continent, which do
not share a Christian heritage, will find their proper and stable
foundation. Similarly, it is only within this perspective of the essential
unity of mankind that the trying difficulties associated with the reception
of refugees and with the lingering question of Aboriginal land rights will
find compassionate and truly humanitarian solutions.
Your Excellency has observed that tolerance is a further trait of the
people of Australia. Indeed this characteristic has endeared many to your
land and is reflected in the integration of the multiple ethnic communities
now found there. The respect due to all persons does not however find its
origin simply in the fact of differences between peoples. From the
understanding of the true nature of life as gift stems the requirement that
men and women must respect the natural and moral structure with which
they have been endowed by God (cf. Centesimus Annus, 38). While
political emphasis on human subjectivity has certainly focused on
individual rights, it is sometimes the case that tendencies of "political
correctness" seem to neglect that "men and women are called to direct
438
their steps towards a truth which transcends them" (Fides et Ratio, 5).
Sundered from that truth, which is the only guarantee of freedom and
happiness, individuals are at the mercy of caprice and undifferentiated
pluralism, slowly losing the capacity to lift their gaze to the heights of the
meaning of human life.
___________________________________________________________
Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Latvia
Pope John Paul II, May 15, 2003
It is the personal and social vocation of the same human beings that is
served both by the Church and by the political community, each in its
own particular sphere and with its own particular competence. For man is
not restricted to temporal realities: although he lives in a specific period
of history, he is called to transcendence and is destined for eternity. It is
this high calling and this final destiny which must inform and shape the
social, economic and political undertakings of individuals, peoples and
nations.
Catholic social teaching, inspired by the universal principles ensuring
justice and peace between individuals and groups, recognizes the positive
role played in the life of a nation by political and economic forces. But if
progress is to be genuine, these forces must be carefully subordinated to
the greater ethical demands of social justice, human rights and the
common good. In this way, human dignity will be defended, solidarity
between individuals and groups will be encouraged, social harmony and
prosperity will be fostered. In short, "the material and spiritual well-being
of humanity, the protection of the freedom and rights of the human
person, selfless public service, closeness to concrete conditions: all of
these take precedence over every political project and constitute a moral
necessity which in itself is the best guarantee of peace within nations and
peace between States" (Speech to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the
Holy See, 13 January 2003, 6).
In the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights the family
is recognized as "the natural and fundamental group unit of society", and
this same document states unequivocally that the family "is entitled to
protection by society and the State" (Article 16.3). This is an essential
truth of human social existence which must not be overlooked or
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underestimated, for any weakening of this indispensable institution
cannot fail to be a potential source of grave difficulties and problems. For
example, when a utilitarian and materialistic notion of the family
prevails, its members will tend to have self-centered expectations and to
make individualistic demands that are detrimental to the family’s unity
and undermine its ability to build harmony and educate in solidarity. On
the other hand, where the family is seen as a value in itself, the members
realize that their personal good coincides with their duty to love, respect
and help one other.
The same is true of human life itself and of individual human beings.
When the value, dignity and rights of the human person are upheld and
promoted, the social fabric is strengthened and the priorities of peoples
and nations are set in proper order. This is why the Church will never tire
of reminding consciences that life at every stage of its existence, from
conception to natural death, must be rigorously and uncompromisingly
defended. Likewise, the human person at all stages of life — during
childhood, as an adult and in old age — is a priceless treasure to be cared
for and cherished. Neither human life nor the human person can ever
legitimately be treated as an object, as a possession, but must be seen as
endowed by the Creator with a most sublime dignity that demands the
greatest respect and vigilance on the part of individuals, communities,
nations and international bodies.
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Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Vanuatu
Pope John Paul II, May 15, 2003
The path of a truly fruitful "coexistence" originates in the patiently shared
concern to build a nation in which the particular features of each one
serve the common good, in which the sincere desire to build a united
world is expressed visibly in the choices and orientations of society and
in which the desire to work without respite for justice and equity takes
into account the aspirations of all the country's inhabitants and gives
priority to the most deprived. This cannot be achieved without a real
effort for the proper respect of persons and resources, a just division of
wealth and responsibilities, as well as the constant concern to preserve
the environment and natural resources. I am certain that the efforts which
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the people of Vanuatu and its leaders are already making, with a view to
the integral development of all the citizens and the strengthening of
solidarity among them all, will come to fruition. In this way the Republic
of Vanuatu will also take part in the construction and consolidation of
harmony throughout the region.
In a spirit of dialogue and fraternal collaboration, the Catholic Church in
your country, in her own province and in accordance with her own
vocation, intends, through the commitment of her members, to play an
active role in this integral development of individuals. By putting herself
at the service of one and all in a wide range of areas, such as health care,
social and charitable activities and especially education, she is
determined to encourage the progress of justice and friendly co-existence.
She is set on respect for freedom and for the convictions of each one and
hopes to pursue a serene and respectful dialogue with all the human and
religious communities present in the archipelago, thereby fulfilling the
mission she has received from Christ. She rejects all forms of division
and opposition which endanger the pursuit of the common good,
knowing she is called to work with passion to build a true "civilization of
love".
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Excerpts From An Address To The New Ambassador Of Zimbabwe
Pope John Paul II, May 15, 2003
It is this same commitment that motivates the Holy See in its diplomatic
activity. In working with other members of the international community,
the Holy See strives to foster peace and harmony among peoples, looking
always to the common good and the integral development of individuals
and nations. The task of diplomacy nowadays is increasingly determined
by the challenges of globalization and the new threats to world peace
which this entails. The key questions no longer concern territorial
sovereignty — borders and jurisdiction over certain land areas — even if
in some parts of the world this remains a problem. By and large, the
threats to stability and peace in the world today are extreme poverty,
social inequalities, political corruption and abuse of authority, ethnic
tensions, the absence of democracy, the failure to respect human rights.
These are some of the situations which diplomacy is called to address.
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There is no country in the world which does not face one or more of
these problems. For this reason, the values of democracy, good
government, human rights, dialogue and peace must be close to the heart
of leaders and peoples. The more these values form a fundamental part of
a nation’s ethos, the greater will be that nation’s capacity to build a future
worthy of the human dignity of its citizens. Moreover, the globalization
of these values represents the globalization of solidarity, which aims to
ensure that economic and social benefits are enjoyed by all on a planetary
scale. This is a sure way of working for peace in today’s world.
Conversely, when these values are neglected or, worse, actively violated,
no program of economic or social reform will enjoy long-term success.
Instead, social and political violence will eventually increase, the gap
between rich and poor will grow ever wider, and government leadership
itself will be unable to create an environment that fosters truth, justice,
love and freedom.
Utmost vigilance is therefore called for in safeguarding the rights and
protecting the welfare of all citizens. Public authorities must refrain from
exercising partiality, preferential treatment or selective justice in favor of
certain individuals or groups; this ultimately undermines the credibility
of those charged with governing. In his famous Encyclical Letter Pacem
in Terris, my predecessor Blessed Pope John XXIII, quoting Pope Leo
XIII, summed up the situation thus: "The civil power must not serve the
advantage of any one individual or of some few persons, inasmuch as it
was established for the common good of all" (par. 56). In fact, when
everyone is treated on an equal basis — a sine qua non for a society
firmly based on the rule of law — the value, gifts and talents of each
member are more easily recognized and can be more effectively tapped
for building up the community. As traditional wisdom handed down in an
African proverb has put it: Gunwe rimwe haritswanyi inda (many hands
make work lighter).
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Excerpts From An Address To The Bishops Of India
Pope John Paul II, May 23, 2003
All the Christian faithful are called to "be committed to change their lives
and make them in a certain way completely Eucharistic. This entails a
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love for the poor and a desire to alleviate their suffering. For it is
unworthy of a Christian community to partake of the Lord’s Supper amid
division and indifference towards the poor" (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 20).
India is fortunate to have a direct reminder of the Church’s vocation to
love the weakest in the witness and example of Mother Teresa of
Calcutta, soon to be beatified. Her life of joyful sacrifice and
unconditional love for the poor stir in us a desire to do likewise. For to
love the least among us without expecting anything in return is truly to
love Christ. "I was hungry and you gave me