Pope John Paul II - homilies & platitudes 2003 

Saddam Should Be Tried "in Appropriate Jurisdiction," Says Vatican
Cardinal Martino Warns That Capture Won't Solve All Problems of Terrorism

VATICAN CITY, DEC. 16, 2003 - The president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace says that "it is desirable that Saddam Hussein's trial be heard in the appropriate jurisdiction." Cardinal Renato Martino made this statement today in the Vatican press office when presenting John Paul II's message for World Day of Peace 2004.
The cardinal did not specify the type of jurisdiction to which he was referring, explaining that "the Holy See is an observer, and cannot say 'try him in this or that court.'" Regarding rumors that Saddam might be executed, Cardinal Martino reiterated that "the Holy Father has pronounced himself several times against the death penalty."

The cardinal pointed out that "the European Union has abolished the death penalty, and the international courts on Rwanda and former Yugoslavia do not provide for it either." He noted that during his 16 years as the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations he voiced his opposition to capital punishment on a number of occasions.
The newly appointed cardinal, an expert in international relations, said that Saddam's capture and trial must "contribute to the pacification and democratization of Iraq." It is "illusory," the Vatican official added, to think that the capture and trial "will liberate from the defeat that war always implies for humanity."

"Seeing Saddam Hussein, I felt compassion," said Cardinal Martino. He said he hopes that "some questions have been clarified, although we are not faced with the complete solution to the problems" posed by terrorism. In this connection, the cardinal suggested the reading of Section 8 of the papal message for World Day of Peace. The section is dedicated to terrorism. "A thousand terrorists can be eliminated, but if the causes of terrorism are not eliminated, it will always be with us," the Italian cardinal warned.

Liberation Theology, According to John Paul II
VATICAN CITY, DEC. 15, 2003 - John Paul II says genuine evangelization leads logically to human promotion, that is, to the "integral liberation of the person."

The Pope addressed the principles of an authentic theology of liberation today when he met with Carlos Rafael Conrado Marion-Landais Castillo, the Dominican Republic's new ambassador to the Holy See.

"Human promotion must be the logical consequence of evangelization, which tends to the integral liberation of the person," the Holy Father said in the address he prepared for the occasion, quoting words he spoke in Santo Domingo on Dec. 12, 1992, on the fifth centenary of the start of the evangelization of the Americas.

"Over these five centuries the Church has accompanied the journey of the Dominican people, proclaiming the Christian principles to them, which are a source of solid hope and infuse renewed dynamism to society," the Pope explained. The "work of evangelization and human promotion" are actions "that are not opposed but are intimately connected," he noted.

This explains the action of the Church in the Dominican Republic "in favor of the disabled, AIDS patients, ethnic minorities, emigrants and refugees," he said.

Another "reason for joy is the presence of the Church in the educational field, through a pontifical university in Santiago -- with premises also in the capital city -- four Catholic universities, several technical Institutes and women's polytechnic institutes, and almost 300 educational centers and parochial schools," the Pope observed.

"In addition, other institutions of the Catholic Church make a significant contribution to the common effort to foster a more just society, attentive to the needs of its weakest members," he said.

God Sides With the Just and Victimized, Says John Paul II
[Victims’ experience is to the contrary]
VATICAN CITY, DEC. 10, 2003 - God intervenes in history to establish justice, in particular for the defenseless, and this must be our intention in prayer, says John Paul II.

The Pope made this point today at the general audience, when he focused on a canticle in Chapter 19 of the Book of Revelation, "The Marriage of the Lamb."

He told a crowd of some 6,000 pilgrims in Paul VI Hall. "The Lord is not indifferent, as an impassible and isolated emperor, before human vicissitudes. What is more, he intervenes and demolishes the arrogant and oppressive empires, he pulls down the proud who defy him, he judges all those who commit evil." 
"God makes himself present in history, placing himself on the side of the righteous and victims." .

John Paul II Recalls Duty to Pray for the Dead
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 2, 2003  John Paul II reminded the faithful on All Souls' Day that it is a duty to pray for the dead, and he prayed in particular for "the most forgotten."

"It is important and proper to pray for the dead because, even if they died in grace and in friendship with God, perhaps they still have need of further purification to enter into the joy of heaven. The Church has always exhorted to pray for the dead. She invites believers to look upon the mystery of death not as the last word on human fate, but as the passage toward eternal life."

"Intercession for them is expressed in various ways, among which is also a visit to cemeteries," the Holy Father continued. "To visit these holy places is a propitious occasion to reflect on the meaning of earthly life and to nourish, at the same time, hope in the blessed eternity of Paradise."
The Pontiff asked for prayers "in particular for those whom no one thinks about anymore, as well as for the many victims of violence," he concluded.

John Paul II Urges Rosaries for Peace and Families
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 29, 2003 - As the Year of the Rosary draws to a close, John Paul II invited the faithful again to pray the rosary for world peace and for the family.

The Pope made this appeal during today's general audience held, due to the rain, in St. Peter's Basilica as well as Paul VI Hall, to accommodate the 16,000 pilgrims present. In his apostolic letter "Rosarium Virginis Mariae" the Holy Father had called for the Year of the Rosary, with an eye toward his 25th anniversary as Pope.

"I am profoundly grateful to God for this time of grace, in which the whole ecclesial community has been able to reflect on the value and importance of the rosary, as a Christological and contemplative prayer," John Paul II said in his prepared address, a good part of which he himself delivered.

"Desirous of reflecting ever more the mystery of Christ, the Church enters the school of Mary to meditate on the mysteries of his Gospel," he said. "This is Mary's way, the path on which she carried out her exemplary pilgrimage of faith, as first disciple of the Incarnate Word. It is, at the same time, the way of an authentic Marian devotion, centered totally on the relation that exists between Christ and his most Holy Mother.”

He reminded the faithful that this year he has commended to them "two great prayer intentions: peace and the family. The disconcerting attacks of September 11, 2001, and what has happened in the world since then, have increased tension at the global level. In face of these worrying situations, to recite the beads of the rosary is not to retreat into oneself, but a conscious choice of faith. Contemplating the face of Christ, our peace and our reconciliation, we wish to implore from God the gift of peace, through the intercession of Mary Most Holy. We ask her for the necessary strength to be builders of peace, beginning with daily life in the family".

John Paul II said his second prayer intention is the family, as the latter should be "the first realm in which the peace of Christ is received, cultivated and guarded. In our days, however, without prayer it becomes ever more difficult for the family to realize its vocation. The family that prays together stays together."

Holy See's Message to Hindus on Feast of Diwali
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 14, 2003 - Here is the message sent by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue to Hindus on the occasion of Diwali, the festival of lights. The message, entitled "Hindus and Christians: In Promotion of Human Dignity," is signed by Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, president of the dicastery.
Dear Hindu Friends,

1. This year again, I am pleased to greet you and share with you a short message on the occasion of Diwali, the feast which you celebrate according to your venerable religious tradition. I know that among many Hindu festivals which are celebrated by you throughout the year this one, in particular, has a special place and deep relevance for you and your families. Diwali is a time for families to get together, and celebrate in a meaningful way the rites prescribed by the ancient dharma. To all these families and to every one of you I offer my very best wishes.

2. Religious feasts invite us not only to renew and strengthen our belief in God, the Supreme Good of every human being, and to revitalize our relationships with one another, but they also invite us to rediscover, respectfully reaffirm and bravely defend our own dignity and that of every person as human beings created by God. I have always been impressed by the fact that on the occasion of Diwali there are some Hindus who make every effort to bring about reconciliation within families and between neighbors, friends and acquaintances. Could not Catholics and Hindus extend these efforts to bring about wider reconciliation and a more lasting peace in our towns and villages and indeed throughout our countries and the world at large?

3. Love for God and love for neighbor's lies at the heart of the Christian faith. As a religious leader I would lose credibility were I to allow this fundamental truth to be obscured. Do not your various Hindu traditions (sampradaya) eloquently speak not only of God's love for us and our love for God but also of the love that human beings must have for one another? The dignity of every person derives from God, the Creator of all, and to promote, protect and defend this dignity forms an integral part of every believer's life. The occasion of the festival of Diwali provides us with ample food for thought when the Hindu tradition informs us of how light overcomes darkness, how the victory of good is achieved over evil and how hatred gives way to love through forgiveness.

4. What can we, Christians and Hindus, do together to promote and protect the dignity of every human person? Does not an offense against even one person, when done in the name of religion, mean that an entire religious tradition is abused? Neither the Hindu dharma nor the Christian faith teaches hate, contempt or disrespect for others. Hatred or disrespect on the part of religious believers only brings discredit on religion and its role in society. But the more we commit ourselves to promote the dignity of every human person the more our religious traditions will become credible in the eyes of others.

5. Your suggestions on how to accomplish this would be most welcome. They could be given directly to this Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, the office of His Holiness the Pope for relations with people of different religious traditions, or to the leaders and members of the Catholic Church in your area. Let us come together and share our common concerns, making an effort to listen to one another attentively. Let us speak honestly, aware of our own responsibility with regard to the choices that have to be made to resolve current problems in the world today.

6. Dear Hindu friends, may you, your families, friends and even the strangers in your midst experience joy, peace, serenity, and light on the feast of Diwali, as symbolized by the innumerable flames, the Deepavali.
Archbishop Michael L. Fitzgerald
President

John Paul II Calls for an Authentic "Church of the Poor"
When Addressing a Group of Philippine Bishops
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, SEPT. 25, 2003 - John Paul II says the Catholic Church should be a "Church of the poor" that practices a preferential but not exclusive option for the neediest. The Pope expressed this conviction when he met today with a group of bishops from the Philippine provinces of Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Davao, Lipa, Ozamis and Zamboanga. The Holy Father applauded the "Vision-Mission Statement for the Church in the Philippines," which reads: "Following the way of our Lord, we opt to be a Church of the poor."

According to the Pope, such a Church is "a community of faith that embraces and practices the evangelical spirit of poverty, which combines detachment from possessions with a profound trust in the Lord as the sole source of salvation. We do well to note that this preference for the poor is in no way exclusive but embraces all people regardless of economic class or social standing".

"It is a Church, however, that gives preferential attention to the poor, seeking to share time and resources in order to alleviate suffering," he said. "It is a Church that works with all sectors of society, including the poor themselves, in search of solutions to the problems of poverty, in order to free people from lives of misery and want. It is a Church moreover that makes use of the talents and gifts of the poor, relying on them in the mission of evangelization," the Pope added. "The Church of the poor is a Church in which the poor are welcomed, listened to and actively involved."

In this connection, "a true Church of the poor contributes much to the needed transformation of society, to social renewal based on the vision and values of the Gospel. This renewal is an undertaking that has the lay faithful as its principal and essential agents: Therefore, the laity must be given the necessary tools to carry out this role successfully. This entails a thorough formation in the Church's social doctrine, and constant dialogue with clergy and religious concerning social and cultural issues," he said.

In particular, this option implies "witness to Christian faith is marriage and the family. When family life is healthy and flourishing, there is likewise a strong sense of community and solidarity -- two essential elements for the Church of the poor," he concluded.

John Paul II Launches Final Stage of Year of the Rosary
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, SEPT. 7, 2003 - John Paul II launched the final stage of the Year of the Rosary by beginning a series of meditations on the Marian prayer.

When the Pope met today with several thousand pilgrims gathered at the papal summer residence to pray the Angelus, he reminded them that on Oct. 7 he plans to travel to the Shrine of Pompeii, near Naples, Italy, "center of the spirituality of the rosary. It will be a particularly significant moment in the Year of the Rosary, inaugurated last Oct. 16 with the signing of the apostolic letter 'Rosarium Virginis Mariae,'" he said.

The Year of the Rosary culminates Oct. 19 during the 25th anniversary celebrations of John Paul II's pontificate. In the weeks ahead the Holy Father will dedicate his Sunday meeting with pilgrims to meditate on the mysteries of the rosary: the joyful, luminous, sorrowful and glorious.

"The joyful mysteries make us contemplate the joy that radiates from the event of the Incarnation; a joy that does not ignore the drama of the human condition, but springs from the awareness that the Lord is at hand," he said. The scenes of the joyful mysteries are: the Angel's annunciation to Mary; the visitation to her cousin Elizabeth; the birth of Jesus; the presentation in the Temple; and the finding of Jesus in the Temple.

To understand the joyful mysteries, the Pope said, it is necessary to recall the Angel's words to Mary when announcing Jesus' birth: "Rejoice!" When we relive these moments of the rosary, "Mary helps us to learn the secret of Christian joy, reminding us that Christianity is above all 'evanghelion' -- good news -- which has its center, indeed its very content, in the person of Christ," the Holy Father explained.

Thus, the rosary is a "simple prayer of great profundity," he added. "Well prayed, it introduces one to a living experience of the divine mystery and inspires in hearts, families and the whole community that peace of which we are in such great need."

John Paul II Tells Why He's Traveled So Much
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 12, 2003 - John Paul II told a gathering at the Vatican:
"Right from the day I was elected as Bishop of Rome, Oct. 16, 1978, with special intensity and urgency I heard the echo of Jesus' command: 'Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all of creation,".

"I thus felt the duty to imitate the Apostle Peter who 'went here and there among them all' to confirm and consolidate the vitality of the Church in fidelity to the Word and in service to the truth; to tell everyone that the Church loves them, that the Pope loves them and, likewise, to receive from them the encouragement and example of their goodness, of their faith".

The Holy Father stressed that his trips allow him to carry out "a specific exercise of the ministry proper to the Successor of Peter, that is, 'the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity in faith and in communion.' In all my trips, I have felt like a pilgrim visiting that special shrine known as God's People," he said. "In these shrines I have been able to contemplate the face of Christ, both disfigured on the cross or resplendent in light as on Easter morning."

The Pope also mentioned his meetings with the faithful of other churches and ecclesial communities, and the followers of Judaism, Islam and other religions.

Vatican Book to Aid in Recitation of Rosary for Peace
VATICAN CITY, MAY 21, 2003 - The Vatican has just published a book on the recitation of the Rosary for peace, a response to John Paul II's petition for this year.
"The Rosary of Peace," written by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, comments on the 20 mysteries of the Marian prayer with their relevant evangelical passages and extracts from papal messages for World Days of Peace.
The book, which for the time being is published only in Italian (Edizioni Paoline), seeks "to accompany the reflection on the great need for change and conversion on which peace in the world depends," Archbishop Renato Martino says in the introduction.
Archbishop Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, says that "the Rosary is a prayer that transforms, as it removes the germ of evil from the one who recites it."
John Paul II has entrusted the important cause of peace to the Rosary because, as he said on September 29, 2002 when praying the Angelus: "of little use are political attempts, which are always necessary, if spirits remain exacerbated and we are not capable of returning to dialogue with a fresh look and with hope."
The volume ends with a litany and a "Prayer to Mary, Queen of Peace," composed for this purpose by Archbishop Martino.

John Paul II Says Peace Calls for an End to Injustice
ROME, MARCH 5, 2003 - Calling for the conversion of hearts, John Paul II said there will be no peace as long as social injustice continues in the world.
"There will be no peace on earth while the oppression of peoples, injustices and economic imbalances, which still exist, endure," the Pope said in his homily at the Ash Wednesday Mass.

"But for the desired structural changes to take place, external initiatives and interventions are not enough; what is needed above all is a joint conversion of hearts to love," the Holy Father said in the Basilica of St. Sabina in Rome.

For this reason, the Pontiff repeated the message that the liturgy gives at the start of Lent: "In the name of Christ we implore you: Be reconciled with God!" Now is the time to "revise our attitude toward God and toward brothers," to "examine in depth the criteria that direct us in daily conduct," and to "return wholeheartedly " to God, he said.

Like Catholics worldwide, John Paul II received the imposition of ashes. He did so from the hands of Slovak Cardinal Jozef Tomko, titular of the Basilica of St. Sabina, and prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.  

Pope’s envoy Exhorts Saddam to Avoid War
[Note no mention of the warmonger US or UK]
BAGHDAD, Iraq, FEB. 16, 2003.- John Paul II's special envoy to Iraq said that the object of his meeting with Saddam Hussein was to ask him to do everything possible to avoid the war. Cardinal Roger Etchegaray met with the Iraqi leader at an undisclosed location for one and a half hours on Saturday. Vatican sources stressed his role as papal messenger of peace, to appeal to Iraq to comply with international law.

The cardinal said that their conversation focused on "concrete questions that I cannot mention out of respect for the one who sent me and the one who receives me." An effort was made "to re-establish a climate of confidence that will allow Iraq to find its place in the international community".

He also noted the Iraqi people's "many years of sufferings, for which the Pope and the universal Church have always shown themselves to be in solidarity."

The cardinal statement ended with an appeal "to the conscience of all those who can influence the future of peace. In the end, it is conscience that will have the last word, stronger than all strategies, all ideologies and also all religions".

State of the World, According to John Paul II

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 13, 2003 - Here is a translation of the address John Paul II delivered today to the representatives of the 177 countries that have diplomatic relations with the Vatican. Here are extracts.

1. An insidious terrorism capable of striking at any time and anywhere; the unresolved problem of the Middle East, with the Holy Land and Iraq; the turmoil disrupting South America, particularly Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela; the conflicts preventing numerous African countries from focusing on their development; the diseases spreading contagion and death; the grave problem of famine, especially in Africa; the irresponsible behavior contributing to the depletion of the planet's resources: all these are so many plagues threatening the survival of humanity, the peace of individuals and the security of societies.

2. Yet everything can change. It depends on each of us. Everyone can develop within himself his potential for faith, for honesty, for respect of others and for commitment to the service of others. It also depends, quite obviously, on political leaders, who are called to serve the common good. You will not be surprised if before an assembly of diplomats I state in this regard certain requirements which I believe must be met if entire peoples, perhaps even humanity itself, are not to sink into the abyss.

First, a "YES TO LIFE"! Respect life itself and individual lives: everything starts here, for the most fundamental of human rights is certainly the right to life. Abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, for example, risk reducing the human person to a mere object: life and death to order, as it were! When all moral criteria are removed, scientific research involving the sources of life becomes a denial of the being and the dignity of the person. War itself is an attack on human life since it brings in its wake suffering and death. The battle for peace is always a battle for life!

Next, RESPECT FOR LAW. Life within society -- particularly international life -- presupposes common and inviolable principles whose goal is to guarantee the security and the freedom of individual citizens and of nations. These rules of conduct are the foundation of national and international stability. Today political leaders have at hand highly relevant texts and institutions. It is enough simply to put them into practice. The world would be totally different if people began to apply in a straightforward manner the agreements already signed!

Finally, the DUTY OF SOLIDARITY. 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.

3. 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 DEATH"! That is to say, no to all that attacks the incomparable dignity of every human being, beginning with that of unborn children. If life is truly a treasure, we need to be able to preserve it and to make it bear fruit without distorting it. "No" to all that weakens the family, the basic cell of society. "No" to all that destroys in children the sense of striving, their respect for themselves and others, the sense of service.

"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. Let us mention for example the problem of water resources, which the United Nations Organization has asked us all to consider during this year 2003. 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. How can we fail to think here, for example, of the access of everyone to generic medicines, needed to continue the fight against current pandemics, an access -- alas -- often thwarted by short-term economic considerations?

"NO TO WAR"! War is not always inevitable. It is always a defeat for humanity. International law, honest dialogue, solidarity between States, the noble exercise of diplomacy: these are methods worthy of individuals and nations in resolving their differences. I say this as I think of those who still place their trust in nuclear weapons and of the all-too-numerous conflicts which continue to hold hostage our brothers and sisters in humanity. At Christmas, Bethlehem reminded us of the unresolved crisis in the Middle East, where two peoples, Israeli and Palestinian, are called to live side-by-side, equally free and sovereign, in mutual respect. Without needing to repeat what I said to you last year on this occasion, I will simply add today, faced with the constant degeneration of the crisis in the Middle East, that the solution will never be imposed by recourse to terrorism or armed conflict, as if military victories could be the solution. And what are we to say of the threat of a war which could strike the people of Iraq, the land of the Prophets, a people already sorely tried by more than twelve years of embargo? War is never just another means that one can choose to employ for settling differences between nations. As the Charter of the United Nations Organization and international law itself remind us, war cannot be decided upon, even when it is a matter of ensuring the common good, except as the very last option and in accordance with very strict conditions, without ignoring the consequences for the civilian population both during and after the military operations.

4. It is therefore possible to change the course of events, once good will, trust in others, fidelity to commitments and cooperation between responsible partners are allowed to prevail. I shall give two examples.

Today's Europe, which is at once united and enlarged. Europe has succeeded in tearing down the walls which disfigured her. She has committed herself to planning and creating a new reality capable of combining unity and diversity, national sovereignty and joint activity, economic progress and social justice. This new Europe is the bearer of the values which have borne fruit for two thousand years in an "art" of thinking and living from which the whole world has benefited. Among these values Christianity holds a privileged position, inasmuch as it gave birth to a humanism which has permeated Europe's history and institutions. In recalling this patrimony, the Holy See and all the Christian Churches have urged those drawing up the future Constitutional Treaty of the European Union to include a reference to Churches and religious institutions. We believe it desirable that, in full respect of the secular state, three complementary elements should be recognized: religious freedom not only in its individual and ritual aspects, but also in its social and corporative dimensions; the appropriateness of structures for dialogue and consultation between the Governing Bodies and communities of believers; respect for the juridical status already enjoyed by Churches and religious institutions in the Member States of the Union. A Europe which disavowed its past, which denied the fact of religion, and which had no spiritual dimension would be extremely impoverished in the face of the ambitious project which calls upon all its energies: constructing a Europe for all!

Africa too gives us today an occasion to rejoice: Angola has begun its rebuilding; Burundi has taken the path which could lead to peace and expects from the international community understanding and financial aid; the Democratic Republic of Congo is seriously engaged in a national dialogue which should lead to democracy. The Sudan has likewise shown good will, even if the path to peace remains long and arduous. We should of course be grateful for these signs of progress and we should encourage political leaders to spare no effort in ensuring that, little by little, the peoples of Africa experience the beginnings of pacification and thus of prosperity, safe from ethnic struggles, caprice and corruption. For this reason we can only deplore the grave incidents which have rocked Côte-d'Ivoire and the Central African Republic, while inviting the people of those countries to lay down their arms, to respect their respective constitutions and to lay the foundations for national dialogue. It will then be easy to involve all the elements of the national community in planning a society in which everyone finds a place. Furthermore, we do well to note that Africans are increasingly trying to find the solutions best suited to their problems, thanks to the activity of the African Union and effective forms of regional mediation.

5. Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is vital to note that the independence of States can no longer be understood apart from the concept of interdependence. All States are interconnected both for better and for worse. For this reason, and rightly so, we must be able to distinguish good from evil and call them by their proper names. As history has taught us time and time again, it is when doubt or confusion about what is right and wrong prevails that the greatest evils are to be feared.

If we are to avoid descending into chaos, it seems to me that two conditions must be met. First, we must rediscover within States and between States the paramount value of the natural law, which was the source of inspiration for the rights of nations and for the first formulations of international law. Even if today some people question its validity, I am convinced that its general and universal principles can still help us to understand more clearly the unity of the human race and to foster the development of the consciences both of those who govern and of those who are governed. Second, we need the persevering work of Statesmen who are honest and selfless. In effect, the indispensable professional competence of political leaders can find no legitimacy unless it is connected to strong moral convictions. How can one claim to deal with world affairs without reference to this set of principles which is the basis of the "universal common good" spoken of so eloquently by Pope John XXIII in his Encyclical Pacem in Terris? It will always be possible for a leader who acts in accordance with his convictions to reject situations of injustice or of institutional corruption, or to put an end to them. It is precisely in this, I believe, that we rediscover what is today commonly called "good governance". 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.

6. It is clear that, for a believer, these motivations are enriched by faith in a God who is the Creator and Father of all, who has entrusted man with stewardship of the earth and with the duty of brotherly love. This shows how it is in a State's own interest to ensure that religious freedom -- which is a natural right, that is, at one and the same time both an individual and social right -- is effectively guaranteed for all. As I have had occasion to remark in the past, believers who feel that their faith is respected and whose communities enjoy juridical recognition will work with ever greater conviction in the common project of building up the civil society to which they belong. You will understand then why I speak out on behalf of all Christians who, from Asia to Europe, continue to be victims of violence and intolerance, such as happened recently during the celebration of Christmas. Ecumenical dialogue between Christians and respectful contact with other religions, in particular with Islam, are the best remedy for sectarian rifts, fanaticism or religious terrorism. As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, I will mention but one situation which is a cause of great suffering for me: the plight of Catholic communities in the Russian Federation, which for months now have seen some of their Pastors prevented from returning to them for administrative reasons. The Holy See expects from the Government authorities concrete decisions which will put an end to this crisis, and which are in keeping with the international agreements subscribed to by the modern and democratic Russia. Russian Catholics wish to live as their brethren do in the rest of the world, enjoying the same freedom and the same dignity.

Source: Zenit.org