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MESSAGE
OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE JOHN PAUL II
FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE
WORLD DAY OF PEACE
1 JANUARY 2003
PACEM IN TERRIS:
A PERMANENT COMMITMENT
1. Almost forty years ago, on Holy Thursday, 11 April 1963, Pope
John XXIII published his epic Encyclical Letter Pacem
in Terris. Addressing himself to "all men of good will",
my venerable predecessor, who would die just two months later, summed
up his message of "peace on earth" in the first sentence
of the Encyclical: "Peace on earth, which all men of every
era have most eagerly yearned for, can be firmly established and
sustained only if the order laid down by God be dutifully observed"
(Introduction: AAS, 55 [1963], 257).
Speaking peace to a divided world
2. The world to which John XXIII wrote was then in a profound state
of disorder. The twentieth century had begun with great expectations
for progress. Yet within sixty years, that same century had produced
two World Wars, devastating totalitarian systems, untold human suffering,
and the greatest persecution of the Church in history.
Only two years before Pacem in Terris, in 1961, the Berlin
Wall had been erected in order to divide and set against each other
not only two parts of that City but two ways of understanding and
building the earthly city. On one side and the other of the Wall,
life was to follow different patterns, dictated by antithetical
rules, in a climate of mutual suspicion and mistrust. Both as a
world-view and in real life, that Wall traversed the whole of humanity
and penetrated people's hearts and minds, creating divisions that
seemed destined to last indefinitely.
Moreover, just six months before the Encyclical, and just as the
Second Vatican Council was opening in Rome, the world had come to
the brink of a nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The
road to a world of peace, justice and freedom seemed blocked. Humanity,
many believed, was condemned to live indefinitely in that precarious
condition of "cold war", hoping against hope that neither
an act of aggression nor an accident would trigger the worst war
in human history. Available atomic arsenals meant that such a war
would have imperiled the very future of the human race.
The four pillars of peace
3. Pope John XXIII did not agree with those who claimed that peace
was impossible. With his Encyclical, peace - in all its demanding
truth - came knocking on both sides of the Wall and of all the other
dividing walls. The Encyclical spoke to everyone of their belonging
to the one human family, and shone a light on the shared aspiration
of people everywhere to live in security, justice and hope for the
future.
With the profound intuition that characterized him, John XXIII
identified the essential conditions for peace in four precise requirements
of the human spirit: truth, justice, love and freedom
(cf. ibid., I: l.c., 265-266). Truth will build
peace if every individual sincerely acknowledges not only his rights,
but also his own duties towards others. Justice will build
peace if in practice everyone respects the rights of others and
actually fulfils his duties towards them. Love will build
peace if people feel the needs of others as their own and share
what they have with others, especially the values of mind and spirit
which they possess. Freedom will build peace and make it
thrive if, in the choice of the means to that end, people act according
to reason and assume responsibility for their own actions.
Looking at the present and into the future with the eyes of faith
and reason, Blessed John XXIII discerned deeper historical currents
at work. Things were not always what they seemed on the surface.
Despite wars and rumours of wars, something more was at work in
human affairs, something that to the Pope looked like the promising
beginning of a spiritual revolution.
A new awareness of human dignity and inalienable human rights
4. Humanity, John XXIII wrote, had entered a new stage of its journey
(cf. ibid., I: l.c., 267-269). The end of colonialism
and the rise of newly independent States, the protection of workers'
rights, the new and welcome presence of women in public life, all
testified to the fact that the human race was indeed entering a
new phase of its history, one characterized by "the conviction
that all men are equal by reason of their natural dignity"
(ibid., I: l.c.,268). The Pope knew that that dignity
was still being trampled upon in many parts of the world. Yet he
was convinced that, despite the dramatic situation, the world was
becoming increasingly conscious of certain spiritual values,
and increasingly open to the meaning of those pillars of peace
- truth, justice, love, and freedom (cf. ibid., I: l.c.,
268-269). Seeking to bring these values into local, national and
international life, men and women were becoming more aware that
their relationship with God, the source of all good, must be the
solid foundation and supreme criterion of their lives, as individuals
and in society (cf. ibid.). This evolving spiritual intuition
would, the Pope was convinced, have profound public and political
consequences.
Seeing the growth of awareness of human rights that was then emerging
within nations and at the international level, Pope John XXIII caught
the potential of this phenomenon and understood its singular power
to change history. What was later to happen in central and eastern
Europe would confirm his insight. The road to peace, he taught in
the Encyclical, lay in the defence and promotion of basic human
rights, which every human being enjoys, not as a benefit given by
a different social class or conceded by the State but simply because
of our humanity: "Any human society, if it is to be well-ordered
and productive, must lay down as a foundation this principle, namely,
that every human being is a person, that is, his nature is endowed
with intelligence and free will. Indeed, precisely because he is
a person he has rights and obligations, flowing directly and simultaneously
from his very nature. And as these rights and obligations are universal
and inviolable so they cannot in any way be surrendered" (ibid.,
259).
As history would soon show, this was not simply an abstract idea;
it was an idea with profound consequences. Inspired by the conviction
that every human being is equal in dignity, and that society therefore
had to adapt its form to that conviction, human rights movements
soon arose and gave concrete political expression to one of the
great dynamics of contemporary history: the quest for freedom as
an indispensable component of work for peace. Emerging in virtually
every part of the world, these movements were instrumental in replacing
dictatorial forms of government with more democratic and participatory
ones. They demonstrated in practice that peace and progress could
only be achieved by respecting the universal moral law written
on the human heart (cf. John Paul II, Address
to the United Nations General Assembly, 5 October 1995,
No. 3).
The universal common good
5. On another point too Pacem
in Terris showed itself prophetic, as it looked to the next
phase of the evolution of world politics. Because the world was
becoming increasingly interdependent and global, the common good
of humanity had to be worked out on the international plane. It
was proper, Pope John XXIII taught, to speak of a "universal
common good " (Pacem
in Terris, IV: l.c., 292). One of the consequences
of this evolution was the obvious need for a public authority,
on the international level, with effective capacity to advance
the universal common good; an authority which could not, the Pope
immediately continued, be established by coercion but only by the
consent of nations. Such a body would have to have as its fundamental
objective the "recognition, respect, safeguarding, and promotion
of the rights of the human person" (ibid., IV: l.c.,
294).
Not surprisingly therefore John XXIII looked with hope and expectation
to the United Nations Organization, which had come into being on
June 26, 1945. He saw that Organization as a credible instrument
for maintaining and strengthening world peace, and he expressed
particular appreciation of its 1948 Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, which he considered "an approximation towards
the establishment of a juridical and political organization of the
world community" (ibid., IV: l.c., 295). What
he was saying in fact was that the Declaration set out the
moral foundations on which the evolution of a world characterized
by order rather than disorder, and by dialogue rather than force,
could proceed. He was suggesting that the vigorous defence of human
rights by the United Nations Organization is the indispensable foundation
for the development of that Organization's capacity to promote and
defend international security.
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.
Another observation needs to be made: the international community,
which since 1948 has possessed a charter of the inalienable rights
of the human person, has generally failed to insist sufficiently
on corresponding duties. It is duty that establishes
the limits within which rights must be contained in order
not to become an exercise in arbitrariness. A greater awareness
of universal human duties would greatly benefit the cause
of peace, setting it on the moral basis of a shared recognition
of an order in things which is not dependent on the will
of any individual or group.
A new international moral order
6. Nevertheless it remains true that, despite many difficulties
and setbacks, significant progress has been made over the
past forty years towards the implementation of Pope John's noble
vision. The fact that States throughout the world feel obliged to
honour the idea of human rights shows how powerful are the tools
of moral conviction and spiritual integrity, which proved so decisive
in the revolution of conscience that made possible the 1989 non-violent
revolution that displaced European communism. And although distorted
notions of freedom as licence continue to threaten democracy and
free societies, it is surely significant that, in the forty years
since Pacem in Terris, much of the world has become more
free, structures of dialogue and cooperation between nations have
been strengthened, and the threat of a global nuclear war, which
weighed so heavily on Pope John XXIII, has been effectively contained.
Boldly, but with all humility, I would like to suggest that the
Church's fifteen-hundred-year-old teaching on peace as "tranquillitas
ordinis - the tranquillity of order" as Saint Augustine
called it (De Civitate Dei, 19, 13), which was brought to
a new level of development forty years ago by Pacem in Terris,
has a deep relevance for the world today, for the leaders of nations
as well as for individuals. That there is serious disorder in world
affairs is obvious. Thus the question to be faced remains: What
kind of order can replace this disorder, so that men and women
can live in freedom, justice, and security? And since the world,
amid its disorder, continues nevertheless to be "ordered"
and organized in various ways - economic, cultural, even political
- there arises another equally urgent question: On what principles
are these new forms of world order unfolding?
These far-reaching questions suggest that the problem of order
in world affairs, which is the problem of peace rightly understood,
cannot be separated from issues of moral principle. This is another
way of saying that 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?
But let there be no misunderstanding. This does not mean writing
the constitution of a global super-State. Rather, 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. With his confidence
in the goodness he believed could be found in every human person,
Pope John XXIII called the entire world to a nobler vision of public
life and public authority, even as he boldly challenged the world
to think beyond its present state of disorder to new forms of international
order commensurate with human dignity.
The bond between peace and truth
7. Against those who think of politics as a realm of necessity
detached from morality and subject only to partisan interests, Pope
John XXIII, in Pacem
in Terris, outlined a truer picture of human reality and
indicated the path to a better future for all. Precisely because
human beings are created with the capacity for moral choice, no
human activity takes place outside the sphere of moral judgment.
Politics is a human activity; therefore, it too is subject to a
distinctive form of moral scrutiny. This is also true of international
politics. As the Pope wrote: "The same natural law that governs
the life and conduct of individuals must also regulate the relations
of political communities with one another" (Pacem
in Terris, III: l.c., 279). Those who imagine
that international public life takes place somewhere outside the
realm of moral judgment need only reflect on the impact of human
rights movements on the national and international politics
of the twentieth century just concluded. These developments, anticipated
by the teaching of the Encyclical, decisively refute the claim that
international politics must of necessity be a "free zone"
in which the moral law holds no sway.
Perhaps nowhere today is there a more obvious need for the correct
use of political authority than in the dramatic situation of
the Middle East and the Holy Land. Day after day, year after
year, the cumulative effect of bitter mutual rejection and an unending
chain of violence and retaliation have shattered every effort so
far to engage in serious dialogue on the real issues involved. The
volatility of the situation is compounded by the clash of interests
among the members of the international community. Until those in
positions of responsibility undergo a veritable revolution in the
way they use their power and go about securing their peoples' welfare,
it is difficult to imagine how progress towards peace can be made.
The fratricidal struggle that daily convulses the Holy Land and
brings into conflict the forces shaping the immediate future of
the Middle East shows clearly the need for men and women who, out
of conviction, will implement policies firmly based on the principle
of respect for human dignity and human rights. Such policies are
incomparably more advantageous to everyone than the continuation
of conflict. A start can be made on the basis of this truth, which
is certainly more liberating than propaganda, especially when that
propaganda serves to conceal inadmissible intentions.
The premises of a lasting peace
8. 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 honoured by
each party. Otherwise these meetings risk becoming irrelevant and
useless, with the result that people believe less and less in dialogue
and trust more in the use of force as a way of resolving issues.
The negative repercussions on peace resulting from commitments made
and then not honoured must be carefully assessed by State and government
leaders.
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.
A culture of peace
9. In the end, peace is not essentially about structures
but about people. Certain structures and mechanisms of peace
- juridical, political, economic - are of course necessary and do
exist, but they have been derived from nothing other than the accumulated
wisdom and experience of innumerable gestures of peace made
by men and women throughout history who have kept hope and have
not given in to discouragement. 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 and a culture of peace.
Religion has a vital role in fostering gestures of peace and
in consolidating conditions for peace.It exercises this role
all the more effectively if it concentrates on what is proper to
it: attention to God, the fostering of universal brotherhood and
the spreading of a culture of human solidarity. The Day of Prayer
for Peace which I promoted in Assisi on 24 January 2002,
involving representatives of many religions, had this purpose.
It expressed a desire to nurture peace by spreading a spirituality
and a culture of peace.
The legacy of Pacem in Terris
10. Blessed Pope John XXIII was a man unafraid of the future. He
was sustained in his optimism by his deep trust in God and in man,
both of which grew out of the sturdy climate of faith in which he
had grown up. Moved by his trust in Providence, even in what seemed
like a permanent situation of conflict, he did not hesitate to summon
the leaders of his time to a new vision of the world. This is the
legacy that he left us. On this World Day of Peace 2003, let us
all resolve to have his same outlook: trust in the merciful and
compassionate God who calls us to brotherhood, and confidence in
the men and women of our time because, like those of every other
time, they bear the image of God in their souls. It is on this basis
that we can hope to build a world of peace on earth.
At the beginning of a new year in our human history, this is the
hope that rises spontaneously from the depths of my heart: that
in the spirit of every individual there may be a renewed dedication
to the noble mission which Pacem in Terris proposed forty
years ago to all men and women of good will. The task, which the
Encyclical called "immense", is that "of establishing
new relationships in human society, under the sway and guidance
of truth, justice, love, and freedom". Pope John indicated
that he was referring to "relations between individual citizens,
between citizens and their respective States, between States, and
finally between individuals, families, intermediate associations
and States on the one hand, and the world community on the other".
He concluded by saying that "to bring about true peace in accordance
with divinely established order" was a "most noble task"
(Pacem
in Terris, V: l.c., 301-302).
The fortieth anniversary of Pacem in Terris is an apt occasion
to return to Pope John XXIII's prophetic teaching. Catholic communities
will know how to celebrate this anniversary during the year with
initiatives which, I hope, will have an ecumenical and interreligious
character and be open to all those who have a heartfelt desire "to
break through the barriers which divide them, to strengthen the
bonds of mutual love, to learn to understand one another and to
pardon those who have done them wrong" (l.c., 304).
I accompany this hope with a prayer to Almighty God, the source
of all our good. May he who calls us from oppression and conflict
to freedom and cooperation for the good of all help people everywhere
to build a world of peace ever more solidly established on the four
pillars indicated by Blessed Pope John XXIII in his historic Encyclical:
truth, justice, love, freedom.
From the Vatican, 8 December 2002
JOHN PAUL II
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