Pontifical Academy for Life marks first anniversary of “Rome Call AI” document

It has been a year since the Pontifical Academy for Life, together with Microsoft, IBM, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Minister for Technological Innovation of the Italian government, signed the “Rome Call for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethics.”

The document, which has been endorsed by Pope Francis, “seeks a commitment towards developing AI technologies in ways that are transparent, inclusive, socially beneficial and accountable.”

Working for the common good

Marking the anniversary this 28 February, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, reiterated that “Progress can make a better world possible if it goes together with the common good.”

Growing awareness

The Archbishop noted in a statement that in 12 months “the family of signatories has grown”, and they are working to make the document more and more known, “in view of further accessions by strategic actors for an ethical approach to the themes of Artificial Intelligence.”

The Academy president also underlined that “a channel of dialogue with monotheistic religions is open, in order to converge on a common vision of technology at the service of all humanity.”

Working for inclusion

 “A year after the Call, the Pontifical Academy for Life is increasingly convinced and determined on the importance of placing itself at the service of each person in his/her entirety and of all people, without discrimination or exclusion,” he said.

The Archbishop emphasized that “the complexity of the technological world requires a more articulated ethical reflection, to make our commitment truly incisive.”

New alliance

He went on to say that what is needed is a ”new alliance between research, science and ethics, because we stand at a crucial crossroads, in order to build a world where technology is actually used for the development of peoples.”  

“That is a request coming from faith and reason,” continued the Archbishop. “Without equitable and widespread development there will be no justice, there will be no peace, there will be no universal brotherhood.”

Ethical commitment

Recalling the signing of the document just a year ago, the President of Microsoft, Brad Smith, said, “As we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Rome Call will be even more important as we think more broadly and ethically about the future of technology.”

Meanwhile, Dario Gil, Senior Vice President and Director of IBM Research, commented that his company believes that “AI has the ability to transform and improve our lives and our society in many important ways. For all of us to benefit from AI, it requires a commitment to actively develop, deploy, and use it responsibly in order to prevent adverse outcomes.”

“By 2050, the world will have to feed about 10 billion people. This will only be possible with transformed agri-food systems that are inclusive, resilient and sustainable. Artificial Intelligence in Food and Agriculture plays a key role in this transformation and in achieving Food for All," said FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu.

“It is essential,” underlined Archbishop Paglia, “that each of us understands that we are not an island. We are not “pulverized”, divided. We are one body, one family, for better or for worse. Let's stick together.”

Holy See calls for increased attention to the effects of the pandemic

The Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovi? has underlined the important role of sincere dialogue as a tool for creating a positive impact on the world amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the sixth Interfaith Dialogue 2021 in Geneva on Wednesday, the Vatican official highlighted the common conviction that inspired the meeting, noting that the annual conference allows us “to share what is important to us, in a spirit of trust and fraternity, so that we can learn from each other, help each other and grow together in mutual respect.”

The event was themed, “The role of faith during the coronavirus pandemic.”

The pandemic and its effects

Archbishop Jurkovi? remarked on the devastating effects of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. He noted that it is shocking to reflect that just over a year ago, this new and practically unknown disease would overturn the world as we know it.

Every aspect of our lives has been affected, he stated. “Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives, countless others are suffering from the severe health crisis; many businesses have been closed around the world, many of which will never be able to reopen their doors, national economies have been devastated; production was stopped in many places, education has been reduced to virtual learning or has ceased altogether and situations of poverty have been pushed to the breaking point.”

Particularly affected by the ongoing health emergency, the Archbishop noted, are “migrants, refugees, indigenous peoples, children and mothers.” He further noted that innumerable people who were in a state of dire poverty before the pandemic have since died from starvation. All these, just as much as those who have contracted the virus, must be counted among the victims of this bitter scourge,” he said.

The unseen, subtler effects of the pandemic

Speaking further on the pandemic’s negative effects, the Archbishop pointed out that in addition to all the external consequences of the pandemic, perhaps the most unsettling ones are the more subtle, interior crises.

While emphasizing the importance of the health restrictions implemented around the world to ensure a safe environment for all, he noted, however, that “isolation at home, wearing of a mask, the loss of jobs, the impossibility to physically interact with family and friends” continue to have a profound psychological, emotional and spiritual impact on each of us.

From a Christian point of view, “God desires communion,” the Archbishop said. “The Almighty created us so that we can enter into a deep and meaningful relationship with our Creator and with one another. Only through this mutual and open sharing of ourselves we find true contentment and peace.”

However, he lamented, the covid pandemic has exacerbated some of the already existing tensions and increased the threats to unity between individuals, peoples, cultures and nations, and increased inequalities. He noted that “when resources and medical treatments are limited, it is understandable that each person and nation will seek to secure a stockpile for their loved ones but this “self-interested, myopic approach stands in direct contradiction to the unity and communion that truly brings fulfillment to the human heart.”

“The stockpiling of vaccines, the insistence on patent rights, the closing of borders and the general turning-in on oneself is an understandable reaction to the crisis,” the Archbishop said. However, “these responses, rather than helping us, really inflict upon us a much deeper plague than the Covid-19 pandemic…if left unchecked, it could separate us from what makes us truly human: our compassion and desire to live in fraternal communion.”

The reaction of faith amidst the pandemic

In the face of the current situation, our faith teaches us to look beyond ourselves and our immediate needs towards the common good, the Archbishop insisted. It is, therefore, no coincidence that the major faith traditions place a strong emphasis on selfless love, encouraging us all to take care of our brothers and sisters.

Archbishop Jurkovi? went on to reaffirm the commitment of Pope Francis and the Holy See to ensuring that the pandemic does not lead to even more tragic consequences and a further deterioration of authentic human interaction. Thus, in this regard, an ad hoc Commission was set up within the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development with the aim of fostering authentic and holistic care for all those affected by the pandemic.

Pope Francis’ latest Encyclical Fratelli tutti also puts at its center, the importance of human fraternity and the role of religious traditions in its promotion. In the Encyclical, the Pope emphasizes that different religions, inspired by their respect for the human person as a creature called to be a daughter or son of God, are called to contribute significantly to building fraternity and defending justice in society.

Concluding, the Permanent Observer, reiterating the Holy Father’s words in his message to the members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, stressed that the pandemic which has forced us to endure months of isolation and loneliness has also brought out the need for human relationships. He added that all of us, strengthened by our traditions and religious beliefs, can testify to the value and importance of cultivating spiritual health, rooted in fraternity and love, as an effective way to heal the world around us.

Faith shines bright amid the darkness in Myanmar

Three weeks after Myanmar’s army effectively ended Myanmar’s ten-year-old fledgling democracy, protesters again gathered on Wednesday in Yangon. It is the 19th day people have gathered since the first large protest on 6 February.

Myanmar’s Bishops voiced their concern on Sunday, one day after a 16-year-old boy was killed in Mandalay, the second largest city in Myanmar. “The heart-rending scenes of youth dying in the streets wound the conscience of a nation… The sadness of parents burying their children has to stop. Mothers’ tears are never a blessing to any nation”. Healing can begin, they stressed, “with the release of detained leaders”.

The citizens of Myanmar are accompanied by women religious “fighting and protesting to end military dictatorship, to get justice and peace”. One of these Sisters, a Sister of St Joseph of the Apparition, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared her experience with Vatican News.

“On the first day of February, after our morning prayers, we came to know the sad news that our leaders were arrested. Some of us cried and we all were saddened. As soon as we finished our breakfast we start making adoration till midnight by turns.”

As the days unfolded, the Sisters began to understand their mission differently, but always in the paradigm of their charism.

“Our Congregation's charism is ‘Love’. Our mission is to show Love in different works of charity. Our Constitutions says ‘...fighting in the spirit of the Gospel against destitution and every kind of injustice...’ ”.

At first the sisters began to provide “snacks, coffee, juice” to the people who were taking to the streets. She confesses they were having a hard time finding the financial resources to continue providing this service. “Some donors began to offer us some help when they saw on Facebook what we were doing”, Sister says. “Even our smile is great support for the protesters”.

The Sisters have also taken part in two demonstrations in Yangon, standing and walking side-by-side their fellow citizens. “We surely understand that without demonstrating, the military dictatorship will never end. That is why we support the protesters as much as we can”. 

Sister describes the mood in the country in terms both positive and negative.

She writes that a positive aspect is that even though Generation Z had never directly experienced the military dictatorship, they are now coming to realize “they are the leaders now in this revolution. They are full of zeal and creative”, Sister writes. She tells us that the young people “are exhausted” but they will not stop until “the military give up their power, because Myanmar's military power has been destroying our country for more than 60 years already”. However, Sister emphasizes, they are committed to the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).

Writing about the negative aspect, Sister says, “We are scared, worried, insecure and sometimes hopeless. During the night we are scared because the police and soldiers attack the activists, protest leaders, CDM officers and influencers during the night. More than 20,000 prisoners were released and the army paid them and ask them to set fires in the quarters. People from the quarters choose night watch among them to catch different kinds of night time terrorists”.

The sisters are determined to continue offering support to the cause, even though there may be unforeseen consequences. “During the day there are police everywhere. Although they are not causing us any harm, we are watched and we are alert during the night. No supporter or activist is safe in this time. They catch and arrest people at night everywhere in the country”.

All photos, courtesy of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition Facebook page. Used with permission.

US Bishops: Equality Act discriminates against people of faith and threatens unborn life

Five US Bishop committee chairmen have expressed their opposition to the recent reintroduction of the Equality Act (H. R. 5), scheduled to be voted upon by the House of Representatives in coming days.

In a letter jointly signed by the chairs of the USCCB committees on Religious Liberty, Pro-Life, Marriage, Catholic Education and Domestic Justice, they highlight threats posed by the proposed law to both people of faith and of no faith, to the right of freedom of speech, as well as to faith-based charities and health-care workers with conscience objections, among others.

Gender discrimination, abortion and the Equality Act

The Bishops warned that the Equality Act, while purporting to protect people experiencing same-sex attraction or gender discordance from discrimination, rather represents an imposition by Congress “of novel and divisive viewpoints regarding ‘gender’ on individuals and organizations;” including dismissing sexual difference and falsely presenting “gender” as a social construct.

Re-echoing Pope Francis’ reflections on the issue, the Bishops noted that “biological sex and the socio-cultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated.” Therefore, “it is one thing to be understanding of human weakness and the complexities of life, and another to accept ideologies that attempt to sunder what are inseparable aspects of reality.”

In this regard, they lamented that this Act can be construed to include an abortion mandate, which is “a violation of precious rights to life and conscience.”

The Bishops’ concerns

Furthermore, the Bishop chairmen pointed out that, rather than affirming human dignity in ways that exceed existing practical protections, the Equality Act risks inflicting numerous social and legal harms.

They noted that the Act, if passed, could punish faith-based charities, and consequently their beneficiaries, for their beliefs on marriage and sexuality; as well as force people and organizations to speak and act in support of ‘gender transitions’ even in instances when it is against their professional judgment. Likewise, people who insist on their beliefs on marriage and sexuality could be excluded from the careers and livelihoods that they love.

In addition, the Bishops warned that taxpayers could be mandated to pay for abortions, and health care workers forced to perform them, in spite of conscience objections and the consequent effect of ending more human lives.

The Bishops also highlighted that the Equality Act could force girls and women to compete against boys and men who “claim to identify as women” in sports, as well as share locker rooms and shower spaces with them. It could also expand the government’s definition of public places into numerous settings, including religious ones, forcing them to host functions that violate their beliefs.

Human dignity, respect for all without discrimination

The Bishop chairmen asserted that belief in human dignity is reflected in the Church’s charitable service to all, irrespective of race, religion or any other characteristic.

In this light, they continued, “we need to honor every person’s right to gainful employment free of unjust discrimination or harassment and to the basic goods that they need to live and thrive.” It also means that “people of differing beliefs and principles should be respected."

Concluding their message, the Bishops underlined that the Catholic Church - the largest non-governmental provider of human services in the country – holds the same core beliefs that the human person is made with inherent dignity and in the image of God. These beliefs, the Bishops insist, “motivate both our positions on life, marriage, and sexuality, and also our call to serve the most vulnerable and the common good.”

COMECE calls on European Parliament to protect all life

The Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) has questioned some points of a resolution passed by the European Parliament on the so-called "right" to abortion in Poland in November 2020.

A letter issued by the Bishops on Monday and addressed to President of the European Parliament, David Maria Sassoli, stressed that the Catholic Church, which seeks to support women in life situations arising from difficult or unwanted pregnancies, “calls for the protection and care of all unborn life.”

“Every human person is called into being by God and needs protection, particularly when he or she is most vulnerable,” the Bishops said, adding that “special safeguard and care for the child, before and after birth is also expressed in international legal standards” including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Ban on abortion in Poland

An October 2020 ruling by the Polish Constitutional court established a near-total ban on abortion in the country, permitting it only in cases of rape or incest, or when the pregnancy threatens the life of the mother.

The ban, which came into effect in January, sparked protests in the Polish capital, Warsaw, among groups divided among supporters and opponents of the move.

The October court ruling found that a 1993 law allowing abortion in cases of severe and irreversible foetal abnormalities was unconstitutional. It justified its ruling on the grounds that unborn children are human beings and therefore deserve protection under the Polish constitution, which ensures the right to life.

The November 2020 Resolution of the European Parliament called for EU institutions to do more to support "sexual and reproductive health rights," including abortion, across member states and to support grassroots and civil society groups that foster the rule of law.

The argument of the rule of law

The Bishops highlighted in their letter, that neither the European Union legislation nor the European Convention on Human Rights provide for a right to abortion, leaving the matter consequently to the legal systems of the Member states.

In this regard, a fundamental principle of the EU is the principle of conferral under which the EU can only act based on limits of the competencies conferred on it by the member States in treaties signed with the goal of attaining the objectives of the said treaties.

Observing this principle, therefore, COMECE noted, is a “requirement of the rule of law” because, as the European Parliament’s resolution points out “respect for the rule of law is essential for the functioning of the Union.” The same rule of law, the Bishops emphasized, “also requires respect for the competences of the Member states and the choices made by them in the exercise of their exclusive competences.”

Conscientious objection

Another point of concern for the Bishops is that the Parliament’s resolution appears to question the fundamental right to conscientious objection, which is an emanation of the freedom of conscience referred to in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU.

This, the Bishops underscored, is particularly worrying and should not be promoted, as in many cases, conscientious objectors, especially in the healthcare sector, are subject to discrimination.

Equal treatment, non-discrimination

At the same time, the Bishops pointed out that in full respect to legal provisions of the Parliament’s referrals, in several passages of the Resolution, to the right to equal treatment and non-discrimination; they were concerned that the principle of non-discrimination could be used to blur the limits of the competences of the EU. They warned that this would go against article 51.2 of the EU Charter, which stipulates that the Charter “does not extend the field of application of Union law beyond the powers of the Union or establish any new power or task for the Union.”

COMECE went on to stress the necessity of considering fundamental rights like freedom of thought, conscience and religion in the light of their “universality, inviolability, inalienability, indivisibility and interdependence,” noting particularly that with regards to the right to conscientious objection, the EU Charter entail the need to respect national constitutional traditions and the development of national legislation.

The Bishops also expressed sadness at the lack of condemnation or expressions of solidarity in respect to the unacceptable attacks on Churches and places of worship in the context of the protests ensuing from the law in Poland.

Concluding the letter, which was signed by COMECE president Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, SJ, and four other Bishop Vice-presidents, the Bishops reaffirmed their availability to provide further clarifications on this crucial issue, which they warn might have a negative impact on the way the Union is perceived by Member States.

Pope calls slain Italian Ambassador in DRC servant of peace

In a message sent via telegram to Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Tuesday evening, Pope Francis expressed his sorrow regarding Monday's attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which left the Italian Ambassador, Luca Attanasio, a police officer and their Congolese driver dead. The three were travelling in a United Nations Convoy.

Pope Francis said in the telegram that he was saddened when he heard the news. "I express heartfelt condolences to their families, the diplomatic corps, and the carabinieri on the death of these servants of peace", he wrote.

The Pope then praised the "exemplary witness" of the Italian Ambassador, Luca Attanasio, saying he was an excellent person and Christian. Pope Francis also noted the Ambassador's dedication to "establish fraternal and cordial relationships, to restablish serene and harmonious relationships in the heart of the African country".

Pope Francis also drew attention to Vittorio Iacovacci, a member of the Italian Carabinieri, also killed in the attack. He described Mr Iacovacci as "expert and generous in his service who was about to form a new family". 

The Pope closed his telegram with the following words to President Mattarella:

While I lift up prayers in suffrage for the eternal repose of these noble sons of the Italian nation, I encourage you to trust in God's providence. None of the good accomplished is lost in His hands, even more so when it is confirmed through suffering and sacrifice. To you, Mr President, to the relatives and colleagues of the victims, and to all those who mourn their loss, I send my blessing from my heart.

Holy See reiterates calls for nuclear disarmament, arms control

The Holy See has reiterated calls for complete nuclear disarmament, or the limitation of armaments, under effective systems of control and verification, in the face of the principal threats to peace and security in the world today.

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, made this call on Wednesday in a video message addressed to the High-Level Segment of the 2021 Session of the Conference on Disarmament taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.

“Confronted with the many security challenges the international community is facing today,” he said, “it is essential that this Conference recognize that certain issues should transcend narrow individual interests by virtue of their contribution to the common good.”

The Archbishop also conveyed the Pope’s cordial greeting to the participants, and expressed the Holy Father’s hope that impasses would be overcome through “a renewed sentiment of urgency and co-responsibility.”

Peace, security threatened by arms proliferation

The Vatican official pointed out that “the desire for peace, security and stability is one of the deepest longings of the human heart, even though these noble aspirations are impeded by the erosion of multilateralism and the present climate of reciprocal distrust, notably in the field of disarmament."

He noted that while the importance of disarmament is evident for nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, it also applies to increased military competition in outer space, and in the fields of cyberspace and artificial intelligence, as seen in the example of lethal autonomous weapons systems.

Another point of concern for the Holy See is the illicit traffic of small arms, light weapons and explosive weapons. These weapons, he explained, have been used to wreak havoc on schools, hospitals and places of worship, causing damage to basic infrastructure for the civilian population and affecting integral human development prospects.

At the same time, the Archbishop continued, huge military expenditures foment a vicious cycle of an endless arms race, preventing potential resources from addressing poverty, education, inequality and health. In this regard, he decried the link of national security to the accumulation of weapons, referring it as a “false logic” and a scandal which facilitates the “disproportion between the resources in money and intelligence devoted to the service of death and the resources devoted to the service of life.”

Signs of hope

In spite of the current situation, the Vatican official noted that there are some encouraging signs including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and the recent five-year extension of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between the US and Russia.

Archbishop Gallagher also remarked that the Holy See is looking forward to the forthcoming Review Conference of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, in hopes that it “will result in concrete action in accordance with our joint intention to achieve at the earliest possible date the cessation of the nuclear arms race and to undertake effective measures in the direction of nuclear disarmament.”

Affirming that a world free of nuclear weapons is both “possible and necessary”, he said this conviction, reinforced by the entry into force of the TPNW, is also embodied in the spirit of the Treaty on Non-Proliferation (NPT). At the same time, he pointed out that the TPNW and NPT are “driven by the very same moral imperatives and objectives” as they “mutually reinforce and complement each other, demonstrating how zealous the desire for peace, security and stability truly is.”

Concrete suggestions

In light of the importance of the complexity of disarmament and arms control, the Holy See made two recommendations to the member States at the conference:

First, the Holy See encourages the member States to “engage in an expert study on the issue of verification, which could inform possible future negotiations on disarmament and arms control.” Archbishop Gallagher explained that verification, in addition to being a valuable confidence-building measure, is a “fundamental component in ensuring the efficacy of treaties under the well-known adage ‘trust and identify’.” He, therefore, urged the use of opportunities offered by new technologies to enhance reliable verification measures especially as it is of particular importance with regard to nuclear disarmament as well as other types of weapons.

The Holy See also suggests that the resumption of “a formal discussion on limitations of armaments and on general and complete disarmament under effective systems of control and verification, would be extremely beneficial” to the conference, especially in the light of principal threats to peace and security including terrorism, asymmetrical conflicts, cybersecurity poverty and environmental problems.

An ethical imperative

Highlighting the need for a “more cohesive and responsible cooperation,” Archbishop Gallagher reiterated Pope Francis’ constant reminder that we can only overcome the current crisis if we work together, because “no one is safe until everyone is safe.”

Concluding his message, the Archbishop stressed that disarmament can no longer be considered an optional objective, but rather an “ethical imperative.”

He thus called for a renewed sense of urgency in the commitment to achieve durable agreements towards peace and fraternity, insisting that certain issues should rise above consensus and transcend individual interest and agendas.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Italian ambassador killed in attack on UN convoy

Italy’s ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was killed in an attack on Monday while travelling in a United Nations Convoy in the east of the country, the Italian Foreign Ministry said.

The ambassador, Luca Attanasio, 43, alongside an Italian carabineri police officer, Vittorio Iacovacci, and their Congolese driver, Moustapha Milambo, were ambushed as they were traveling from Goma, Congo’s eastern regional capital, to visit a World Food Program (WFP) school project in Rutshuru. All three of them died in the shooting attack while others in the convoy sustained injuries.

The WFP said that the attack occurred on a road that had been previously cleared for travel without security escorts. Rutshuru is just over two hours’ drive from Goma. The road out of the regional capital has been insecure, with several armed groups operating in the area despite the heavy presence of the UN peacekeeping mission in the region.

Condolence messages

In the wake of the tragedy, Archbishop Mario Delpini of Milan expressed his condolences in a statement. He described the Ambassador as “a good man”, “a competent diplomat,”and “an enterprising young man” who was killed, and together with him, a police officer and their driver. He added that “they are victims of an uncontrollable and devastating violence.”

Archbishop Delpini recalled meeting the Ambassador in Milan in 2019 while preparing for a visit to the DRC. He also remembered that during his visit to the country, he heard good reports about the Ambassador, his wife and the mission, especially concerning their commitment to works of solidarity. At the same time, he noted getting reports about the violence and insecurity in the country.

“This is another reason for my deepest and very deep personal sorrow at the death of people dedicated to their duty, who interpreted their diplomatic service as a form of solidarity between peoples, who showed their willingness to take on the desolating poverty of a country rich in resources…” Archbishop Delpini said.

In a similar manner, Fr. Robert Kasereka, the president of OPAM - an organization working for the promotion of literacy in the world - expressed his deepest condolences and closeness in prayer to the families of the three victims in a statement, adding that Monday’s tragic killings has “deeply wounded Italy and the Democratic Republic of Congo, uniting them in the same great pain.”

He noted, however, that the attack unfortunately adds to the long list of violence that has taken place in the region in the past 20 years. He recalled that only a few days ago in Malambo, North Kivu, another ten people were killed including a young woman who was disemboweled. He further pointed out that over 10 million men, women and children have lost their lives to the violence over the past two decades.

Explaining further, he highlighted that a lot of the violence is due to struggles over the mineral wealth of the region which is rich in diamonds, gold and coltan, as well as the nutrient-rich soil conducive for the cultivation of cocoa and coffee. He added that since the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and the increase in refugees in the DRC, conflicts between the indigenous people and the refugees have increased, and currently, many of the mines are controlled by armed groups.

Fr. Ngongi, therefore, stressed the need for “an independent international investigation that can clarify the deep reasons of this tragedy in order to address them and to find a solution together.”

Statement from the UN

Separately, United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, in a post on his official Twitter account on Monday, condemned the attack which led to the death of the Italian Ambassador, his bodyguard and a WFP colleague. He also called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

A statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General posted on the UN website conveyed Mr. Guterres’ deepest condolences to the families of the deceased, as well as to the governments of Italy and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The tragic killings have also drawn reactions from other Italian authorities and Congolese authorities who have both expressed regret and sorrow over the attack and reaffirmed their closeness to the families of the deceased.

DRC

The Mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo has been plagued by violence and insecurity for years, resulting in massive displacement of people and widespread poverty and hunger. The country has also suffered further shocks with intermittent outbreaks of the Ebola virus currently complicated by ongoing the Covid-19 pandemic.

Eastern DRC in particular has been particularly ravaged by constant clashes between armed groups vying for control of territory and natural resources. In the consequent conflicts, thousands of civilians have suffered loss of lives and terrible damages to property.

Since 1999, the UN’s peacekeeping mission has been in the DRC working to restore stability in the country.

Tomasi: treaty an important first step towards a world free of nuclear arms

“The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons heralds in a new era in international law and increasingly in public opinion” Cardinal Silvano M. Tomasi, has said.

In an exclusive interview with the World Council of Churches (WCC) the former Permanent Observer to the UN and Other International Organizations in Geneva and to the World Trade Organization reflects on the positive impact of the Treaty (TPNW) and how Churches can get involved in the goal of freeing the world of nuclear weapons.

The TPNW was adopted by the United Nations on 7 July 2017 and entered into force on 22 January 2021. For those nations who signed it, the Treaty prohibits the development, testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons, as well as assistance and encouragement to the prohibited activities. For nuclear armed states joining the treaty, it provides for a time-bound framework for negotiations leading to the verified and irreversible elimination of its nuclear weapons program.

Acknowledging that “moral declarations alone will lead to disarmament”, in the interview Cardinal Tomasi, notes that the newly enacted norms “can support and even drive complex negotiations, hopefully toward achieving the goal of a world free from nuclear weapons”, stressing the need for non-nuclear weapons states to make their voices heard on this issue. 

He also emphasizes the role of civil society actors and of Churches and religious communities: “In this area, religions and all denominations can converge and amplify together the same moral message for believers and non-believers alike”, he says, adding that “local initiatives are very important for moving towards total disarmament” and that “local actors can make their voices heard at higher levels, by contacting their representatives and networking online”.

Reminding that “the mere existence of nuclear weapons is a constant risk” and that “the pandemic has brought to light and intensified the extreme inequalities present in our societies”, the former Nuncio reaffirms that the establishment of a World Fund to address human development with the money previously invested in the military and weapons  “is primary” in relation to the socio-economic issues we face today: “Pope Francis has recognized that the pandemic brings to light our true priorities and needs as a human family, and has encouraged deep reflection and active changes towards a world more committed to building just systems at the service of the people. It is not only a worthy goal, but a moral good”, he stresses. “Increased investments in arms arise from a feeling of insecurity, but a society can never be secure if the essential needs of its people are not met”, he explains.

According to cardinal Tomasi, the present pandemic could act as a “catalyst” toward this ambitious goal:  “In economically difficult times for all states – including the great powers – being able to release funds to revive the economy is essential. Decreasing the funds allocated to the arms race and dedicating them to economic recovery is actually a strategic choice for those states that wish to maintain their preeminence within the international system. Their influence and power will soon be judged based on their ability to recover from the crisis”, he concludes.

Archbishop Gallagher to UN: Inalienable human rights must be defended

The Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, has called on the United Nations to “rediscover the foundation of human rights, in order to implement them in an authentic fashion”, as the world continues to take measures to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Archbishop Gallagher made this appeal in a video message during the 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which commenced on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland. The four-week-long session, held virtually due to the ongoing health emergency, kicks off with a 3-day high-level segment when heads of states and dignitaries representing various countries and regions will address the council by video.

For over a year now, Archbishop Gallagher noted, “the Covid-19 pandemic has been impacting every aspect of life, causing the loss of many and casting doubt on our economic, social, and health systems.” At the same time, “it has also challenged our commitment to the protection and promotion of universal human rights, while at the same time asserting their relevance.”

Recalling Pope Francis’s words in his latest Encyclical Fratelli tutti, Archbishop Gallagher underscored its relevance to our time, noting that “by acknowledging the dignity of each human person, we can contribute to the rebirth of a universal aspiration to fraternity.”

Human rights are unconditional

The Archbishop highlighted that the Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares that “the recognition of the inherent dignity of all members of the human family and of the equal and inalienable rights constitutes the foundation of freedom, justice and peace.” Likewise, the UN Charter asserts its "faith in fundamental of human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women, and of nations large and small.”

He pointed out that these two documents recognize an objective truth – that every human person is innately and universally endowed by human dignity. This truth, he further stressed, “is not conditioned by time, place, culture or context.”

Acknowledging that this solemn commitment “is easier to pronounce than to achieve and practice,” he lamented that these objectives are “still far from being recognized, respected, protected and promoted in every situation.”

Rights are not separated from universal values

Archbishop Gallagher went on to affirm that the true promotion of fundamental human rights depends on the underlying foundation from which they derive.

He, therefore, warned that any practice or system that would treat rights in an abstract fashion – separated from pre-existing and universal values – risks undermining their raison d’être, and in such a context, “human rights institutions become susceptible to prevailing fashions, prevailing visions or ideologies”.

The Archbishop further cautioned that "in such a context of rights devoid of values, systems may impose obligations or penalties that were never envisioned by state parties, which may contradict the values they were supposed to promote." He added that they may even “presume to create so-called 'new' rights that lack an objective foundation, thus drifting away from their purpose of serving human dignity.”

The right to life

Illustrating the inseparability of rights from values with the example of the right to life, Archbishop Gallagher applauded that its content has been “progressively extended by countering acts of torture, enforced disappearances and the death penalty; and by protecting the elderly, the migrant, children and motherhood.” He said these developments are reasonable extensions to the right of life as they maintain their fundamental basis in the inherent good of life, and also because “life, before being a right, is first and foremost a good to be cherished and protected.”

Archbishop Gallagher stressed, however, that there is a risk "of undermining the value a right is intended to uphold when it is divorced from its fundamental basis." He noted, for example, an unfortunate precedent in the Human Rights Committee's general comments 36 on the right to life, which "far from protecting human life and dignity, twists its meaning to imply the right to assisted suicide and to end the lives of unborn children."

Covid-19 measures and human rights

In the face of the current Covid-19 pandemic, the Archbishop highlighted that some measures implemented by public authorities to ensure public health impinged on the free exercise of human rights.

In this regard, he proposed that “any limitations on the exercise of human rights for the protection of public health must stem from a situation of strict necessity,” because “a number of persons, finding themselves in situations of vulnerability – such as the elderly, migrants, refugees, indigenous people, internally displaced persons, and children – have been disproportionately affected by the current crisis.”

Any limitations imposed in an emergency situation, he insisted, “must be proportional to the situation, applied in a non-discriminatory fashion, and used only when no other means are available.”

Freedom of religion

Archbishop Gallagher also reiterated the urgency of protecting the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, noting in particular that “religious belief, and the expression thereof, lies at the core of the dignity of the human person in his or her conscience.”

Highlighting that the global response to the Covid-19 pandemic reveals that “this robust understanding of religious freedom is being eroded,” the Archbishop re-echoed the Holy See’s insistance that, “freedom of religion also protects its public witness and expression, both individually and collectively, publicly and privately, in forms of worship, observance and teaching," as numerous human rights instruments recognize. 

To respect the inherent value of this right, therefore, the Archbishop recommends that political authorities should engage with religious leaders, as well as leaders of faith-based organizations and civil society committed to promoting freedom of religion and conscience.

Human fraternity, multilateralism

Archbishop Gallagher noted that the current crisis presents us with a unique opportunity to approach multilateralism “as the expression of a renewed sense of global responsibility, of solidarity grounded in justice and the attainment of peace and unity within the human family, which is God’s plan for the world.”

Recalling Pope Francis’ invitation in the Fratelli tutti encouraging everyone to acknowledge the dignity of each human person in order to promote universal fraternity, he encouraged all to be willing to move beyond that which divides us in order to effectively combat the consequences of the various crises.

Concluding his message, the Archbishop reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to engage collaboratively to this end.

Pope: Caring for others a ‘vaccine’ against individualism

Pope Francis has recalled the “generous” and “heroic” efforts of doctors, nurses and other health care personnel during the coronavirus emergency.

The Pope’s remarks come in a letter addressed to Archbishop Vincent Paglia on the occasion of a memorial service for health care workers who have died as a result of the pandemic. The event was organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life, which Paglia heads, to mark the day set aside in Italy to recognize the service of health care personnel. The commemoration occurs on the one-year anniversary of the detection of the first case of Covid-19 in the country.

A challenge to society

“The example of so many of our brothers and sisters, who have risked their lives to the point of losing them, inspires deep gratitude in all of us, and is a cause for reflection,” the Pope writes. “In the presence of such self-giving, the whole of society is challenged to bear ever greater witness to love of neighbour and care for others, especially the weakest.”

A vaccine against individualism

He added, “The dedication of those who, even in these days, are working in hospitals and health care facilities is a ‘vaccine’ against individualism and self-centredness, and demonstrates the most authentic desire that dwells in the human heart: to be close to those who are most in need and to spend oneself for them.”

Pope Francis assured those taking part in Saturday’s memorial service of his spiritual closeness, saying, “I join spiritually with all those gathered for this significant commemorative event, and I greet you with my blessing.”

Pope to Brazilians: Lent, a time to be brothers and in dialogue

Lent offers Christians ample scope to do much in terms of charity. But when combined with ecumenism, charity brings to the forefront solidarity with dialogue. This is what Pope Francis says in his message on the occasion of  Brazil’s Ecumenical Fraternity Campaign, which allows us to open our hearts to our fellow travellers without fear or suspicion, seeking peace before the one God.

Greater solidarity in pandemic

Each year, the CNBB holds the annual Fraternity Campaign for Catholics at Lent, but every 5 years or so, it joins various Christian confessions of the country for the Ecumenical Fraternity Campaign. The theme of this year's Lenten Fraternity Campaign is "Fraternity and Dialogue: Commitment of Love", based on the Letter to the Ephesians: “Christ is our peace, He who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through His flesh.”    

In his message, Pope Francis evoked the basics of the Lenten period and the first reality facing humanity is the pandemic that has been particularly harsh in Brazil. The Pope said Christ “invites us to pray for those who have died, to bless the selfless service of so many health professionals and to encourage solidarity among people of goodwill”. Jesus calls us to take care of ourselves, of our health and to care for each other, as the parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us.

In dialogue with fellow travellers

The theme of this year’s campaign underscores the need to search for communion with the various Christian communities of Brazil, a dialogue which the Holy Father defined as "a reason for hope". Christians, he pointed out, are the first to have to set an example, starting with the practice of ecumenical dialogue. It teaches us “to open our hearts to our traveling companion without fear or suspicion, and look first of all to what we seek: peace before the one God ".

Three Lenten tools

From this relationship of respect and sharing gushes forth that “precious contribution to the building up of fraternity and the defence of justice in society”, which the Pope reaffirms in his encyclical, Fratelli tutti. And within this horizon, the Pope recalls in his encyclical, lies the common effort to "overcome the pandemic". He asserts that “we will do so to the extent that we will be able to overcome divisions and unite around life".  And in order not to fall back into the temptation of "feverish consumerism and new forms of selfish self-protection" once the health crisis is over, Pope Francis encourages Christians to use the Lenten tools of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Holy See advocates for empowerment of women

The Permanent Representative of the Holy See to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Monsignor Janusz Urba?czyk, has called for the empowerment of women in every area of life and work, at the same time encouraging the OSCE’s Economic and Environmental Forum to consider this important issue in its 2021 cycle.

Speaking during the first Preparatory Meeting of the 29th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum (EEF), held online on Monday, Monsignor Urba?czyk stressed that “the desire to protect and to promote the real equality of every human person and the acknowledgment of the complementarity of women and men remain important priorities of the Holy See.”

Valuing women fosters peace, social security

Monsignor Urba?czyk lamented that the persistence of the many forms of discrimination offensive to the dignity and vocation of women in the area of work is due to a long series of conditioning that penalizes them. He noted that many women have seen “their prerogatives misrepresented” and they have been “relegated to the margins of society and reduced to servitude.”

Reiterating Pope Saint John Paul II’s words in his 1995 “Letter to Women,” Monsignor Urba?czyk highlighted the urgent need to achieve real equality in all areas – equal pay for equal work, protection for working mothers, fairness in career advancements, equality of spouses as regards family rights and the recognition of the rights and duties of citizens in a democratic state.

He further emphasized that the increased economic and political empowerment and the promotion of women's participation in public life will “surely contribute to increased peace and security within both society at large and, in many cases, within the fundamental cell of society, which is the family unit.”

Covid-19 pandemic

Monsignor Urba?czyk went on to underline the harmful effects of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic on women’s participation in the labor market.

He noted that “women are often the first to lose their jobs, especially when working in low paid employment or in the informal sector” where they are often the majority and where, in many cases, financial protection and benefits are lacking. Furthermore, “the burden of homeschooling has increased pressure on women, regardless whether they are in paid work or not,” he added.

Complementarity between men and women

In consideration of these circumstances surrounding women, Monsignor Urba?czyk calls for the “complementary collaboration of men and women,” adding that the empowerment of women in every area of life and work “will not only strengthen women, but will strengthen and empower security, stability and sustainable development."

Cardinal Parolin: Building peace, brick by brick

“I will tell the Pope that peace is being built here, little by little, brick by brick.” These are the words of Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to young people when he paid a brief visit on Tuesday to the tiny medieval hamlet of Cittadella della Pace (literally, “Citadel of Peace”), in the heartland of Italy’s Tuscany region.    

The village is home to the so-called 'Rondine Cittadella della Pace', an association that promotes a culture of peace and dialogue, especially working with people from countries who live or have just experienced wars and conflicts. 

Living with the “enemy”

Simply called Rondine, the non-profit international peace initiative was founded in 1988 by Italian psychologist and academic, Franco Vaccari.  It was inspired by the project called the World House, which hosts young people from countries where, currently or recently, conflicts have assumed violent forms. These young people accept to live with their own “enemy”, in order to learn how to face their conflict and turn it into an opportunity for change.  The World House programme lasts two years during which they experiment with innovation through conviviality, daily activities, non-formal and formal education.

"Speaking with you I discover that you come from areas full of tensions and conflicts and that this effort to build peace here is a beautiful thing,” Cardinal Parolin told the young people who participated in a year of training based on the so-called ‘Rondine Method’ and leadership. 

Making the Mediterranean a frontier of peace

Cardinal Parolin said he would carry their greetings to Pope Francis and talk to him about their commitment.  Among those he met on Tuesday were eleven young men and women chosen for the project "Mediterranean: the frontier of peace, education and reconciliation”, launched by the Italian Bishops' Conference in the southern Italian city of Bari in February 2020.  

“Despite the difficult past year we are very happy to have managed to come to Italy to work on our projects and to demonstrate that it is possible to live together and dialogue” said Amina, a young Bosnian woman, speaking on behalf of the young people of the Mediterranean.  She said that the projects that they will carry out back home in their countries will have as their objective dialogue, reconciliation and peace.  They will continue to develop their network for social cohesion in the Mediterranean which they are building at Rondine Cittadella della Pace.  

Cardinal Parolin stopped by Cittadella della Pace during his visit to Arezzo city, where he celebrated the local feast of Our Lady of Consolation, who is greatly revered in the city.  

On his historic visit to Iraq in March, Pope Francis hopes to encourage his Christian flock, badly bruised by sectarian conflict and brutal Islamic State attacks, while building further bridges to Muslims by extending fraternal peace.

The trip’s papal logo reflects this, depicting Pope Francis with Iraq’s notable Tigris and Euphrates rivers, a palm tree and a dove carrying an olive branch over the Vatican and Iraqi flags. The motto: “You are all brothers,” is written in Arabic, Chaldean and Kurdish languages.

The first-ever papal visit to the biblical land of Iraq March 5-8 is significant. For years, the pope has expressed his concerns publicly for the plight and persecution of Iraq’s Christians and its mosaic of many religious minorities, including the Yazidis, who have suffered at the hands of Islamic State militants and have been caught in the crosshairs of Sunni and Shiite Muslim violence.

Tensions persist between Iraq’s majority Shiite and minority Sunni Muslim communities, with the latter now feeling disenfranchised following the 2003 downfall of Saddam Hussein, a Sunni Muslim who marginalized Shiites for 24 years under his minority rule.

“I am the pastor of people who are suffering,” Pope Francis told Catholic News Service at the Vatican ahead of his visit.

Earlier, the pope said he hoped Iraq could “face the future through the peaceful and shared pursuit of the common good on the part of all elements of society, including the religious, and not fall back into hostilities sparked by the simmering conflicts of the regional powers.”

“The pope will come to say, ‘Enough, enough war, enough violence; seek peace and fraternity and the safeguarding of human dignity,'” said Cardinal Louis Sako, the Baghdad-based patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church. The cardinal reportedly has worked for several years to see the pope’s trip to Iraq come to fruition.

Pope Francis “will bring us two things: comfort and hope, which have been denied to us until now,” the cardinal said.

The majority of Iraq’s Christians belong to the Chaldean Catholic Church. Others worship in the Syriac Catholic Church, while a modest number of belong to the Latin, Maronite, Greek, Coptic and Armenian churches. There are also non-Catholic churches like the Assyrian Church and Protestant denominations.

Once numbering about 1.5 million, hundreds of thousands of Christians fled sectarian violence after Saddam’s ouster as churches in Baghdad were bombed, kidnappings took place, and other sectarian attacks erupted.

They either headed north or left the country altogether. Christians were driven out of their ancestral homeland in the Ninevah Plain when Islamic State captured that region in 2014. A record number of Christians fled due to their atrocities until its liberation in 2017. Now, Christian numbers in Iraq have dwindled to about 150,000.

The uprooted Christian community, which claims an apostolic origin and still uses Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, is desperate to see its plight end.

Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Yousif Mirkis of Kirkuk estimates that between 40%-45% of the Christians “have returned to the some of their ancestral villages, particularly Qaraqosh.”

There, rebuilding of churches, homes and businesses is taking place mainly with funding from Catholic and other church institutions as well as the Hungarian and U.S. governments, rather than from Baghdad.

For years, Cardinal Sako has lobbied the Iraqi government, dominated by majority Shiite Muslim politicians, to treat Christians and other minorities as equal citizens with equal rights.

He also hopes that Pope Francis’ message of peace and fraternity in Iraq will cap the pontiff’s interfaith outreach to the Muslim world in recent years, now by extending a hand to Shiite Muslims.

“When the head of the church speaks to the Muslim world, we Christians are shown appreciation and respect,” Cardinal Sako said.

A meeting for Pope Francis with one of Shiite Islam’s most authoritative figures, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, is significant in the papal effort to embrace all of the Islamic world. The meeting has been confirmed by the Vatican.

Iraqi Dominican Father Ameer Jaje, an expert on Shiite relations, said a hope would be for Ayatollah al-Sistani to sign onto a document, “On Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” which calls for Christians and Muslims to work together for peace.

A highlight of Francis’ visit to the United Arab Emirates in February 2019 was the signing of the fraternity document together with Sheikh Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of al-Azhar University and the top authority in Sunni Islam.

Father Jaje told CNS by phone from Baghdad that “the meeting will certainly take place in Najaf, where al-Sistani is based.”

The city is 100 miles south of Baghdad, a center of Shiite Islam’s spiritual and political power as well as a pilgrimage site for Shiite adherents.

Long considered a force for stability despite his age of 90, Ayatollah al-Sistani’s loyalty is toward Iraq, as opposed to some co-religionists who look to Iran for backing. He supports the separation of religion and state affairs. In 2017 he also urged all Iraqis, regardless of their religious affiliation or ethnicity, to fight to get rid of Islamic State on behalf of their country.

Observers believe the pope’s meeting with the ayatollah could be highly symbolic for Iraqis, but especially Christians, for whom the encounter could turn a page in their country’s often fraught interfaith relations.

Pope to diplomats: Fraternity, the true remedy to crises and divisions

In his traditional encounter with the ambassadors to the Holy See, Pope Francis reflected on the numerous crises unleashed by the pandemic, and on other problems affecting the world, stressing that the fraternity is the true cure for them. 

Pope Francis met the ambassadors in the Hall of Benediction in St. Peter’s Basilica, maintaining health protocols. The traditional meeting, originally scheduled for January 25, had to be postponed because of the Pope’s sciatica pain. 

Despite the social distancing demanded by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Holy Father noted, their meeting “is meant to be a sign of hope . . . closeness and mutual support to which the family of nations should aspire”.  And in this spirit, he said, he was making his upcoming visit to Iraq in March.

The Holy Father then reviewed some of the crises provoked or laid bare by the pandemic and examined the opportunities they offer to build a more humane, just, supportive and peaceful world. 

Health crisis

The pandemic, the Pope said, has brought humanity face-to-face with two unavoidable dimensions of human existence: sickness and death. They remind us of the value of every individual human life and its dignity, from conception in the womb until its natural end. He lamented that a growing number of legal systems seem to be moving away from their inalienable duty to protect human life at every one of its phases.

The pandemic has reminded us of the right of each human being to dignified care, and that “each human person is an end in himself or herself, and never simply a means to be valued only for his or her usefulness”. “If we deprive the weakest among us of the right to life,” he asked, “how can we effectively guarantee respect for every other right?” He urged political and government leaders to work above all to ensure universal access to basic healthcare, medicines and treatment, pointing out that “concern for profit should not be guiding a field as sensitive as that of healthcare”. He called for an equitable distribution of the vaccines, based not on purely economic criteria but on the needs of all, especially of peoples most in need. In this regard, he urged that access to vaccines must be accompanied by responsible personal behaviour aimed at halting the spread of the virus, employing the necessary measures of prevention. 

Environmental crisis

The pandemic, the Pope continued, has also demonstrated once again that the earth itself is fragile and in need of care. The ecological crisis caused by the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources, he pointed out, is much more complex and enduring, and requires shared long-term solutions. The impact of climate change, such as extreme weather events of flooding and drought, and malnutrition or respiratory disease, entail consequences that persist for a considerable time.

While stressing the need for international cooperation to overcome these crises of our common home, Pope Francis hopes that the November United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), will effectively address the consequences of climate change. 

In this regard, he recalled the repercussions of climate change on several regions of the world. Numerous small islands in the Pacific Ocean are in danger of gradually disappearing; while floods in Southeast Asia, especially in Vietnam and the Philippines, have caused many deaths and destroyed livelihoods; and increased temperatures have caused devastating fires in Australia and California.

In Africa, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger faced acute food insecurity last year with millions suffering from hunger. In South Sudan, where there is a risk of famine with over one million undrenourished children, the Pope urged the country’s authorities to overcome misunderstandings and pursue political dialogue for the sake of full national reconciliation.

Economic and social crises

The restrictions on freedom of movement imposed by governments to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the Pope said, have especially harmed medium-sized and small businesses, adversely affecting employment and consequently the life of families and entire sectors of society, especially those that are most fragile. This economic crisis, he noted, has highlighted another illness of our time: that of an economy based on the exploitation and waste of both people and natural resources. What is needed is an economy that is “at the service of men and women, not vice versa”, an economy that “brings life, not death, one that is inclusive and not exclusive, humane and not dehumanizing, one that cares for the environment and does not despoil it”.

Victims of isolation and closed borders

The pandemic, the Pope continued, has particularly hit those in the informal job sector, with many of them exposed to exploitation through illegal or forced labour, prostitution and various criminal activities, including human trafficking. Economic stability, the Pope said, must be ensured for all, so as to avoid the scourge of exploitation and to combat usury, corruption and other injustices. With longer hours before computers and other media due to the isolation, the poor and unemployed are rendered more vulnerable to cybercrime, including fraud, trafficking in persons, prostitution and child pornography. 

Pope Francis also noted that the closing of borders due to the pandemic, combined with the economic crisis, have also aggravated a number of humanitarian emergencies, such as those in Sudan, sub-Saharan Africa, Mozambique, Yemen and Syria. With regard to economic sanctions on countries, he said, they affect mainly the more vulnerable segments of the population rather than political leaders. He hoped that they will be relaxed with an improved flow of humanitarian aid.

He hoped, too, that the current crisis be an occasion for forgiving, or at least reducing, the debt that burdens poorer countries and prevents their recovery and development.

Migrants and refugees

Speaking about the increased number of migrants and their worsening conditions last year because of closed borders, Pope Francis calls for addressing the root causes that force people to migrate and supporting the countries that host them. 

The Holy Father also noted the dramatic increase in the number of refugees and called for renewed commitment to protect them, together with internally displaced persons and the many vulnerable people forced to flee from persecution, violence, conflicts and wars.  In the central region of the Sahel, he noted, the number of internally displaced persons has increased twentyfold.

Crisis of politics

Pope Francis also noted that political crises have worsened in some countries during the pandemic, such as in Myanmar.  While expressing his closeness to the people of the nation, he lamented that that “the path to democracy undertaken in recent years was brusquely interrupted” by the recent coup. He hoped that the detained political leaders “will be promptly released as a sign of encouragement for a sincere dialogue aimed at the good of the country”.

“The democratic process,” he said, “calls for pursuing the path of inclusive, peaceful, constructive and respectful dialogue among all the components of civil society in every city and nation.” This crisis of politics and of democratic values, he pointed out, is also on the international level, with repercussions on the entire multilateral system. But he also noted encouraging signs such as  progress in the prohibition of nuclear weapons and in arms reduction. 

In this context, the Pope wished that 2021 be the year of the end of the Syrian conflict, of the resumption of direct dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, of stability in Lebanon and of peace in Libya. He expressed concern over the situation in the Central African Republic and in Latin America in general, where, he said, political and social tensions are rooted in profound inequalities, injustices and poverty that offend the dignity of persons. He also expressed concern over tensions in the Korean Peninsula and the South Caucasus.

Terrorism

Pope Francis also expressed concern over the scourge of terrorism, whose attacks, he said, have intensified in the last 20 years, with Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia as well as Europe experiencing it. He particularly regretted attacks on places of worship and reminded authorities of their duty to protect places of worship and defend freedom of thought, conscience and religion. 

Crisis of human relationships

According to the Pope, the most serious crisis of them all is that of "human relationship".  It is "the expression of a general anthropological crisis, dealing with the very conception of the human person and his or her transcendent dignity."  He expressed his conviction that "fraternity is the true cure for the pandemic and the many evils that have affected us ".  "Along with vaccines, fraternity and hope are, as it were, the medicine we need in today’s world,” the Pope said.

The isolation and often loneliness due to the pandemic, he said, have brought out the need of every individual for human relationships. With schools and universities shifting to online educational platforms, a marked disparity in educational and technological opportunities has appeared, with many students falling behind in the natural process of schooling. Calling it a “sort of ‘educational catastrophe’”, he called for a renewed commitment to an education that engages society at every level, because education is a natural antidote to the individualistic culture and indifference.

Marriage and family life, the Pope noted, have also been affected, with many experiencing domestic violence. The pandemic has also had adverse effects on fundamental freedoms, including religious freedom, with restrictions in public worship and in the educational and charitable activities of faith communities. “Even as we seek ways to protect human lives from the spread of the virus, the Pope said, “we cannot view the spiritual and moral dimension of the human person as less important than physical health.” 

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Excerpt:

Our meeting this morning takes place in the more spacious Hall of Blessings, in order to respect the need for greater personal distancing demanded by the pandemic. Yet this distancing is merely physical. Today’s meeting speaks of something very different: it is a sign of the closeness and mutual support to which the family of nations should aspire. In this time of pandemic, the need for such closeness is all the more important, for it is clear that the virus knows no barriers nor can it easily be isolated. Overcoming it is thus a duty incumbent on each of us, as well as our countries.

I am most grateful for your daily efforts to foster relations between the countries or international organizations that you represent and the Holy See. We have been able to exchange many signs of our closeness to one another in the course of these past months, thanks also to the deployment of new technologies that have enabled us to surmount the limitations imposed by the pandemic.

All of us certainly look forward to resuming personal contacts as quickly as possible, and our gathering here today is meant to be a sign of hope in this regard.  I myself wish to resume my Apostolic Visits, beginning with that to Iraq scheduled for this coming March. These Visits are an important sign of the solicitude of the Successor of Peter for God’s People spread throughout the world and the dialogue of the Holy See with states. They also frequently provide an opportunity to promote, in a spirit of sharing and dialogue, good relations between the different religions. In our time, interreligious dialogue is an important component of the encounter between peoples and cultures. When it is viewed not in terms of compromising our own identity but as an occasion of mutual understanding and enrichment, dialogue can become an opportunity for religious leaders and the followers of different confessions, and can support the responsible efforts of political leaders to promote the common good.

Equally important are international agreements that foster mutual trust and enable the Church to cooperate more effectively in the spiritual and social well-being of your countries. In this regard, I would mention the exchange of instruments of ratification of the Framework Agreement between the Holy See and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Agreement on the legal status of the Catholic Church in Burkina Faso, as well as the signing of the Seventh Additional Agreement of the 23 June 1960 Convention Regulating Patrimonial Relations between the Holy See and the Republic of Austria. Additionally, on 22 October 2020, the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China agreed to extend for another two years the Provisional Agreement regarding the Appointment of Bishops in China, signed in Beijing in 2018. The agreement is essentially pastoral in nature, and the Holy See is confident that the process now begun can be pursued in a spirit of mutual respect and trust, and thus further contribute to the resolution of questions of common interest.

Download the full address above.

Human Fraternity Day online event highlights need for solidarity

By Vatican News staff writer

The first-ever International Day of Human Fraternity, commemorated on Thursday, was marked with a virtual event which saw the participation of Pope Francis and several other personalities, including Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi – the host of the online event – the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and other personalities.

One part of the celebration was the presentation of the 2021 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Moroccan-French activist and founder of the Imad Association for Youth and Peace, Latifah Ibn Ziaten.

Inspired by the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity, the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity recognizes individuals who are committed to fostering conditions for peaceful co-existence.

Both Pope Francis and Ahmad Al-Tayyeb signed the Document on Human Fraternity during their historic meeting in Abu Dhabi on 4 February 2019. The Document also inspired the creation of the Higher Committee on Human Fraternity dedicated to realizing the intentions of the document.

A celebration of peace and fraternity

Explaining the significance of the celebration, Judge Mohammed Abdel Salam, the Secretary-General of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, said that the UN resolution to declare 4 February – the date of the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity - as the International Day of Human Fraternity is upheld by Thursday’s celebrations.

He urged young people to dream, to have hope, and to “think about the future with a smile.” He added that we are before the historic Zayed award, to which we all belong and which belongs to us.

Speaking on fraternity and the importance of the Abu Dhabi document, Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, primate of the Anglican Communion, said it is “an inspiring document that points to what we can do together and calls us to act in solidarity for one another.” He added that “it is friendship that matters in changing what we do”, and prayed that we may develop such friendships so that we may work together.

Charles Michel, President of the European Council, said “the more we see each other from afar, the more we see our differences, but the more we look each other in the eye, the more we see our reflection – our common humanity.”

“Dialogue sparks understanding, understanding inspires tolerance, and tolerance leads to respect.” This virtuous chain, Michel continued, “can make peace and fraternity possible”.

Voices of truth bring hope to people

Addressing both Pope Francis and the Grand Imam, Judge Abdel Salam said the Higher Committee has followed their efforts of service to humanity which inspire hope. He expressed happiness as the world celebrates the first-ever International Day of Human Fraternity.

“Your voice that always speaks the truth brings hope to all people,” he said. “At the same time, it encourages millions around the world to walk the same path. In this regard, those voices are highlighted and their owners appreciated through this global initiative represented by the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity."

4 February: an alarm bell for the world

The Grand Imam, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, highlighted that the Document on Human Fraternity calls for cooperation, an end to wars and the promotion of tolerance and harmony.

He expressed hope that the annual celebration of this International Day would be “an alarm bell for the world and its leaders,” urging them to “entrench the principles of human fraternity.”

The Grand Imam went on to reaffirm his resolve to continue working for peace, alongside other proponents for peace, noting that for the Document on Human Fraternity to become lived reality we need determination and the firm belief that “people are all brothers who have the right to live in peace” in spite of the diversity between them.

Fraternity: a new frontier for humanity

Pope Francis stressed the importance of committing to fraternity, because “it is the new frontier of humanity.” He stressed that we are all brothers and sisters and as such, “there is no time for indifference” because we are either brothers and sisters “or everything falls apart.”

Fraternity, the Pope continued, “means an outstretched hand. Fraternity means respect. Fraternity means listening with an open heart. Fraternity means firmness in one’s own convictions” because “there is no true fraternity if one’s convictions are negotiated.

Working for unity despite challenges

In his acceptance speech, Zayed award recipient and UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, expressed his gratitude, seeing it also as a recognition of the work of the UN in promoting peace and human dignity in the world.

He highlighted that despite the challenges of the times, including the ongoing pandemic, climate change and other threats from war and conflict, racism, violent extremism and discrimination, the leadership of the Pope and the Grand Imam continue to push humankind to come together in unity, in dialogue, to promote peace and fraternity.

Guterres reiterated the UN’s willingness to assist to amplify efforts towards promoting human unity and global peace.

We must break barriers of hatred

The second 2021 Zayed Award honoree - civil society activist and founder of the Imad Association for Youth and Peace - Latifah Ibn Ziaten also expressed her gratitude for the award.

She noted that the recognition would be of great help in her work of reaching out to many children, protecting them from “falling into hatred.” She added that even though she lost her son, and she carries a deep wound that will never be healed, she is now “a second mother” to so many other children.

“As I say to every child," she added, “if we can break the barriers in our hearts, we’ll find our place in society and we’ll all be brothers. But we must really break these barriers.”

Pope Francis on Human Fraternity: We are all born of the same Father

By Vatican News staff writer

Pope Francis marked the first-ever International Day of Human Fraternity on Thursday, in a virtual event hosted by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi, with the participation of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and other personalities.

During the occasion, the Holy Father, in words prepared for the occasion, expressed his gratitude to those who had contributed to the promotion of fraternity in spite of the challenges.

“Sisters and brothers - that is the word,” the Pope said. “Sisters and brothers to affirm fraternity in a special way to you, my brother, my friend, my companion of challenges and risks in the struggle for fraternity.”

The Pope offered special recognition to the Grand Imam, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, for his testimony and collaboration in writing the document presented two years ago. Pope Francis also expressed his gratitude to the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, for his belief in the project, and Judge Abdel Salam for his active participation in its advancement.

“Thank you all for committing to fraternity,” Pope Francis said, “because today fraternity is the new frontier of humanity. Either we are brothers, or we destroy each other.”

Not a time for indifference

Pope Francis went on to insist that “today, there is no time for indifference” and “we cannot wash our hands” of the present situation with distance, disregard and contempt. He affirmed that we are either brothers and sisters, “or everything falls apart,” adding that this is the frontier on which we have to build - “the challenge of our century and the challenge of our times.”

Fraternity, the Pope continued, “means an outstretched hand. Fraternity means respect. Fraternity means listening with an open heart. Fraternity means firmness in one’s own convictions” because “there is no true fraternity if one’s convictions are negotiated.”

Brothers and sisters despite differences

Pope Francis also emphasized that despite differences in cultures and traditions, we are brothers and sisters, "born of the same Father.” In this regard, fraternity must be built, not by negotiation, but through respect for our different cultures and traditions.

“It is the moment of listening. It is the moment of sincere acceptance. It is the moment of certainty that a world without brothers is a world of enemies,” the Pope said.

He further underscored that “we cannot say we are either brothers or not brothers,” stressing rather that “we are either brothers or enemies” because indifference is “a very subtle form of enmity.”

“We do not need to be at war to be enemies, disregarding each other is enough,” the Pope said, adding that it is time to stop the attitude of looking the other way and ignoring others as if they did not exist.

2021 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity

A part of the celebrations for the International Day of Human Fraternity is the presentation of the 2021 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and Moroccan-French activist, Latifa Ibn Ziaten.

Addressing the UN Secretary-General, Pope Francis congratulated him for the award and expressed gratitude for his efforts towards promoting peace “that will only be achieved with a fraternal heart.”

Directing his attention towards the second 2021 Zayed Award honoree, Latifa Ibn Ziaten, the Pope acknowledged her inspiring testimony of painfully losing a child yet channeling her pain towards fostering love and fraternity.

“Yes, sister, your words are not hearsay or a conventional ‘we are all brothers’: they are a conviction. A conviction embodied in pain, in your wounds,” the Pope said.

“Thank you for your testimony," said Pope Francis. "And thank you for being the mother of your son, of so many boys and girls, for being the mother today of this humanity that is listening to you and learns from you: either the path of fraternity, of brotherhood, or we lose everything.”

The Pope of Rome, the Grand Imam of Cairo, and the official World Day of Fraternity

4 February has entered the world’s calendar of significant commemorations.

On that day in 2019, during his apostolic journey to the United Arab Emirates, Pope Francis co-signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together along with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar (Cairo), Ahmad Al-Tayyeb. This Document raises the great themes which, 20 months later, would be taken up and developed in the Encyclical Fratelli tutti.

The unprecedented encounter in Abu Dhabi soon inspired the creation of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity. The members, an international group of religious and cultural leaders and scholars, are dedicated to sharing the Document’s message of mutual understanding leading to peace. The Committee plans to establish an Abrahamic Family House with a synagogue, a church and a mosque facing each other around a commons on Saadiyat Island in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

On 21 December 2020, the United Nations General Assembly designated 4 February as the International Day of Human Fraternity. In the January 2021 edition of the Pope Video, titled “At the service of human fraternity,” the Holy Father highlights the importance of focusing on what is essential to the beliefs of all religions: worship of God and love of neighbour. “Fraternity leads us to open ourselves to the Father of all and to see in the other a brother, a sister, to share life, or to support one another, to love, to know.”

The Holy See’s planning for this inaugural International Day of Human Fraternity has taken place under the leadership of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. The Council was created in 1964 by Pope Paul VI to work on relations and dialogue between the Catholic Church and the faithful of other religions. It holds interreligious meetings, publishes a variety of materials, and collaborates with bishops and episcopal conferences on matters related to interreligious dialogue. Here is the first IDHF video in various languages.

Today, 4 February, Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb are participating virtually in an event hosted by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, with the participation of United Nations Secretary-General António Guteres and other personalities. The event is being broadcast on Vatican News at 8:30 a.m. (EST).

Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, says the celebration “responds to a clear call that Pope Francis has been making to all humanity to build a present of peace in the encounter with the other.” He adds that “in October 2020, that invitation became even more vivid with the Encyclical Fratelli tutti” and comments that “these meetings are a way to achieve true social friendship, as the Holy Father asks of us.”

Judge Mohamed Mahmoud Abdel Salam, secretary general of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity agrees with this perspective. In his presentation at the conference launching Fratelli tutti, he remarked that “In this decisive phase of human history, we are at a crossroads: on the one hand, universal fraternity in which humanity rejoices, and on the other, an acute misery that will increase the suffering and deprivation of people.”

In the future, starting in 2022, with the experience of this first celebration of the International Day of Human Fraternity and with more time to prepare, the local Churches will be encouraged and helped to participate actively with intercultural and interreligious events marking this date.

At yesterday’s weekly audience, Pope Francis said: "I am very pleased that the nations of the entire world are joining in this celebration, aimed at promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue… The U.N. resolution recognizes 'the contribution that dialogue among all religious groups can make towards an improved awareness and understanding of the common values shared by all humankind.' May this be our prayer today and our commitment every day of the year."

3 February 2021

Appeal by the Holy Father

At the end of the general audience, Pope Francis made the following appeal:

Tomorrow marks the First International Day of Human Fraternity, established by a recent Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly. This initiative also takes note of the meeting on 4 February 2019 in Abu Dhabi, when the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyib and I signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together. I am very pleased that the nations of the entire world are joining in this celebration, aimed at promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue. Tomorrow afternoon, I will take part in a virtual meeting with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, with the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr António Guterres, and other leaders. The UN Resolution recognizes “the contribution that dialogue among all religious groups can make towards an improved awareness and understanding of the common values shared by all humankind”. May this be our prayer today and our commitment every day of the year. Translation from Italian [00150-EN.01]  

Traduzione in lingua francese 

Demain sera célébrée la Première Journée Internationale de la Fraternité Humaine, comme l’a établi une récente Résolution de l’Assemblée Générale des Nations Unies. Cette initiative tient compte aussi de la rencontre du 4 février 2019 à Abu Dhabi, lorsque moi-même et le Grand Imam d’Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, nous avons signé le Document sur la fraternité humaine pour la paix mondiale et la coexistence commune. Je suis très heureux que les Nations du monde entier s’unissent dans cette célébration, visant à promouvoir le dialogue interreligieux et interculturel. C’est pourquoi demain après-midi je participerai à une rencontre virtuelle avec le Grand Imam d’Al-Azhar, avec le Secrétaire Général des Nations Unies, Monsieur António Guterres, et avec d’autres personnalités. La Résolution susmentionnée de l’ONU reconnaît « la contribution que le dialogue entre tous les groupes religieux peut apporter pour améliorer la conscience et la compréhension des valeurs communes partagées par toute l’humanité ». Que ce soit aujourd’hui notre prière et que ce soit notre engagement chaque jour de l’année.

lingua italiano (original)
Domani si celebrerà la Prima Giornata Internazionale della Fratellanza Umana, come stabilito da una recente Risoluzione dell’Assemblea Generale delle Nazioni Unite. Tale iniziativa tiene conto anche dell’incontro del 4 febbraio 2019 ad Abu Dhabi, quando io e il Grande Imam di Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, abbiamo firmato il Documento sulla Fratellanza Umana per la pace mondiale e la convivenza comune. Sono molto lieto che le Nazioni del mondo intero si uniscano in questa celebrazione, volta a promuovere il dialogo interreligioso e interculturale. Perciò domani pomeriggio parteciperò a un incontro virtuale con il Grande Imam di Al-Azhar, con il Segretario Generale delle Nazioni Unite, Signor António Guterres, e con altre personalità. La citata Risoluzione dell’ONU riconosce «il contributo che il dialogo tra tutti i gruppi religiosi può apportare per migliorare la consapevolezza e la comprensione dei valori comuni condivisi da tutta l’umanità». Che questa sia oggi la nostra preghiera e che sia il nostro impegno ogni giorno dell’anno.  

Traduzione in lingua spagnola 
Mañana se celebrará la Primera Jornada Internacional de la Fraternidad Humana, que estableció recientemente una Resolución de la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas. Esta iniciativa también tiene en cuenta el encuentro del 4 de febrero de 2019 en Abu Dhabi, cuando el Gran Imán de Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, y yo firmamos el Documento sobre la Fraternidad humana para la paz mundial y la convivencia común. Me complace mucho que las naciones de todo el mundo se unan a esta celebración, destinada a promover el diálogo interreligioso e intercultural. Por ello, mañana por la tarde participaré en un encuentro virtual con el Gran Imán de Al-Azhar, con el Secretario General de las Naciones Unidas, Sr. António Guterres, y con otras personalidades. La citada Resolución de la ONU reconoce «la contribución que el diálogo entre todos los grupos religiosos puede aportar para que se conozcan y se comprendan mejor los valores comunes compartidos por toda la humanidad». Que esta sea nuestra oración hoy y nuestro compromiso durante todos los días del año.

Traduzione in lingua portoghese 
Celebra-se amanhã o primeiro Dia Internacional da Fraternidade Humana, como estabelecido numa recente Resolução da Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas. Esta iniciativa teve em conta também o encontro de 4 de fevereiro de 2019, em Abu Dhabi, quando eu e o Grande Imã de Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, assinamos o Documento sobre a Fraternidade Humana em prol da paz mundial e da convivência comum. Muito me alegra ver as nações do mundo inteiro unidas nesta celebração, que visa promover o diálogo inter-religioso e intercultural. Por isso, amanhã de tarde, tomarei parte num encontro virtual com o Grande Imã de Al-Azhar, o Secretário-Geral das Nações Unidas, António Guterres, e outras personalidades. A referida Resolução da ONU reconhece «a contribuição que o diálogo entre todos os grupos religiosos pode prestar para melhorar a consciência e a compreensão dos valores comuns partilhados por toda a humanidade». Por esta intenção, seja a nossa oração de hoje e o nosso compromisso de todos os dias do ano.

[VIDEO_5]

Pope Francis Prayer for Fraternity

January 2021

Click on the link to launch the video:

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-01/pope-s-january-prayer-intention-at-the-service-of-fraternity.html

ANGELUS OF POPE FRANCIS - JANUARY 1, 2021

Dear brothers and sisters, good afternoon and happy New Year!

We begin this year placing ourselves under the maternal and loving gaze of Mary Most Holy, celebrated in today’s liturgy as Mother of God. Thus we take up once again the journey along the paths of history, entrusting our anxieties and our torments to her who can do everything. Mary watches over us with maternal tenderness just as she watched over her Son Jesus, and if we look at the Nativity Scene, we see that Jesus is not in the crib,and they told me that the Madonna said: “Won’t you let me hold this Son of mine a bit in my arms?” This is what the Madonna does with us: she wants to hold us in her harms to protect us as she protected and loved her Son. The reassuring and comforting gaze of the Holy Virgin is an encouragement to make sure that this time, granted us by the Lord, might be spent for our human and spiritual growth, that it be a time in which hatred and division are resolved, and there are many, that it be a time to experience ourselves as brothers and sisters, a time to build and not to destroy, to take care of each other and of creation. A time to make things grow a time of peace.

It is specifically regarding the care of our neighbours and of creation that the theme for the World Day of Peace, which we celebrate today, is dedicated: A Culture of Care as a Path to Peace. The painful events that marked humanity’s journey last year, especially the pandemic, taught us how much it is necessary to take an interest in others’ problems and to share their concerns. This attitude represents the path that leads to peace, because it fosters the construction of a society founded on fraternal relationships. Each of us, men and women of this time, is called to make peace happen, each one of us, we are not indifferent to this. We are called to make peace happen each day and in every place we live, taking those brothers and sisters by the hand who need a comforting word, a tender gesture, solidary help. This is a task given us by God. The Lord has given us the task of being peacemakers.

And peace can become a reality if we begin to be in peace with ourselves – at peace inside, in our hearts – and with ourselves, and with those who are near us, removing the obstacles that prevent us from taking care of those who find themselves in need and in indigence. It means developing a mentality and a culture of “care taking” to defeat indifference, to defeat rejection and rivalry – indifference, rejection, rivalry which unfortunately prevail. To remove these attitudes. And thus, peace is not only the absence of war, peace is never sterile: no, peace does not exist in a quirofano (an operating room). Peace is within life: it is not only the absence of war, but is a life rich in meaning, rooted in and lived through personal realisation and fraternal sharing with others. Then that peace, so longed for and always endangered by violence, by egoism and evil, that peace that is endangered might become possible and achievable if I take it as a task given to me by God.

May the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to the “Prince of Peace” (Is 9:6), and who cuddles him thus, with such tenderness in her arms, obtain for us from heaven the precious gift of peace, which cannot be fully pursued with human force alone. Human force is not enough because peace is above all a gift, a gift to be implored from God with incessant prayer, sustained with patient and respectful dialogue, constructed with an open collaboration with truth and justice and always attentive to the legitimate aspirations of individuals and peoples. My hope is that peace might reign in the hearts of men and women and in families, in recreational and work places, in communities and in nations. In families, at work, in nations: peace, peace. Now is time to think that life today is organised around war, and enmities, by many things that destroy. We want peace. And this is a gift.

On the threshold of this beginning, I extend to everyone my heart-felt greetings for a happy and serene 2021. May each one of us make sure that it be for everyone a year of fraternal solidarity and peace, a year filled with expectant trust and hope, which we entrust to the heavenly protection of Mary, Mother of God and our Mother.

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE
 FRANCIS
  FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE
 54th WORLD DAY OF PEACE

1 JANUARY 2021

A CULTURE OF CARE AS A PATH TO PEACE

1. At the dawn of a new year, I extend cordial greetings to Heads of State and Government, leaders of International Organizations, spiritual leaders and followers of the different religions, and to men and women of good will. To all I offer my best wishes that the coming year will enable humanity to advance on the path of fraternity, justice and peace between individuals, communities, peoples and nations.

The year 2020 was marked by the massive Covid-19 health crisis, which became a global phenomenon cutting across boundaries, aggravating deeply interrelated crises like those of the climate, food, the economy and migration, and causing great suffering and hardship. I think especially of all those who lost family members or loved ones, and all who lost their jobs. I think too of physicians and nurses, pharmacists, researchers, volunteers, chaplains and the personnel of hospitals and healthcare centres.  They have made, and are continuing to make, great sacrifices to be present to the sick, to alleviate their sufferings and to save their lives; indeed, many of them have died in the process. In paying tribute to them, I renew my appeal to political leaders and the private sector to spare no effort to ensure access to Covid-19 vaccines and to the essential technologies needed to care for the sick, the poor and those who are most vulnerable.[1]

Sad to say, alongside all these testimonies of love and solidarity, we have also seen a surge in various forms of nationalism, racism and xenophobia, and wars and conflicts that bring only death and destruction in their wake.

These and other events that marked humanity’s path this past year have taught us how important it is to care for one another and for creation in our efforts to build a more fraternal society. That is why I have chosen as the title of this year’s Message, A Culture of Care as a Path to Peace. A culture of care as a way to combat the culture of indifference, waste and confrontation so prevalent in our time.

2. God the Creator, the source of our human vocation to care

Many religious traditions have accounts of the origin of human beings and their relationship with the Creator, with nature and with their fellow men and women. In the Bible, the Book of Genesis shows from its very first pages the importance of care or protection in God’s plan for humanity. It highlights the relationship between man (’adam) and the earth (’adamah), and among ourselves as brothers and sisters. In the biblical account of creation, God entrusts the garden “planted in Eden” (cf. Gen 2:8) to Adam’s care, to “till it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). This entails making the earth productive, while at the same time protecting it and preserving its capacity to support life.[2] The verbs “till” and “keep” describe Adam’s relationship to his garden home, but also the trust God placed in him by making him master and guardian of all creation.

The birth of Cain and Abel begins a history of brothers and sisters, whose relationship is understood – even by Cain, however mistakenly – in terms of protection or “keeping”. After killing his brother Abel, Cain answers God’s question by saying: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9).[3] Cain, like all of us, was called to be “his brother’s keeper”. “These ancient stories, full of symbolism, bear witness to a conviction which we today share, that everything is interconnected, and that genuine care for our own lives and our relationship with nature is inseparable from fraternity, justice and faithfulness to others”.[4]

3. God the Creator, a model of care

Sacred Scripture presents God not only as Creator, but also as one who cares for his creatures, especially Adam, Eve and their offspring. Albeit cursed for the crime he committed, Cain was given a mark of protection by the Creator, so that his life could be spared (cf. Gen 4:15). While confirming the inviolable dignity of the person created in God’s image and likeness, this was also a sign of God’s plan to preserve the harmony of his creation, since “peace and violence cannot dwell together”.[5]

Care for creation was at the heart of the institution of the Sabbath, which, in addition to ordering divine worship, aimed at the restoration of the social order and concern for the poor (cf. Gen 1:1-3; Lev 25:4). The celebration of the Jubilee every seventh sabbatical year provided a respite for the land, for slaves and for those in debt.  In that year of grace, those in greatest need were cared for and given a new chance in life, so that there would be no poor among the people (cf. Deut 15:4).

In the prophetic tradition, the biblical understanding of justice found its highest expression in the way a community treats its weakest members. Amos (cf. 2:6-8; 8) and Isaiah (cf. 58), in particular, insistently demand justice for the poor, who, in their vulnerability and powerlessness, cry out and are heard by God, who watches over them (cf. Ps 34:7; 113:7-8).

4. Care in the ministry of Jesus

Jesus’ life and ministry represent the supreme revelation of the Father’s love for humanity (cf. Jn 3:16). In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus showed himself to be the one consecrated by the Lord and “sent to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Lk 4:18). These messianic actions, associated with the Jubilee year, bear eloquent witness to the mission he received from the Father. In his compassion, Christ drew near to the sick in body and spirit, and brought them healing; he pardoned sinners and gave them new life. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep (cf. Jn 10:11-18; Ezek 34:1-31). He is the Good Samaritan who stoops to help the injured man, binds his wounds and cares for him (cf. Lk 10:30-37).

At the culmination of his mission, Jesus gave the ultimate proof of his care for us by offering himself on the cross to set us free from the slavery of sin and death. By the sacrificial gift of his life, he opened for us the path of love. To each of us he says, “Follow me; go and do likewise” (cf. Lk 10:37).

5. A culture of care in the life of Jesus’ followers

The spiritual and corporal works of mercy were at the heart of charity as practised by the early Church. The first generation of Christians shared what they had, so that no one among them would be in need (cf. Acts 4:34-35). They strove to make their community a welcoming home, concerned for every human need and ready to care for those most in need. It became customary to make voluntary offerings in order to feed the poor, bury the dead and care for orphans, the elderly and victims of disasters like shipwrecks. In later times, when the generosity of Christians had lost its initial fervour, some Fathers of the Church insisted that property was meant by God for the common good. For Saint Ambrose, “nature poured out all things for the common use of all…  and thus produced a common right for all, but greed has made it a right for only a few”.[6] After the persecutions of the first centuries, the Church used her newfound freedom to inspire society and its culture. “The needs of the times called forth new efforts in the service of Christian charity. History records innumerable examples of practical works of mercy… The Church’s work among the poor was to a great extent highly organized. There arose many institutions for the relief of every human need: hospitals, poor houses, orphanages, foundling homes, shelters for travelers ...”[7]

6. The principles of the Church’s social doctrine as the basis for a culture of care

The diakonia of the Church’s origins, enriched by the reflection of the Fathers and enlivened over the centuries by the active charity of many luminous witnesses to the faith, became the beating heart of the Church’s social doctrine.  This doctrine is offered to all people of good will as a precious patrimony of principles, criteria and proposals that can serve as a “grammar” of care: commitment to promoting the dignity of each human person, solidarity with the poor and vulnerable, the pursuit of the common good and concern for protection of creation.

Care as promotion of the dignity and rights of each person

“The very concept of the person, which originated and developed in Christianity, fosters the pursuit of a fully human development. Person always signifies relationship, not individualism; it affirms inclusion, not exclusion, unique and inviolable dignity, not exploitation”.[8] Each human person is an end in himself or herself, and never simply a means to be valued only for his or her usefulness. Persons are created to live together in families, communities and societies, where all are equal in dignity. Human rights derive from this dignity, as do human duties, like the responsibility to welcome and assist the poor, the sick, the excluded, every one of our “neighbours, near or far in space and time”.[9]

Care for the common good

Every aspect of social, political and economic life achieves its fullest end when placed at the service of the common good, in other words, “the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfilment more fully and more easily”.[10] Consequently, our plans and projects should always take into account their effects on the entire human family, and consider their consequences for the present and for coming generations. The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us the truth and timeliness of this fact.  In the face of the pandemic, “we have realized that we are in the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together”,[11] since “no one reaches salvation by themselves”[12] and no state can ensure the common good of its population if it remains isolated.[13]

Care through solidarity

Solidarity concretely expresses our love for others, not as a vague sentiment but as 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”.[14] Solidarity helps us to regard others – whether as individuals or, more broadly, as peoples or nations – as more than mere statistics, or as a means to be used and then discarded once no longer useful, but as our neighbours, companions on our journey, called like ourselves to partake of the banquet of life to which all are equally invited by God.

Care and protection of creation

The Encyclical Laudato Si’ is fully aware that all creation is interconnected. It also highlights our need to listen to the cry of the poor and, at the same time, to the cry of creation. Constant and attentive listening leads in turn to effective care for the earth, our common home, and for our brothers and sisters in need. Here I would once again point out that “a sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be authentic if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings”.[15] “Peace, justice and care for creation are three inherently connected questions, which cannot be separated in such a way as to be treated individually, lest we fall back into reductionism”.[16]

7. A compass pointing to a common path

At a time dominated by a culture of waste, faced with growing inequalities both within and between nations,[17] I urge government leaders and those of international organizations, business leaders, scientists, communicators and educators, to take up these principles as a “compass” capable of pointing out a common direction and ensuring “a more humane future”[18] in the process of globalization. This will enable us to esteem the value and dignity of every person, to act together in solidarity for the common good, and to bring relief to those suffering from poverty, disease, slavery, armed conflicts, and discrimination. I ask everyone to take this compass in hand and to become a prophetic witness of the culture of care, working to overcome the many existing social inequalities. This can only come about through a widespread and meaningful involvement on the part of women, in the family and in every social, political and institutional sphere.

The compass of these social principles, so essential for the growth of a culture of care, also points to the need for relationships between nations to be inspired by fraternity, mutual respect, solidarity and the observance of international law. In this regard, we must recognize the need to defend and promote fundamental human rights, which are inalienable, universal and indivisible.[19]

Likewise urgent is the need to respect humanitarian law, especially at this time when conflicts and wars continue uninterrupted. Tragically, many regions and communities can no longer remember a time when they dwelt in security and peace. Numerous cities have become epicentres of insecurity: citizens struggle to maintain their normal routine in the face of indiscriminate attacks by explosives, artillery and small arms. Children are unable to study. Men and women cannot work to support their families. Famine is spreading in places where it was previously unknown. People are being forced to take flight, leaving behind not only their homes but also their family history and their cultural roots.

While such conflicts have many causes, the result is always the same: destruction and humanitarian crises. We need to stop and ask ourselves what has led our world to see conflict as something normal, and how our hearts can be converted and our ways of thinking changed, in order to work for true peace in solidarity and fraternity.

How many resources are spent on weaponry, especially nuclear weapons,[20] that could be used for more significant priorities such as ensuring the safety of individuals, the promotion of peace and integral human development, the fight against poverty, and the provision of health care. Global problems like the present Covid-19 pandemic and climate change have only made these challenges all the more evident. What a courageous decision it would be to “establish a ‘Global Fund’ with the money spent on weapons and other military expenditures, in order to permanently eliminate hunger and contribute to the development of the poorest countries”![21]

8. Educating for a culture of care

Promoting a culture of care calls for a process of education. The “compass” of social principles can prove useful and reliable in a variety of interrelated contexts. Let me offer a few examples:

- Educating people to care begins in the family, the natural and fundamental nucleus of society, in which we learn how to live and relate to others in a spirit of mutual respect. Yet families need to be empowered to carry out this vital and indispensable task.

- Together with the family, schools and universities – and, in some respects, the communications media – are also responsible for education.[22] They are called to pass on a system of values based on the recognition of the dignity of each person, each linguistic, ethnic and religious community and each people, as well as the fundamental rights arising from that recognition. Education is one of the pillars of a more just and fraternal society.

- Religions in general, and religious leaders in particular, can play an indispensable role in handing on to their followers, and to society at large, the values of solidarity, respect for differences, and concern for our brothers and sisters in need. Here I think of the words spoken in 1969 by Pope Paul VI to the Ugandan Parliament: “Have no fear of the Church; she honours 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”.[23]

- Once more I encourage all those engaged in public service and in international organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, and all those others who in various ways are involved in the areas of education and research, to work towards the goal of a “more open and inclusive education, involving patient listening, constructive dialogue and better mutual understanding”.[24] It is my hope that this appeal, made in the context of the Global Compact on Education, will be broadly acknowledged and accepted.

9. There can be no peace without a culture of care

The culture of care thus calls for a common, supportive and inclusive commitment to protecting and promoting the dignity and good of all, a willingness to show care and compassion, to work for reconciliation and healing, and to advance mutual respect and acceptance. As such, it represents a privileged path to peace. “In many parts of the world, there is a need for paths of peace to heal open wounds. There is also a need for peacemakers, men and women prepared to work boldly and creatively to initiate processes of healing and renewed encounter”.[25]

At a time like this, when the barque of humanity, tossed by the storm of the current crisis, struggles to advance towards a calmer and more serene horizon, the “rudder” of human dignity and the “compass” of fundamental social principles can enable us together to steer a sure course. As Christians, we should always look to Our Lady, Star of the Sea and Mother of Hope. May we work together to advance towards a new horizon of love and peace, of fraternity and solidarity, of mutual support and acceptance. May we never yield to the temptation to disregard others, especially those in greatest need, and to look the other way;[26] instead, may we strive daily, in concrete and practical ways, “to form a community composed of brothers and sisters who accept and care for one another”.[27]

From the Vatican, 8 December 2020

Franciscus

[1] Cf. Video Message to the Seventy-fifth Meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations, 25 September 2020.

[2] Cf. Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ (24 May 2015), 67.

[3] Cf. “Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace”, Message for the 2014 World Day of Peace (8 December 2013), 2.

[4] Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ (24 May 2015), 70.

[5] PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, No. 488.

[6] De Officiis, 1, 28, 132: PL 16, 67.

[7] K. BIHLMEYER-H. TÜCHLE, Church History, vol. 1, Westminster, The Newman Press, 1958, pp. 373, 374.

[8] Address to Participants in the Conference organized by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development to mark the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Encyclical Populorum Progressio (4 April 2017).

[9] Message for the Twenty-second Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22), 10 November 2016. Cf. INTERDICASTERIAL ROUNDTABLE OF THE HOLY SEE ON INTEGRAL ECOLOGY, Journeying Towards Care for Our Common Home: Five Years after Laudato Si’, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 31 May 2020.

[10] SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes, 26.

[11] Extraordinary Moment of Prayer in Time of Epidemic, 27 March 2020.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Cf. Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti (3 October 2020), 8; 153.

[14] SAINT JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (30 December 1987), 38.

[15] Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ (24 May 2015), 91.

[16] EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Pastoral Letter Sobre la relación del hombre con la naturaleza (21 January 1987); cf. Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ (24 May 2015), 92.

[17] Cf. Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti (3 October 2020), 125.

[18] Ibid., 29.

[19] Cf. Message to Participants in the International Conference “Human Rights in the Contemporary World: Achievements, Omissions, Negations”, Rome, 10-11 December 2018.

[20] Cf. Message to the United Nations Conference to Negotiate a Legally Binding Instrument to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons, Leading Towards their Total Elimination, 23 March 2017.

[21] Video Message for the 2020 World Food Day (16 October 2020).

[22] Cf. BENEDICT XVI, “Educating Young People in Justice and Peace”, Message for the 2012 World Day of Peace, (8 December 2011), 2; “Overcome Indifference and Win Peace”, Message for the 2016 World Day of Peace, (8 December 2015), 6.

[23] Address to the Parliament of Uganda, Kampala, 1 August 1969.

[24] Message for the Launch of the Global Compact on Education, 12 September 2019.

[25] Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti (3 October 2020), 225.

[26] Cf. ibid., 64.

[27] Ibid., 96; cf. “Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace”, Message for the 2014 World Day of Peace (8 December 2013), 1.

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