Pope Francis Message for the World Day of Peace

January 1st 2014

"Fraternity,

the Foundation and Pathway to Peace"

1. Introduction

• In the heart of every person is a longing for fraternity

• To see others not as enemies or rivals but brothers and sisters

• Fraternity is essential, for we are relational beings

• Without Fraternity it is impossible to build a just society and lasting peace

• Fraternity is first learned in the family• The family is the foundation and first pathway to

peace in the world

1. Introduction

• The call to Fraternity in the world is inhibited by a "globalization of indifference"

• Many offences against human rights, especially the right to life and freedom of religion

• Alongside armed conflicts are economic and financial conflicts

• “Globalization makes us neighbors, but does not make us brothers.” (Pope Benedict XVI Caritas in Veritatae)

• There is a lack of both fraternity, and of a culture of Solidarity

1. Introduction

– "New ideologies, characterized by rampant individualism, egocentrism and materialistic consumerism, weaken social bonds, fuelling that "throw away" culture mentality which leads to contempt for, and abandonment of, the weakest and those considered "useless".

• Contemporary ethical systems cannot produce genuine fraternity, which needs reference to a common Father. True brotherhood among peoples demands a transcendent Fatherhood.

2. God's Plan for Fraternity

• "Where is your brother?" Genesis 4:9• To understand God's plan for Fraternity, it is

necessary to turn to Scripture.• According to the Biblical account of Creation, all

people are descended from common parents, Adam and Eve, thus all are bothers and sisters.

• Cain and Abel are called to a vocation as brothers, but Cain kills Abel out of jealousy. Why did Cain disregard the bonds of fraternity? Cain gives in to evil and scorns God's plan. This denial of fraternity is the root of wars and injustice.

3. Can men and women in this world ever fully respond to the longing for fraternity placed within them by God?

• Jesus says, "For you have only one Father, who is God, and you are all brothers and sisters." (Mt 23:8-9) God's love for each person generates fraternity, because it transforms our lives and our relationships with others.

• Human fraternity is regenerated in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has made us a new humanity, in full communion with the will of God.

• Jesus becomes the definitive and new principle of us all. He himself is the New Covenant, in his person we are reconciled with God and with each other as brothers and sisters. Ephesians 2:14-16

• The reconciled person sees God as the Father of all, and is spurred on to live a life of fraternity with all.

4. Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace

• The Social Encyclicals written by Pope Francis' predecessors are very helpful in showing this.

• Pope Paul VI, Populorum Progressio, "The integral development of peoples is the new definition of peace"

• Pope John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, peace is an 'opus solidaritas' a work of solidarity

• Paul VI stated that individuals and nations must encounter each other in a spirit of fraternity. Three particular ways:– The Duty of Solidarity - richer nations must help the less developed– The Duty of Social Justice - greater fairness between stronger and

weaker peoples– The Duty of Universal Charity - the promotion of a more humane world

for all, in which all have something to give and to receive

4. Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace

• Pope John Paul II taught that peace is 'opus solidaritatis' - a work of solidarity

• Fraternity is the principle foundation of Solidarity• Peace is an indivisible good: either it is the good of all or

it is the good of none. • Solidarity is "a firm and persevering determination to

commit oneself to the common good"• This means not being guided by a desire for profit or a

thirst for power.• To serve other people rather than to exploit them

4. Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace

• Christian solidarity presumes that our neighbor is loved not only as a bearer of rights and equality, but as "the living image of God the Father, redeemed by the blood of Christ and placed under the permanent action of the Holy Spirit ."

• This brings to our vision of the world a new criterion for interpreting it and changing it.

5. Fraternity, a Prerequisite for Fighting Poverty

• Pope Benedict XVI wrote in Caritas in Veritatae that lack of fraternity is a significant cause of poverty. – Poverty of Relationships - lack of solid family

and community relationships– Reduction in Absolute Poverty - to be

welcomed– Serious rise in Relative Poverty - inequality

between people and groups

5. Fraternity, a Prerequisite for Fighting Poverty

– "Effective policies are needed to promote the principle of fraternity, securing for people - who are equal in dignity and fundamental rights - access to capital, services, educational resources, healthcare and technology so that every person has the opportunity to express and realize his or her life project and can develop fully as a person."

• There is also a need for policies to lessen the excessive imbalance between incomes.

• Another form of promoting fraternity is to share one's own wealth with others.

6. The Rediscovery of Fraternity in the Economy

• In 1979 Pope John Paul II pointed out a danger of people becoming manipulated, even unknowingly, through– the whole of the organization of community

life– through the production system– through pressure from the mass media

• A Question: do we see people being manipulated in this way?

6. The Rediscovery of Fraternity in the Economy

• The succession of economic crises lead to a rethinking of our models for economic development, and to a change in lifestyles.

• It is also timely to rediscover the four Cardinal Virtues, which are necessary for building and preserving a society in accord with human dignity:– Prudence– Temperance– Justice– Courage

7. Fraternity Extinguishes War

• Many conflicts are taking place in the world, and are often met with indifference. The mission of Pope Francis and of the whole Church is to bring Christ's love to the victims of war, through her prayers and service.– "I appeal forcefully to all those who sow violence and death by

force of arms: in the person you today see simply as an enemy to be beaten, discover rather your brother or sister, and hold back your hand! Give up the way of arms and go out to meet the other in dialogue, pardon and reconciliation, in order to rebuild justice, trust and hope around you!"

– "Nevertheless, as long as so great a quantity of arms are in circulation as at present, new pretexts can always be found for initiating hostilities. For this reason, I make my own the appeal of my predecessors for the non-proliferation of arms and for disarmament of all parties, beginning with nuclear and chemical weapons disarmament."

8. Corruption and Organized Crime Threaten Fraternity

• Fraternity generates social peace because it creates a balance:– between freedom and justice,– between personal responsibility and solidarity, – between the good of individuals and the common good.

• And so a political community must act in a transparent and responsible way to favour all this. Citizens must feel themselves represented by the public authorities in respect for their freedom. Yet frequently a wedge is driven between citizens and institutions by partisan interests which disfigure that relationship, fostering the creation of an enduring climate of conflict.

8. Corruption and Organized Crime Threaten Fraternity

• Condemnation of various kinds of Organized Crime, including:

• Drug Abuse• Devastation of Natural Resources and Ongoing Pollution• The Exploitation of Labor• Illicit Money Trafficing• Financial Speculation• Prostitution• Human Trafficking• Crimes and Abuses against Minors• Slavery• The Treatment of Migrants

8. Corruption and Organized Crime Threaten Fraternity

• When we look to crime and punishment, we cannot help but think of the inhumane conditions in so many prisons, where those in custody are often reduced to a subhuman status in violation of their human dignity and stunted in their hope and desire for rehabilitation.

9. Fraternity helps to Preserve and Cultivate Nature

• The human family has received from the Creator a common gift: nature. We are called to exercise a responsible stewardship over it.

• A question: how are we using the earth's resources? In particular, why are many people still hungry when there is enough food produced for all?

• A reminder of the necessary universal destination of all goods which is one of the fundamental principles of Catholic Social teaching.

10. Conclusion

– "Fraternity needs to be discovered, loved, experienced, proclaimed and witnessed to. But only love, bestowed as a gift from God, enables us to accept and fully express fraternity."

• May Mary, the Mother of Jesus, help us to understand and live every day the fraternity that springs up from the heart of her Son, so as to bring peace to each person on this our beloved earth.