Pope calls for a new world order
January 2, 2004 -CNN
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope John Paul II rang in the New Year on
Thursday with a renewed call for peace in the Middle East and Africa and
the
creation of a new world order based on respect for the dignity of man and
equality among nations.
John Paul presided over a morning Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica
to
mark the World Day of Peace, which the Roman Catholic Church celebrates
every January 1. He appeared in good form, delivering his entire homily in
a
strong and clear voice despite a relatively tiring holiday schedule.
This year, John Paul directed his thoughts to continuing conflicts
around the globe. But he stressed that to bring about peace, there needs
to
be a new respect for international law and the creation of a "new
international order" based on the goals of the United Nations.
Pope John Paul II presides over a morning Mass in St. Peter's
Basilica
Thursday, to mark the World Day of Peace.
He called for "an order that is able to give adequate solutions to today's
problems based on the dignity of the human being, on an integral
development
of society, on solidarity among nations rich and poor, on the sharing of
resources and the extraordinary results of scientific and technical
progress."
The pope lamented continuing violence between Israel and the Palestinians,
and also offered his prayers for his ambassador to Burundi, Archbishop
Michael Courtney, who was gunned down by assailants this week as he
returned
from a funeral.
John Paul said Courtney was killed "while he carried out his mission in
favor of dialogue and reconciliation" in the central African country,
which
has been wracked by violence for a decade.
"Let us pray for him, hoping that his example and sacrifice will bring
about
the fruits of peace in Burundi and the world," he said.
Earlier this month, John Paul issued a formal do***ent marking the World
Day
of Peace in which he called for a reform of the United Nations and
international law to deal with the evolving threat of terrorism.
He said a new respect for international law was the only way to achieve
peace and guarantee against the arbitrary use of force. He did not mention
the United States by name, but his message appeared aimed at the U.S.
anti-terrorism campaign-and in particular at Wa****ngton's pre-emptive war
in
Iraq, which was launched without the specific authorization of the United
Nations.
John Paul was a vocal critic of the Iraq war, dispatching envoys to
Wa****ngton and Baghdad to try to prevent hostilities from breaking out and
exhorting world leaders that war was not inevitable and was "always a
defeat
for humanity."
"Because peace is possible ... it is necessary," he said during his homily
Thursday.
The New Year's Mass was the last major celebration of the Christmas season
for John Paul, who is 83 and suffers from Parkinson's disease, which makes
it difficult for him to speak, as well as knee and hip ailments that make
it
almost impossible for him to walk or stand.
He cut back some of his holiday activities and scrapped two traditional
papal events-the ordination of bishops January 6 and baptisms on January
11.
But throughout the Christmas season, he has appeared far stronger than
during the series of celebrations in October marking his 25th anniversary
as
pope. Then, he was unable to deliver many of his homilies and had to have
others to read them on his behalf.
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