Scottish Catholic Observer

In his first annual message for the World Day of Peace, Pope Francis says that peace and social justice for all are impossible without a spirit of fraternity based on recognition that all men and women are children of God.

The Holy Father said that the huge wealth of the few and the poverty of the many are symptoms of an economy based on greed and inequality and called on the nations of the world to reduce this inequality.

The message, entitled Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace, is close to 5000 words long. It was released by the Vatican last Thursday in preparation for the World Day of Peace on January 1 2014.

The Holy Father calls for ‘effective policies’ to reduce income inequality and guarantee ‘access to capital and services, educational resources, healthcare and technology so that every person has the opportunity to express and realise his or her life project and can develop fully as a person.’ He also calls on ordinary Christians to embrace a ‘sober and essential lifestyle’ and share their wealth, calling such practice of ‘detachment’ a ‘form of promoting fraternity—and thus defeating poverty—which must be the basis of all the others.’

The current economic crisis, Pope Francis writes, offers a ‘fruitful opportunity to rediscover the virtues of prudence, temperance, justice and strength’ that are ‘necessary for building and preserving a society in accord with human dignity.’

The Holy Father adds that, ‘in a particular way, human fraternity is regenerated in and by Jesus Christ through His death and Resurrection.’

Pope Francis also surveys contemporary attacks on human dignity—including war, economic exploitation, crime, environmental pollution and violations of religious freedom.

He decries a widespread ‘poverty of relationships as a result of the lack of solid family and community relationships,’ and writes that ‘fraternity is generally first learned in the family, thanks above all to the responsible and complementary roles of each of its members, particularly the father and the mother.’

He repeats his own calls and those of previous Popes for the ‘nonproliferation of arms and for the disarmament of all parties, beginning with nuclear and chemical weapons,’ and appeals directly to ‘all those who sow violence and death by force of arms’ to see every enemy instead as ‘your brother or sister, and hold back your hand!’

Pope Francis also writes about agriculture.

“It is well known that present (food) production is sufficient, and yet millions of persons continue to suffer and die from hunger, and this is a real scandal,” he writes.

—This story ran in full in the December 20-December 27 double print edition of the SCO, available in parishes until the New Year, priced £2. Don’t miss the Year in Review special section inside.