Pope wants new international order to keep peace

Reuters | January 1, 2004 | Claire Soares

[HAL9000]

VATICAN CITY, Jan 1 (Reuters) - The world needs a "new international order" to solve its conflicts and ensure peace, Pope John Paul said in his New Year's Day address on Thursday.

The ghosts of 2003 -- when the United States invaded Iraq without United Nations approval -- dominated the pope's first speech of 2004.

"More than ever we need a new international order which draws on the experience and results of the United Nations," the 83-year-old pontiff said at a mass in St Peter's Basilica.

"An order which is capable of finding adequate solutions to today's problems, based on the dignity of human beings, on integrating all society, on solidarity between rich and poor countries, on the sharing of resources and the extraordinary results of scientific and technological progress," he added.

Speaking at Christendom's largest church, the pope urged people not to lose hope of finding peace in the Holy Land, which the Vatican feels is vital to winning the war on terror.

"The land in which Jesus was born sadly continues to live in a dramatic condition. And in other parts of the world sparks of violence and conflict have not been extinguished either. But we need to persevere and not bow to the temptation of losing hope."

Turning to Africa, the pope paid tribute to his Burundi ambassador, Michael Courtney, killed on Monday in an ambush the army has blamed on rebels who have refused to join a peace process to end a 10-year conflict.

"(He) was tragically killed...while he was going about his mission of promoting dialogue and reconciliation. We pray for him and hope his example and sacrifice will bear the fruits of peace in Burundi and the world," the pope said.

The leader of the world's one billion Catholics, who suffers from Parkinson's disease that makes it difficult for him to talk, seemed alert and read all of his homily in a clear voice.

But it is unclear what 2004 holds for him. For the first time since his election in 1978, the pope enters the new year with no firm plans for travel, although there have been some invitations.

He was particularly weak on his last foreign trip, a visit to Slovakia in September, when aides had to read most of his addresses for him.

[sinkspur]

He's trying to HELP us, Sinky.

Hamstringing is not helping. Had we deferred to His Holiness in March, suicide bombers' families would still be getting $25K, and Hussein would be torturing his people. Oh, and Libya would NOT have been forced to knuckle-under and agree to give up its WMDs.

International bodies are worthless, militarily, since the strong are held up by the weakest members, usually some clueless pacific country, like France or Canada.

If Iraq proved anything, it proved that the United States simply doesn't need a bunch of internationalists.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

The Pope's words in 91 against socialism are diametrically opposed to recent statements.

I believe hard core international socialists in the Vaticans are controlling the message now. And I believe that the next Pope will be a big time socialist.

[Bluntpoint]

Terroristic

[A CA Guy]

He knows there as going to be actions against the Vatican since things have been found through intelligence to prove that.

The Pope also doesn't like WW3 to start in a Holy War.

I think they are all issues.

[cebadams]

OK, that's the second time today that you've been right :-)

[Bluntpoint]

WWIII has already started. The fact that some of the parties attacked are afraid to retaliate, does not change that fact.

Hitler was at war even with countries that did not offer up resistence.

[Bluntpoint]

Don't tell blackelk. He will ping the moderator and say my broken clock reached it's quota.

He has the adm mod on speed dial.

[A CA Guy]

In a way I agree, but it is not full blown because we want to deal with things on our terms.

[Bluntpoint]

Like being almost pregnant.

[B-Chan]

[A CA Guy]

Not at all.

We are around the workd fighting terror in limited areas at our own pace.
This is better for us and our economy instead of an all out world war.

[A CA Guy]

Bye bye, Happy New Year during your ww3! LOL

[cebadams]

Bluntpoint is right. The war was started years ago and we didn't realize it or take it seriously. It is full blown. This goes way beyond Iraq.

[Bluntpoint]

"Young Lady, what were your thinking? This book is only for the priests and bishops!"

[ninenot]

Socialism considers the individual person simply as an element, a molecule within the social organism, so that the good of the individual is completely subordinated to the functioning of the socio-economic mechanism.

By the way--that line reminds me of the Libertarian/WalterWilliams "mind"set, as well.

[A CA Guy]

Yep, way beyond since most Middle East countries have radicals that make up anywhere from 25-70% of their populations.

I don't debate that issue.

I am saying we are not going everywhere at once and doing parts at a time as it suits us because that is better for the nation.

[Bluntpoint]

"Some day, this war is going to be over."

[A CA Guy]

Yes, about 40 years from now.

Unless we can get Democracies started in the Middle East and can somehow ban theocracies.

[Bluntpoint]

Theo is a little wierd, but I'm not sure I want to ban Theocracies.

Theo H. Ortense

[ninenot]

If you actually READ the text, (posted on this thread around #253) you will find:

1) The Pope endorses a UN-LIKE (not necessarily the UN) solutions-body for the purpose of peaceful resolutions and other socially-positive items (hunger relief, etc., etc.)

2) The Pope (in #7 of the document, and other places) makes clear that the UN is flawed, has not done a good job, and is subject to the whims of its membership.