Some times a Pope says what he says.
Posted on 01/01/2004 5:55:35 AM PST by 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.
Indeed. My comment was not meant to defend the position of the Pope as I wholeheartedly disagree with him. My comment was to defend age and experience from being prejudicially labled as cowards. A 60 year old personally has experienced the pain involved in jumping off a chair at age 60 and at age 18 where an 18 year old has only the narrower perspective. It's not cowardice to not want to jump off a chair at age 60, it is intelligence based on experience. The Pope's suggestion that America's defense be turned over to a world of despots and thugs is simply political since he would not be the one to suffer the consequences.
Muleteam1
Some times a Pope says what he says.
Because he's actually lived a charmed life for most of his years.
Nah, he won't even meet with victims but brother is he outspoken about saddam's capture condition. His true colors are showing ... .
Because you know very well that this assumption would be ludicrous.
The Pope's Christmas Peace Message, delivered through the clownish Archbishop Martino two weeks ago and largely unreported, stated that there are underlying motives behind terrorism "which should be taken into account".
What on earth could bin Laden have to say that is worth listening to?
Oh ....... I see.
It's rather hard, sometimes, to distinguish intent via this dang keyboard.
I understand you, now, and totally agree.
I don't know why you can't see that even with all of our flaws, the American philosophy of governance and its people are the last, best hope on Earth. I say this as a woman who emigrated from Italy in 1958. Wake up, Pontiff, wake up!!!
I do respect your service to the Church, but if you don't mind a little advise from a stupefied at your reasoning Catholic, you need to begin the peace process with a fumigation of your digs, and the digs of all of your cardinals and bishops and repropbates in collar.
And no one is going to take you seriously until you show as much passion and grief for the victims of abuse at the hands of your 'disciples', as you do for despots and tyrants.
And one last thing, please tell cardinal 'i felt sorry for saddam' to take a long walk off a short pier.
Francis Fukuyama notwithstanding, we have not reached the end of history.
JP II was certainly badly damaged physically by the assassination attempt but his greatest successes were later including the fall of the Iron Curtain. He declined thereafter but still contributed major doctrinal encyclicals and held the line against all comers on doctrine. In the last analysis, he is a human being subject to the frailties of age. He will be known as John Paul the Great, joining Leo the Great and Gregory the Great. We will recognize that greatness more and more after he has gone.
More to be feared than anything else is a prolonged period of coma or complete disability, essentially an interregnum, which would allow Modernist termites room to manipulate in his name.
Finally, JP II may be motivated by an apparently unwarranted optimism that the UN or some successor organization might someday become a vehicle for the restoration of Christendom. Short of direct, divine intervention, that seems quite unlikely, now or ever. Prudence dictates that we remain American nationalists and interventionists (as necessary) and keep our sovereignty strong and our powder dry.
Jim Bakker is the business of those who belong, as he does, to the Assemblies of God. He is none of my business just as Catholicism is none of yours.
That you bash non-Catholic Christians does not establish your bona fides as to Catholicism, especially in light of your persistent Catholic-bashing.
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