John Paul II Says There Is Still Room for Peace in Iraq

Zenit News Agency ^ | 2003-03-16 | N/A

[ArrogantBustard]

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 16, 2003 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II called Saddam Hussein's attention to the grave duties of his regime and reminded the U.N. Security Council members that "there is still room for peace."

Before praying the midday Angelus with several thousand people gathered in St. Peter's Square today, the Pope appealed to all sides involved in the Iraqi crisis.

"There is still time to negotiate," he said. "There is still room for peace; it is never too late to come to an understanding and to continue discussions."

While a key meeting was taking place in the Azores Islands between the United States, Britain and Spain, the Holy Father told the faithful that the "next few days will be decisive for the outcome of the Iraqi crisis."

"Let us pray, therefore, to the Lord to inspire in all sides of the dispute courage and farsightedness," he said.

"The political leaders of Iraq certainly have the urgent duty to collaborate fully with the international community, to eliminate every motive for armed intervention," the Holy Father said. "To them I address my urgent appeal: The fate of fellow citizens is always the priority."

The Pope went on to remind the "member countries of the United Nations, and in particular those that make up the Security Council, that the use of force represents the last recourse, after having exhausted every other peaceful solution, in keeping with the well-known principles of the U.N. Charter itself."

An "international military operation," John Paul II stressed, would have "tremendous consequences" for "the population of Iraq and the balance of the entire Middle East region, already sorely tried, as well as for the extremisms that could ensue."

Given the reality, the Pontiff stressed that the need "to reflect on one's duties, to engage in energetic negotiations does not mean to be humiliated, but to work with responsibility for peace."

Before bidding the crowds farewell, John Paul II said the following spontaneously: "I belong to that generation that lived through World War II and, thanks be to God, survived it.

"I have the duty to say to all young people, to those who are younger than me, who have not had this experience: 'No more war!' as Paul VI said during his first visit to the United Nations."

"We must do everything possible!" he exhorted. "We know well that peace is not possible at any cost. But we all know how great this responsibility is -- therefore, prayer and penance!"

The Holy Father again appealed to believers to be dedicated to prayer and penance for peace, during this Lent.

"We Christians," he said, "are convinced that real and lasting peace is not only the fruit, though necessary, of political agreements and understanding between individuals and peoples, but a gift of God to all those who submit themselves to him and accept with humility and gratitude the light of his love."

Prayer, the Holy Father concluded, can make it possible for this Lent "not to be remembered as a sad time of war, but as a period of courageous effort for conversion and peace."

[ArrogantBustard]

"The political leaders of Iraq certainly have the urgent duty to collaborate fully with the international community, to eliminate every motive for armed intervention," the Holy Father said. "To them I address my urgent appeal: The fate of fellow citizens is always the priority."

Somehow, anti-Catholic sources like "Dawn" (from Pakistan) and the notoriously inaccurate Reuters seem to miss the story. And the anti-Catholic brigade at FR follows right in line with them

[netmilsmom]

AB
I'm part of the Catholic crowd. I still think this man needs to go on to his reward, quick!
Saying nothing would help him. Saying that Saddam should disarm would be better.

[11th Commandment]

There is room for understanding and a place for peace- any area in Iraq occupied by US Troops!

[Redleg Duke]

The statement issued by the Vatican was one of the most meaningless strings of verbage. Talk about trying to please everyone at once and not be held responsible for any of the words!

[theDentist]

John Paul II Says There Is Still Room for Peace in Iraq

That may be true, Your Holiness, but there will be a lot more room and greater Peace after a Big Blue MOAB sends Saddam into the dustbin of history.

[ConservativeNewsNetwork]

The Pope needs to get out of world affairs. He's making all Catholics look foolish with his asinine stance on Iraq. Maybe he should try reading St. Augustine instead of the banners and slogans hippies are sounding off with.

Unfortunately, my local priest is doing the same thing, though he's mellowed out a lot in recent days.

[wideawake]

"The political leaders of Iraq certainly have the urgent duty to collaborate fully with the international community, to eliminate every motive for armed intervention," the Holy Father said. "To them I address my urgent appeal: The fate of fellow citizens is always the priority."

"We must do everything possible!" he exhorted. "We know well that peace is not possible at any cost."

Let the Catholic bashing Klansmen on FR do their best to ignore this.

[PhiKapMom]

Give it a rest! Can guarantee you that if the head of the Southern Baptist Convention said half of what the Pope has said along with his minions in dissing the United States and our President in the War to Liberate Iraq, you would be up in arms at Baptists.

Catholic bashing on here is claimed when you have the nerve to speak out about something the Pope said or criticize him for not taking action a lot earlier against his pedofile priests so don't give me the FR bashing whine!

Fortunately, we are the one of the few Church bodies in this Country that supports the President in his decision to Liberate Iraq and disarm Saddam!

[Chancellor Palpatine]

He really does need to take the opportunity to be quiet - each appeasing pronouncement he makes gets more surreal and more hysterical.

[wideawake]

READ THE ARTICLE.

[wideawake]

Neither of you can read, apparently.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

The statement issued by the Vatican was one of the most meaningless strings of verbage. Talk about trying to please everyone at once and not be held responsible for any of the words!

Its called "always play both ends against the middle - that way you can always claim you were on the side of the guys who won".

[joey'smom]

Agreed. A Vatican coup (excuse my French!) is needed -- the Pope is pathetic.

[steveegg]

The Pope is either terminally naiive or is willfully ignorant. When faced with rulers that don't give a flying whit about diplomacy or peace, one must be prepared to use force. When all is squeezed out that can be, and that is found wanting, then force must be used.

To quote British PM Tony Blair (refering to when the inspectors left in November 1998), "We are asked to believe that after the inspectors left, he voluntarily did what he obstructed the inspectors from doing." Sorry, I don't believe in the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, or the voluntary disarmament of Iraq after 7 years of willful obstruction.

[netmilsmom]

How about if he just said, "Saddam Hussen must go to keep the peace."? Our president gave Saddam 48 hours, time is ticking. I have to give JPII the credit of trying to get Saddam to go into exile, but geez it's all a little too late. The rest of the Poles are with us (including me)

[netmilsmom]

I did. I still feel that after all has been said and done by this man, it's all too late. Tick, tick, tick.

[Redleg Duke]

You got that right! This is the gang that inspired the rape of the New World and the destruction of all libraries. Now, they've "got religion"...as long as it protects the athiests!

[nina0113]

I'm still praying for a miracle, like the apparitions at Beitoun (sp?) Egypt, when thousands of Muslims converted to Christianity; or maybe Saddam will be knocked off his horse and have to visit a man in the Street called Straight....

[wideawake]

The Pope said that the burden is on Saddam Hussein and his lackeys to prove that they don't deserve to be toppled.

Unless you disagree, you should stop criticizing.

[wideawake]

"The destruction of all libraries" - what on God's green earth are you talking about, you maniac?