Thursday January 8, 2009
Pope: "Today More Than in the Past, Our Future is at Stake"
Benedict XVI says the poorest human beings are unborn children
By John-Henry Westen
VATICAN CITY, January 8, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In what is known as his "state of the world" address, Pope Benedict XVI this morning addressed representatives of the 177 countries which have diplomatic relations with the Vatican. The Pope began his remarks expressing affection for all those who suffered last year due to natural catastrophes or regional conflicts or terrorist attacks. When he turned to solutions to the global financial and violent crises, he noted that the "goal will only be reached by implementing an ethics based on the innate dignity of the human person."
Benedict XVI added: "I know how demanding this will be, yet it is not a utopia! Today more than in the past, our future is at stake, as well as the fate of our planet and its inhabitants, especially the younger generation which is inheriting a severely compromised economic system and social fabric."
The Pope made special mention of Iraq and India, where Christians have suffered physical persecution. To this he added recognition of the "hostility" against Christians in the Western world. "I also express my hope that, in the Western world, prejudice or hostility against Christians will not be cultivated simply because, on certain questions, their voice causes disquiet," said the Holy Father.
He encouraged the Christians of the West suffering such "prejudice," saying: "For their part, may the disciples of Christ, in the face of such adversity, not lose heart: witness to the Gospel is always a 'sign of contradiction' vis-à-vis 'the spirit of the world'! If the trials and tribulations are painful, the constant presence of Christ is a powerful source of strength. Christ's Gospel is a saving message meant for all; that is why it cannot be confined to the private sphere, but must be proclaimed from the rooftops, to the ends of the earth."
In conclusion, the Pope spoke of confronting poverty, noting that "the poorest human beings are unborn children." Thus he said, "Poverty is fought if humanity becomes more fraternal as a result of shared values and ideals, founded on the dignity of the person, on freedom joined to responsibility, on the effective recognition of the place of God in the life of man."
See the Pope's full address here:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2009/january/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20090108_diplomatic-corps_en.html
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