Pope Benedict XVI Blog

Peace and ecology: theme announced for 2010 World Day of Peace

» 07/30/2009 12:12
VATICAN

The message will focus on globalization, the protection of creation and cultivation peace and good. A follow on from, Benedict XVI’s Encyclical "Caritas in Veritate social. More solidarity and less control over the population by preventing population growth.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The Holy See Press Office has published a statement announcing the theme of the Message for World Day of Peace, celebrated on 1 January 2010: "If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation". The chosen theme, which will be developed into a complete message circulated in several languages, wants to point out the "close bond that exists in our globalized and interconnected world between the protection of creation and cultivation of peace and common good."

The statement emphasizes that in our time this bond is put into question by man’s carelessness towards the natural environment, "the use of resources", "climate change", but also by genetic manipulation ( "Biotechnology") and the policies of anti-natal programs that seek to reduce population growth”.

The statement warns that "if the human family does not meet these new challenges with a renewed sense of social justice, equity and international solidarity, it runs the risk of sowing violence among peoples and between the present and future generations”.

Benedict XVI had already alluded to these problems in his new social encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, especially chapter IV.

There the pope stresses the urgent need to preserve nature and creation, seen as a gift from God. He denounces as ‘incorrect’ the current trend among international organizations, that sees increasing population the main cause of underdevelopment and the decrease of the population the only solution to avoid natural disasters and deaths. At the same time he calls for greater solidarity in the face of natural disasters and asks everyone to observe a "human ecology" because even the “environmental ecology” will benefit.
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See also from CNA, "Creation must be protected to achieve peace, Pope will say in message."

posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 12:10 PM