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Mon Dec 16 11:25:13 CET 2013

name of peace.[3] From the second, we conclude that peace is an *opus
solidaritatis*.[4]

Paul VI stated that not only individuals but nations too must encounter one
another in a spirit of fraternity. As he says: =93In this mutual
understanding and friendship, in this sacred communion, we must also=85 work
together to build the common future of the human race=94.[5] In the first
place, this duty falls to those who are most privileged. Their obligations
are rooted in human and supernatural fraternity and are manifested in three
ways: the* duty of solidarity*, which requires the richer nations to assist
the less developed; the *duty of social justice*, which requires the
realignment of relationships between stronger and weaker peoples in terms
of greater fairness; and the *duty of universal charity*, which entails the
promotion of a more humane world for all, a world in which each has
something to give and to receive, without the progress of the one
constituting an obstacle to the development of the other.[6]

If, then, we consider peace as *opus solidaritatis*, we cannot fail to
acknowledge that fraternity is its principal foundation. Peace, John
Paul II affirmed,
is an indivisible good. Either it is the good of all or it is the good of
none. It can be truly attained and enjoyed, as the highest quality of life
and a more human and sustainable development, only if all are guided by
solidarity as =93a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to
the common good=94.[7] This means not being guided by a =93desire for profi=
t=94
or a =93thirst for power=94. What is needed is the willingness to =93lose
ourselves=94 for the sake of others rather than exploiting them, and to
=93serve them=94 instead of oppressing them for our own advantage. =93The =
=91other=92
=96 whether a person, people or nation =96 [is to be seen] not just as some
kind of instrument, with a work capacity and physical strength to be
exploited at low cost and then discarded when no longer useful, but as our
=91neighbour=92, a =91helper=92=94.[8]

Christian solidarity presumes that our neighbour is loved not only as =93a
human being with his or her own rights and a fundamental equality with
everyone else, but as the living image of God the Father, redeemed by the
blood of Jesus Christ and placed under the permanent action of the Holy
Spirit=94,[9] as another brother or sister. As John Paul II noted: =93At th=
at
point, awareness of the common fatherhood of God, of the brotherhood of all
in Christ =96 =91children in the Son=92 =96 and of the presence and life-gi=
ving
action of the Holy Spirit, will bring to our vision of the world a *new
criterion *for interpreting it=94,[10] for changing it.

*Fraternity, a prerequisite for fighting poverty*

5. In his encyclical *Caritas in Veritate*, my predecessor reminded the
world how the lack of *fraternity* between peoples and men and women is a
significant cause of *poverty*.[11] In many societies, we are experiencing
a profound *poverty of relationships* as a result of the lack of solid
family and community relationships. We are concerned by the various types
of hardship, marginalization, isolation and various forms of pathological
dependencies which we see increasing. This kind of poverty can be overcome
only through the rediscovery and valuing of *fraternal* relationships in
the heart of families and communities, through the sharing of joys and
sorrows, of the hardships and triumphs that are a part of human life.

Moreover, if on the one hand we are seeing a reduction in *absolute poverty=
*,
on the other hand we cannot fail to recognize that there is a serious rise
in *relative poverty*, that is, instances of inequality between people and
groups who live together in particular regions or in a determined
historical-cultural context. In this sense, effective policies are needed
to promote the principle of *fraternity*, securing for people =96 who are
equal in dignity and in fundamental rights =96 access to capital, services,
educational resources, healthcare and technology so that every person has
the opportunity to express and realize his or her life project and can
develop fully as a person.

One also sees the need for policies which can lighten an excessive
imbalance between incomes. We must not forget the Church=92s teaching on the
so-called *social mortgage*, which holds that although it is lawful, as
Saint Thomas Aquinas says, and indeed necessary =93that people have ownersh=
ip
of goods=94,[12] insofar as their use is concerned, =93they possess them as=
 not
just their own, but common to others as well, in the sense that they can
benefit others as well as themselves=94.[13]

Finally, there is yet another form of promoting fraternity =96 and thus
defeating poverty =96 which must be at the basis of all the others. It is t=
he
detachment of those who choose to live a sober and essential lifestyle, of
those who, by sharing their own wealth, thus manage to experience fraternal
communion with others. This is fundamental for following Jesus Christ and
being truly Christian. It is not only the case of consecrated persons who
profess the vow of poverty, but also of the many families and responsible
citizens who firmly believe that it is their fraternal relationship with
their neighbours which constitutes their most precious good.

*The rediscovery of fraternity in the economy*

6. The grave financial and economic crises of the present time =96 which fi=
nd
their origin in the progressive distancing of man from God and from his
neighbour, in the greedy pursuit of material goods on the one hand, and in
the impoverishment of interpersonal and community relations on the other =
=96
have pushed man to seek satisfaction, happiness and security in consumption
and earnings out of all proportion to the principles of a sound economy. In
1979 John Paul II had called attention to =93a real perceptible danger that,
while man=92s dominion over the world of things is making enormous advances,
he should lose the essential threads of his dominion and in various ways
let his humanity be subjected to the world and become himself something
subject to manipulation in many ways =96 even if the manipulation is often
not perceptible directly =96 through the whole of the organization of
community life, through the production system and through pressure from the
means of social communication.=94[14]

The succession of economic crises should lead to a timely rethinking of our
models of economic development and to a change in lifestyles. Today=92s
crisis, even with its serious implications for people=92s lives, can also
provide us with a fruitful opportunity to rediscover the virtues of
prudence, temperance, justice and strength. These virtues can help us to
overcome difficult moments and to recover the fraternal bonds which join us
one to another, with deep confidence that human beings need and are capable
of something greater than maximizing their individual interest. Above all,
these virtues are necessary for building and preserving a society in accord
with human dignity.

*Fraternity extinguishes war*

7. In the past year, many of our brothers and sisters have continued to
endure the destructive experience of war, which constitutes a grave and
deep wound inflicted on fraternity.

Many conflicts are taking place amid general indifference. To all those who
live in lands where weapons impose terror and destruction, I assure you of
my personal closeness and that of the whole Church, whose mission is to
bring Christ=92s love to the defenceless victims of forgotten wars through
her prayers for peace, her service to the wounded, the starving, refugees,
the displaced and all those who live in fear. The Church also speaks out in
order to make leaders hear the cry of pain of the suffering and to put an
end to every form of hostility, abuse and the violation of fundamental
human rights.[15]

For this reason, I appeal forcefully to all those who sow violence and
death by force of arms: in the person you today see simply as an enemy to
be beaten, discover rather your brother or sister, and hold back your hand!
Give up the way of arms and go out to meet the other in dialogue, pardon
and reconciliation, in order to rebuild justice, trust, and hope around
you! =93From this standpoint, it is clear that, for the world=92s peoples,
armed conflicts are always a deliberate negation of international harmony,
and create profound divisions and deep wounds which require many years to
heal. Wars are a concrete refusal to pursue the great economic and social
goals that the international community has set itself=94.[16]

Nevertheless, as long as so great a quantity of arms are in circulation as
at present, new pretexts can always be found for initiating hostilities.
For this reason, I make my own the appeal of my predecessors for the
non-proliferation of arms and for disarmament of all parties, beginning
with nuclear and chemical weapons disarmament.

We cannot however fail to observe that international agreements and
national laws =96 while necessary and greatly to be desired =96 are not of
themselves sufficient to protect humanity from the risk of armed conflict.
A conversion of hearts is needed which would permit everyone to recognize
in the other a brother or sister to care for, and to work together with, in
building a fulfilling life for all. This is the spirit which inspires many
initiatives of civil society, including religious organizations, to promote
peace. I express my hope that the daily commitment of all will continue to
bear fruit and that there will be an effective application in international
law of the right to peace, as a fundamental human right and a necessary
prerequisite for every other right.

*Corruption and organized crime threaten fraternity*

8. The horizon of fraternity also has to do with the need for fulfilment of
every man and woman. People=92s legitimate ambitions, especially in the case
of the young, should not be thwarted or offended, nor should people be
robbed of their hope of realizing them. Nevertheless, ambition must not be
confused with the abuse of power. On the contrary, people should compete
with one another in mutual esteem (cf. *Rm* 12:10). In disagreements, which
are also an unavoidable part of life, we should always remember that we are
brothers and sisters, and therefore teach others and teach ourselves not to
consider our neighbour as an enemy or as an adversary to be eliminated.

Fraternity generates social peace because it creates a balance between
freedom and justice, between personal responsibility and solidarity,
between the good of individuals and the common good. And so a political
community must act in a transparent and responsible way to favour all this.
Citizens must feel themselves represented by the public authorities in
respect for their freedom. Yet frequently a wedge is driven between
citizens and institutions by partisan interests which disfigure that
relationship, fostering the creation of an enduring climate of conflict.

An authentic spirit of fraternity overcomes the individual selfishness
which conflicts with people=92s ability to live in freedom and in harmony
among themselves. Such selfishness develops socially =96 whether it is in t=
he
many forms of corruption, so widespread today, or in the formation of
criminal organizations, from small groups to those organized on a global
scale. These groups tear down legality and justice, striking at the very
heart of the dignity of the person. These organizations gravely offend God,
they hurt others and they harm creation, all the more so when they have
religious overtones.

I also think of the heartbreaking drama of drug abuse, which reaps profits
in contempt of the moral and civil laws. I think of the devastation of
natural resources and ongoing pollution, and the tragedy of the
exploitation of labour. I think too of illicit money trafficking and
financial speculation, which often prove both predatory and harmful for
entire economic and social systems, exposing millions of men and women to
poverty. I think of prostitution, which every day reaps innocent victims,
especially the young, robbing them of their future. I think of the
abomination of human trafficking, crimes and abuses against minors, the
horror of slavery still present in many parts of the world; the frequently
overlooked tragedy of migrants, who are often victims of disgraceful and
illegal manipulation. As John XXIII wrote: =93There is nothing human about a
society based on relationships of power. Far from encouraging, as it
should, the attainment of people=92s growth and perfection, it proves
oppressive and restrictive of their freedom=94.[17] Yet human beings can
experience conversion; they must never despair of being able to change
their lives. I wish this to be a message of hope and confidence for all,
even for those who have committed brutal crimes, for God does not wish the
death of the sinner, but that he converts and lives (cf. *Ez* 18:23).

In the broad context of human social relations, when we look to crime and
punishment, we cannot help but think of the inhumane conditions in so many
prisons, where those in custody are often reduced to a subhuman status in
violation of their human dignity and stunted in their hope and desire for
rehabilitation. The Church does much in these environments, mostly in
silence. I exhort and I encourage everyone to do more, in the hope that the
efforts being made in this area by so many courageous men and women will be
increasingly supported, fairly and honestly, by the civil authorities as
well.

*Fraternity helps to preserve and cultivate nature*

9. The human family has received from the Creator a common gift: nature.
The Christian view of creation includes a positive judgement about the
legitimacy of interventions on nature if these are meant to be beneficial
and are performed responsibly, that is to say, by acknowledging the
=93grammar=94 inscribed in nature and by wisely using resources for the ben=
efit
of all, with respect for the beauty, finality and usefulness of every
living being and its place in the ecosystem. Nature, in a word, is at our
disposition and we are called to exercise a responsible stewardship over
it. Yet so often we are driven by greed and by the arrogance of dominion,
possession, manipulation and exploitation; we do not preserve nature; nor
do we respect it or consider it a gracious gift which we must care for and
set at the service of our brothers and sisters, including future
generations.

In a particular way, the *agricultural sector* is the primary productive
sector with the crucial vocation of cultivating and protecting natural
resources in order to feed humanity. In this regard the continuing disgrace
of hunger in the world moves me to share with you the question: *How are we
using the earth=92s resources?* Contemporary societies should reflect on the
hierarchy of priorities to which production is directed. It is a truly
pressing duty to use the earth=92s resources in such a way that all may be
free from hunger. Initiatives and possible solutions are many, and are not
limited to an increase in production. It is well known that present
production is sufficient, and yet millions of persons continue to suffer
and die from hunger, and this is a real scandal. We need, then, to find
ways by which all may benefit from the fruits of the earth, not only to
avoid the widening gap between those who have more and those who must be
content with the crumbs, but above all because it is a question of justice,
equality and respect for every human being. In this regard I would like to
remind everyone of that necessary *universal destination of all goods* which
is one of the fundamental principles of the Church=92s social teaching.
Respect for this principle is the essential condition for facilitating an
effective and fair access to those essential and primary goods which every
person needs and to which he or she has a right.

*Conclusion*

10. Fraternity needs to be discovered, loved, experienced, proclaimed and
witnessed to. But only love, bestowed as a gift from God, enables us to
accept and fully experience fraternity.

The necessary realism proper to politics and economy cannot be reduced to
mere technical know-how bereft of ideals and unconcerned with the
transcendent dimension of man. When this openness to God is lacking, every
human activity is impoverished and persons are reduced to objects that can
be exploited. Only when politics and the economy are open to moving within
the wide space ensured by the One who loves each man and each woman, will
they achieve an ordering based on a genuine spirit of fraternal charity and
become effective instruments of integral human development and peace.

We Christians believe that in the Church we are all members of a single
body, all mutually necessary, because each has been given a grace according
to the measure of the gift of Christ, for the common good (cf. *Eph *4:7,25=
;* 1
Cor* 12:7). Christ has come to the world so as to bring us divine grace,
that is, the possibility of sharing in his life. This entails weaving a
fabric of fraternal relationships marked by reciprocity, forgiveness and
complete self-giving, according to the breadth and the depth of the love of
God offered to humanity in the One who, crucified and risen, draws all to
himself: =93A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even
as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know
that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another=94 (*Jn* 13:34-=
35).
This is the good news that demands from each one a step forward, a
perennial exercise of empathy, of listening to the suffering and the hopes
of others, even those furthest away from me, and walking the demanding path
of that love which knows how to give and spend itself freely for the good
of all our brothers and sisters.

Christ embraces all of humanity and wishes no one to be lost. =93For God se=
nt
the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might
be saved through him=94 (*Jn* 3:17). He does it without oppressing or
constraining anyone to open to him the doors of heart and mind. =93Let the
greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who
serves=94 =96 Jesus Christ says =96 =93I am among you as one who serves=94 =
(*Lk*
22:26-27).
Every activity therefore must be distinguished by an attitude of service to
persons, especially those furthest away and less known. Service is the soul
of that fraternity that builds up peace.

May Mary, the Mother of Jesus, help us to understand and live every day the
fraternity that springs up from the heart of her Son, so as to bring peace
to each person on this our beloved earth.

*From the Vatican, 8 December 2013*

------------------------------

[1]Cf. Encyclical Letter *Caritas in Veritate* (29 June 2009), 19: AAS 101
(2009), 654-655.

[2]Cf. FRANCIS, Encyclical Letter *Lumen Fidei* (29 June 2013), 54: AAS 105
(2013), 591-592.

[3]Cf. PAUL VI, Encyclical Letter *Populorum Progressio* (26 March 1967),
87: AAS 59 (1967), 299.

[4]Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter *Sollicitudo Rei Socialis* (30
December 1987), 39: AAS 80 (1988), 566-568.

[5]Encyclical Letter *Populorum Progressio* (26 March 1967), 43: AAS 59
(1967), 278-279.

[6]Cf. ibid., 44: AAS 59 (1967), 279.

[7]Encyclical Letter *Sollicitudo Rei Socialis* (20 December 1987), 38: AAS
80 (1988), 566.

[8]Ibid., 38-39: AAS 80 (1988), 566-567.

[9]Ibid., 40: AAS 80 (1988), 569.

[10]Ibid.

[11]Cf. Encyclical Letter *Caritas in Veritate* (29 June 2009), 19: AAS 101
(2009), 654-655.

[12]*Summa Theologiae*II-II, q. 66, art. 2.

[13]SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church
in the Modern World *Gaudium et Spes*, 69; cf. LEO XIII, Encyclical
Letter *Rerum
Novarum* (15 May 1891), 19: ASS 23 (1890-1891), 651; JOHN PAUL II,
Encyclical Letter *Sollicitudo Rei Socialis *(30 December 1987), 42: AAS 80
(1988), 573-574; PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, *Compendium of
the Social Doctrine of the Church*, 178.

[14]Encyclical Letter *Redemptoris Hominis* (4 March 1979), 16: AAS 61
(1979), 290.

[15]Cf. PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, *Compendium of the Social
Doctrine of the Church*, 159.

[16]FRANCIS, *Letter to President Putin*, 4 September 2013: *L=92Osservatore
Romano*, 6 September 2013, p. 1.

[17]Encyclical Letter *Pacem in Terris* (11 April 1963), 17: AAS 55 (1963),
265.
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<div dir=3D"ltr"><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded me=
ssage ----------<br>From: <b class=3D"gmail_sendername">Tikkun/NSP-Network =
of Spiritual Progressives</b> <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:info@=
spiritualprogressives.org">info at spiritualprogressives.org</a>&gt;</span><br>
Date: Mon, Dec 16, 2013 at 5:41 PM<br>Subject: Another Extraordinary Statem=
ent from Pope Francis--something to contemplate over the winter holidays an=
d discuss with your famil<br>To: <a href=3D"mailto:Michelsub2004 at gmail.com"=
>Michelsub2004 at gmail.com</a><br>
<br><br>
=20=20=20=20
=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20
=20=20=20=20
    <div>
        <table width=3D"700" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" border=3D"=
0" align=3D"left">
            <tbody>
                <tr>
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                <tr>
                    <td width=3D"100%">
                    <table width=3D"100%" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"=
0" border=3D"0">
                        <tbody>
                            <tr>
                                <td><a href=3D"http://org.salsalabs.com/dia=
/track.jsp?v=3D2&amp;c=3DjoTjT4Jc9XHrWps2T1CHfo8u45muqOVz" target=3D"_blank=
"><img width=3D"700" height=3D"97" border=3D"0" src=3D"http://org.salsalabs=
.com/o/525/images/banner_revised.jpg" alt=3D""></a></td>

                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                            </tr>
                        </tbody>
                    </table>
                    <div style=3D"width:700px"><p></p>
<p><span style=3D"font-size:x-small">This newest statement from Pope Franci=
s (reprinted below) =A0should be read, contemplated, and discussed with you=
r family and friends during the next few weeks when you have winter vacatio=
n! We at the interfaith and secular-humanist-welcoming NSP-- Network of Spi=
ritual Progressives urge the Pope to make this teaching incumbent upon all =
within his faith community, and to give it higher priority than the Catholi=
c Church has given in past years to issues of sexuality like homosexuality =
and abortion, and to require Catholics to teach this in their churches and =
to support public policies in accord with this perspective, else these amaz=
ing words will remain just words. And let us join with and support our Cath=
olic sisters and brothers who are seeking to have the Pope take the next ne=
cessary steps to end the patriarchal and homophobic traditions in the Catho=
lic Church, allow women to be priests, bishops, cardinals, etc., allow prie=
sts to marry, and return to Jesus&#39; attempts to give full and equal powe=
r to women--just as we should be challenging patriarchal and homophobic tra=
ditions and practices in every religion and every secular or non-religious =
community.=A0</span></p>

And if YOU (from whatever religious or=
 secular worldview) are as inspired by this teaching as we are, we hope tha=
t you&#39;ll join our Network of Spiritual Progressives and, even better, c=
ome to the spiritual activist training we will be doing over the Martin Lut=
her King, Jr. holiday weekend in January (details and registration at <a=
 href=3D"http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&amp;c=3D%2BBf0vLWwWmu=
w1q8PlIvagI8u45muqOVz" target=3D"_blank">MailScanner=
 has detected a possible fraud attempt from "org.salsalabs.com" claiming to=
 be www.spiritualprogressives.org/training</a> ). Though the=
re is a sliding fee scale for registration, anyone truly committed to the N=
SP perspective (as articulated in our Spiritual Covenant with America, our =
ESRA--Environmental and Social Responsibillity Amendment to the U.S. Consti=
tution, and our Global Marshall Plan, all of which you can read at <a href=
=3D"http://www.spiritualprogresssives.org" target=3D"_blank">www.spiritualp=
rogresssives.org</a>) who can&#39;t afford the registration fee can come fo=
r what you can afford, whatever that is!! Just email us: <a href=3D"mailto:=
RabbiLerner.tikkun at gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">RabbiLerner.tikkun at gmail.co=
m</a>. Instead of saying, &quot;If only there were more like Pope Francis i=
n every religious and secular community, more Martin Luther King, Jr.s, mor=
e Mahatma Gandhis&quot; we need to become the allies and extensions of thes=
e great leaders, even while acknowledging our imperfections and limitations=
. That&#39;s what we, in deep humility about our limitations and flaws, are=
 trying to do with the Network of Spiritual Progressives. And, as Rabbi Hil=
lel said, &quot;If not now, when?&quot;=A0

<p></p>
<p align=3D"center" style=3D"color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-ser=
if;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:x-large"><font =
style=3D"color:rgb(102,51,0)"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">MESSAGE OF HIS=
 HOLINESS</font><b><br>

<font face=3D"Times New Roman">FRANCIS<br>
</font></b><font face=3D"Times New Roman">FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE=A0</fo=
nt><b><br>
<font face=3D"Times New Roman">WORLD DAY OF PEACE</font></b></font></span><=
/p>
<p align=3D"center" style=3D"color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-ser=
if;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:x-large"><font =
face=3D"Times New Roman" style=3D"color:rgb(102,51,0)"><span style=3D"borde=
r-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dashed;border-bottom-color:rgb(204,2=
04,204)"><span>1 JANUARY 2014</span></span></font></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" align=3D"center" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34=
,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px">=A0</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" align=3D"center" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34=
,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span sty=
le=3D"font-size:medium"><i><font face=3D"Times New Roman">FRATERNITY, THE F=
OUNDATION AND PATHWAY TO PEACE</font></i></span></p>

1. In this, my first Message for the =
World Day of Peace, I wish to offer to everyone, individuals and peoples, m=
y best wishes for a life filled with joy and hope. In the heart of every ma=
n and woman is the desire for a full life, including that irrepressible lon=
ging for fraternity which draws us to fellowship with others and enables us=
 to see them not as enemies or rivals, but as brothers and sisters to be ac=
cepted and embraced.

Fraternity is an essential human qual=
ity, for we are relational beings. A lively awareness of our relatedness he=
lps us to look upon and to treat each person as a true sister or brother; w=
ithout fraternity it is impossible to build a just society and a solid and =
lasting peace. We should remember that fraternity is generally first learne=
d in the family, thanks above all to the responsible and complementary role=
s of each of its members, particularly the father and the mother. The famil=
y is the wellspring of all fraternity, and as such it is the foundation and=
 the first pathway to peace, since, by its vocation, it is meant to spread =
its love to the world around it.

The ever-increasing number of interco=
nnections and communications in today=92s world makes us powerfully aware o=
f the unity and common destiny of the nations. In the dynamics of history, =
and in the diversity of ethnic groups, societies and cultures, we see the s=
eeds of a vocation to form a community composed of brothers and sisters who=
 accept and care for one another. But this vocation is still frequently den=
ied and ignored in a world marked by a =93globalization of indifference=94 =
which makes us slowly inured to the suffering of others and closed in on ou=
rselves.

In many parts of the world, there see=
ms to be no end to grave offences against fundamental human rights, especia=
lly the right to life and the right to religious freedom. The tragic phenom=
enon of human trafficking, in which the unscrupulous prey on the lives and =
the desperation of others, is but one unsettling example of this. Alongside=
 overt armed conflicts are the less visible but no less cruel wars fought i=
n the economic and financial sectors with means which are equally destructi=
ve of lives, families and businesses.

Globalization, as=A0<a>=
Benedict XVI</a><font=
 face=3D"Times New Roman">=A0pointed out, makes us neighbours, but does not=
 make us brothers.<a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f=
9471277ed34b__ftnref1"><font=
 color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[1]</a>=A0The many situations of inequalit=
y, poverty and injustice, are signs not only of a profound lack of fraterni=
ty, but also of the absence of a culture of solidarity. New ideologies, cha=
racterized by rampant individualism, egocentrism and materialistic consumer=
ism, weaken social bonds, fuelling that =93throw away=94 mentality which le=
ads to contempt for, and the abandonment of, the weakest and those consider=
ed =93useless=94. In this way human coexistence increasingly tends to resem=
ble a mere=A0do ut des=A0which is both pragmatic and selfish.=

At the same time, it appears clear th=
at contemporary ethical systems remain incapable of producing authentic bon=
ds of fraternity, since a fraternity devoid of reference to a common Father=
 as its ultimate foundation is unable to endure.<a title=3D""=
 name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref2">[=
2]</a>=A0Tr=
ue brotherhood among people presupposes and demands a transcendent Fatherho=
od. Based on the recognition of this fatherhood, human fraternity is consol=
idated: each person becomes a =93neighbour=94 who cares for others.<=
/span>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><i><font face=3D"Times New Roman">=93Where is your brother?=94 (Gen =
4:9)</font></i></span></p>

2. To understand more fully this huma=
n vocation to fraternity, to recognize more clearly the obstacles standing =
in the way of its realization and to identify ways of overcoming them, it i=
s of primary importance to let oneself be led by knowledge of God=92s plan,=
 which is presented in an eminent way in sacred Scripture.

According to the biblical account of =
creation, all people are descended from common parents, Adam and Eve, the c=
ouple created by God in his image and likeness (cf.=A0Gen=A01:26), to whom Cain and Abel were =
born. In the story of this first family, we see the origins of society and =
the evolution of relations between individuals and peoples.</=
p>

Abel is a shepherd, Cain is a farmer.=
 Their profound identity and their vocation is to=A0be brothers, alb=
eit in the diversity of their activity and culture, their way of relating t=
o God and to creation. Cain=92s murder of Abel bears tragic witness to his =
radical rejection of their vocation to be brothers. Their story (cf.=A0G=
en=A04:1-16) brings out the difficult task to which all men and women a=
re called, to live as one, each taking care of the other. Cain, incapable o=
f accepting God=92s preference for Abel who had offered him the best of his=
 flock =96 =93The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering; but for Cain a=
nd his offering he had no regard=94 (Gen=A04:4-5) =96 killed Abel ou=
t of jealousy. In this way, he refused to regard Abel as a brother, to rela=
te to him rightly, to live in the presence of God by assuming his responsib=
ility to care for and to protect others. By asking him =93Where is your bro=
ther?=94, God holds Cain accountable for what he has done. He answers: =93I=
 do not know. Am I my brother=92s keeper?=94 (Gen=A04:9). Then, the =
Book of Genesis tells us, =93Cain went away from the presence of the Lord=
=94 (4:16).<=
/p>

We need to ask ourselves what were th=
e real reasons which led Cain to disregard the bond of fraternity and, at t=
he same time, the bond of reciprocity and fellowship which joined him to hi=
s brother Abel. God himself condemns and reproves Cain=92s collusion with e=
vil: =93sin is crouching at your door=94 (Gen=A04:7). But Cain refus=
es to turn against evil and decides instead to raise his =93hand against hi=
s brother Abel=94 (Gen=A04:8), thus scorning God=92s plan. In this w=
ay, he thwarts his primordial calling to be a child of God and to live in f=
raternity.

The story of Cain and Abel teaches th=
at we have an inherent calling to fraternity, but also the tragic capacity =
to betray that calling. This is witnessed by our daily acts of selfishness,=
 which are at the root of so many wars and so much injustice: many men and =
women die at the hands of their brothers and sisters who are incapable of s=
eeing themselves as such, that is, as beings made for reciprocity, for comm=
union and self-giving.

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><i>=93And you will all be brothers=94=
=A0</i>(<i>Mt 23:8)</i></font></span></p>

3. The question naturally arises: Can=
 the men and women of this world ever fully respond to the longing for frat=
ernity placed within them by God the Father? Will they ever manage by their=
 power alone to overcome indifference, egoism and hatred, and to accept the=
 legitimate differences typical of brothers and sisters?

By paraphrasing his words, we can sum=
marize the answer given by the Lord Jesus: =93For you have only one Father,=
 who is God, and you are all brothers and sisters=94 (cf.=A0Mt=A023:=
8-9). The basis of fraternity is found in God=92s fatherhood. We are not sp=
eaking of a generic fatherhood, indistinct and historically ineffectual, bu=
t rather of the specific and extraordinarily concrete personal love of God =
for each man and woman (cf.=A0Mt=A06:25-30). It is a fatherhood, the=
n, which effectively generates fraternity, because the love of God, once we=
lcomed, becomes the most formidable means of transforming our lives and rel=
ationships with others, opening us to solidarity and to genuine sharing.</f=
ont>

In a particular way, human fraternity=
 is regenerated=A0in=A0and=A0by=A0Jesus Christ through his de=
ath and resurrection. The Cross is the definitive=A0foundational=A0l=
ocus of that fraternity which human beings are not capable of generating th=
emselves. Jesus Christ, who assumed human nature in order to redeem it, lov=
ing the Father unto death on the Cross (cf.=A0Phil=A02:8), has throu=
gh his resurrection made of us a=A0new humanity, in full communion w=
ith the will of God, with his plan, which includes the full realization of =
our vocation to fraternity.

From the beginning, Jesus takes up th=
e plan of the Father, acknowledging its primacy over all else. But Christ, =
with his abandonment to death for love of the Father, becomes the=A0defi=
nitive and new principle=A0of us all; we are called to regard ourselves=
 in him as brothers and=A0 sisters, inasmuch as we are=A0children=A0=
of the same Father. He himself is the Covenant; in his person we are reconc=
iled with God and with one another as brothers and sisters. Jesus=92 death =
on the Cross also brings an end to the=A0separation=A0between people=
s, between the people of the Covenant and the people of the Gentiles, who w=
ere bereft of hope until that moment, since they were not party to the pact=
s of the Promise. As we read in the Letter to the Ephesians, Jesus Christ i=
s the one who reconciles all people in himself. He=A0is=A0peace, for=
 he made one people out of the two, breaking down the wall of separation wh=
ich divided them, that is, the hostility between them. He created in himsel=
f one people, one new man, one new humanity (cf. 2:14-16).

All who accept the life of Christ and=
 live in him acknowledge God as Father and give themselves completely to hi=
m, loving him above all things. The reconciled person sees in God the Fathe=
r of all, and, as a consequence, is spurred on to live a life of fraternity=
 open to all. In Christ, the other is welcomed and loved as a son or daught=
er of God, as a brother or sister, not as a stranger, much less as a rival =
or even an enemy. In God=92s family, where all are sons and daughters of th=
e same Father, and, because they are grafted to Christ,=A0sons and daugh=
ters in the Son, there are no =93disposable lives=94. All men and women=
 enjoy an equal and inviolable dignity. All are loved by God. All have been=
 redeemed by the blood of Christ, who died on the Cross and rose for all. T=
his is the reason why no one can remain indifferent before the lot of our b=
rothers and sisters.

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><i><font face=3D"Times New Roman">Fraternity, the foundation and pat=
hway to peace</font></i></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">4. This being said, it is easy to rea=
lize that fraternity is the=A0<i>foundation</i>=A0and=A0<i>pathway</i>=A0of=
 peace. The social encyclicals written by my predecessors can be very helpf=
ul in this regard. It would be sufficient to draw on the definitions of pea=
ce found in the encyclicals=A0</font></span><font face=3D"Times New Roman">=
<i><a></font></span><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font color=3D"#663300=
">Populorum Progressio</a></i></font><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font=
 face=3D"Times New Roman">=A0by=A0</font></span><a></font></span><span styl=
e=3D"font-size:medium"><font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">Pop=
e Paul VI</a><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman=
">=A0and=A0</font></span><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><i><a></font></span=
><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font color=3D"#663300">Sollicitudo Rei S=
ocialis</a></i></font><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font face=3D"Times =
New Roman">=A0by=A0</font></span><a></font></span><span style=3D"font-size:=
medium"><font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">John Paul II</a><s=
pan style=3D"font-size:medium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">. From the fi=
rst we learn that the integral development of peoples is the new name of pe=
ace.</font></span><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__=
ftnref3"></font></span><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font color=3D"#663=
300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[3]</a><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font=
 face=3D"Times New Roman">=A0From the second, we conclude that peace is an=
=A0<i>opus solidaritatis</i>.</font></span><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd=
35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref4"></font></span><span style=3D"font-size:me=
dium"><font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[4]</a></p>

<a>Pa=
ul VI</a>=
=A0stated that not only individuals but nations too must encounter one anot=
her in a spirit of fraternity. As he says: =93In this mutual understanding =
and friendship, in this sacred communion, we must also=85 work together to =
build the common future of the human race=94.<a title=3D"" na=
me=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref5">[5]<=
/a>=A0In th=
e first place, this duty falls to those who are most privileged. Their obli=
gations are rooted in human and supernatural fraternity and are manifested =
in three ways: the=A0duty of solidarity, which requires the richer n=
ations to assist the less developed; the=A0duty of social justice, w=
hich requires the realignment of relationships between stronger and weaker =
peoples in terms of greater fairness; and the=A0duty of universal charit=
y, which entails the promotion of a more humane world for all, a world =
in which each has something to give and to receive, without the progress of=
 the one constituting an obstacle to the development of the other.</=
span><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref6"></fo=
nt>[6]</a>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">If, then, we consider peace as=A0<i>o=
pus solidaritatis</i>, we cannot fail to acknowledge that fraternity is its=
 principal foundation. Peace,=A0</font></span><a></font></span><span style=
=3D"font-size:medium"><font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">John=
 Paul II</a><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"=
>=A0affirmed, is an indivisible good. Either it is the good of all or it is=
 the good of none. It can be truly attained and enjoyed, as the highest qua=
lity of life and a more human and sustainable development, only if all are =
guided by solidarity as =93a firm and persevering determination to commit o=
neself to the common good=94.</font></span><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd=
35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref7"></font></span><span style=3D"font-size:me=
dium"><font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[7]</a><span style=
=3D"font-size:medium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">=A0This means not bein=
g guided by a =93desire for profit=94 or a =93thirst for power=94. What is =
needed is the willingness to =93lose ourselves=94 for the sake of others ra=
ther than exploiting them, and to =93serve them=94 instead of oppressing th=
em for our own advantage. =93The =91other=92 =96 whether a person, people o=
r nation =96 [is to be seen] not just as some kind of instrument, with a wo=
rk capacity and physical strength to be exploited at low cost and then disc=
arded when no longer useful, but as our =91neighbour=92, a =91helper=92=94.=
</font></span><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnr=
ef8"></font></span><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font color=3D"#663300"=
 face=3D"Times New Roman">[8]</a></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">Christian solidarity presumes that ou=
r neighbour is loved not only as =93a human being with his or her own right=
s and a fundamental equality with everyone else, but as the living image of=
 God the Father, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ and placed under the=
 permanent action of the Holy Spirit=94,</font></span><a title=3D"" name=3D=
"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref9"></font></span><span style=3D"f=
ont-size:medium"><font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[9]</a><s=
pan style=3D"font-size:medium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">=A0as another=
 brother or sister. As=A0</font></span><a></font></span><span style=3D"font=
-size:medium"><font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">John Paul II=
</a><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">=A0note=
d: =93At that point, awareness of the common fatherhood of God, of the brot=
herhood of all in Christ =96 =91children in the Son=92 =96 and of the prese=
nce and life-giving action of the Holy Spirit, will bring to our vision of =
the world a=A0<i>new criterion=A0</i>for interpreting it=94,</font></span><=
a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref10"></font></=
span><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times=
 New Roman">[10]</a><span style=3D"font-size:medium"><font face=3D"Times Ne=
w Roman">=A0for changing it.</font></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><i><font face=3D"Times New Roman">Fraternity, a prerequisite for fig=
hting poverty</font></i></span></p>

5. In his encyclical=A0=
<a>Caritas in Veritate</a>, my predecessor re=
minded the world how the lack of=A0fraternity=A0between peoples and =
men and women is a significant cause of=A0poverty.<a t=
itle=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref11"></spa=
n>[11]</a>=A0In many societies, we are experiencing a profound=A0poverty of =
relationships=A0as a result of the lack of solid family and community r=
elationships. We are concerned by the various types of hardship, marginaliz=
ation, isolation and various forms of pathological dependencies which we se=
e increasing. This kind of poverty can be overcome only through the redisco=
very and valuing of=A0fraternal=A0relationships in the heart of fami=
lies and communities, through the sharing of joys and sorrows, of the hards=
hips and triumphs that are a part of human life.

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">Moreover, if on the one hand we are s=
eeing a reduction in=A0<i>absolute poverty</i>, on the other hand we cannot=
 fail to recognize that there is a serious rise in=A0<i>relative poverty</i=
>, that is, instances of inequality between people and groups who live toge=
ther in particular regions or in a determined historical-cultural context. =
In this sense, effective policies are needed to promote the principle of=A0=
<i>fraternity</i>, securing for people =96 who are equal in dignity and in =
fundamental rights =96 access to capital, services, educational resources, =
healthcare and technology so that every person has the opportunity to expre=
ss and realize his or her life project and can develop fully as a person.</=
font></span></p>

One also sees the need for policies w=
hich can lighten an excessive imbalance between incomes. We must not forget=
 the Church=92s teaching on the so-called=A0social mortgage, which h=
olds that although it is lawful, as Saint Thomas Aquinas says, and indeed n=
ecessary =93that people have ownership of goods=94,<a title=
=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref12"><s=
pan style=3D"font-size:medium">[12]</a>=A0insofar as their use is concerned, =93they possess them as not just th=
eir own, but common to others as well, in the sense that they can benefit o=
thers as well as themselves=94.<a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488=
cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref13">[13]</a>

Finally, there is yet another form of=
 promoting fraternity =96 and thus defeating poverty =96 which must be at t=
he basis of all the others. It is the detachment of those who choose to liv=
e a sober and essential lifestyle, of those who, by sharing their own wealt=
h, thus manage to experience fraternal communion with others. This is funda=
mental for following Jesus Christ and being truly Christian. It is not only=
 the case of consecrated persons who profess the vow of poverty, but also o=
f the many families and responsible citizens who firmly believe that it is =
their fraternal relationship with their neighbours which constitutes their =
most precious good.

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><i><font face=3D"Times New Roman">The rediscovery of fraternity in t=
he economy</font></i></span></p>

6. The grave financial and economic c=
rises of the present time =96 which find their origin in the progressive di=
stancing of man from God and from his neighbour, in the greedy pursuit of m=
aterial goods on the one hand, and in the impoverishment of interpersonal a=
nd community relations on the other =96 have pushed man to seek satisfactio=
n, happiness and security in consumption and earnings out of all proportion=
 to the principles of a sound economy. In 1979=A0<a></=
span>John Paul II</a>=A0had called attention to =93a real perceptible danger th=
at, while man=92s dominion over the world of things is making enormous adva=
nces, he should lose the essential threads of his dominion and in various w=
ays let his humanity be subjected to the world and become himself something=
 subject to manipulation in many ways =96 even if the manipulation is often=
 not perceptible directly =96 through the whole of the organization of comm=
unity life, through the production system and through pressure from the mea=
ns of social communication.=94<a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488c=
d35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref14">[14]</a>

The succession of economic crises sho=
uld lead to a timely rethinking of our models of economic development and t=
o a change in lifestyles. Today=92s crisis, even with its serious implicati=
ons for people=92s lives, can also provide us with a fruitful opportunity t=
o rediscover the virtues of prudence, temperance, justice and strength. The=
se virtues can help us to overcome difficult moments and to recover the fra=
ternal bonds which join us one to another, with deep confidence that human =
beings need and are capable of something greater than maximizing their indi=
vidual interest. Above all, these virtues are necessary for building and pr=
eserving a society in accord with human dignity.

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><i><font face=3D"Times New Roman">Fraternity extinguishes war</font>=
</i></span></p>

7. In the past year, many of our brot=
hers and sisters have continued to endure the destructive experience of war=
, which constitutes a grave and deep wound inflicted on fraternity.<=
/span>

Many conflicts are taking place amid =
general indifference. To all those who live in lands where weapons impose t=
error and destruction, I assure you of my personal closeness and that of th=
e whole Church, whose mission is to bring Christ=92s love to the defenceles=
s victims of forgotten wars through her prayers for peace, her service to t=
he wounded, the starving, refugees, the displaced and all those who live in=
 fear. The Church also speaks out in order to make leaders hear the cry of =
pain of the suffering and to put an end to every form of hostility, abuse a=
nd the violation of fundamental human rights.<a title=3D"" na=
me=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref15">[15=
]</a>

For this reason, I appeal forcefully =
to all those who sow violence and death by force of arms: in the person you=
 today see simply as an enemy to be beaten, discover rather your brother or=
 sister, and hold back your hand! Give up the way of arms and go out to mee=
t the other in dialogue, pardon and reconciliation, in order to rebuild jus=
tice, trust, and hope around you! =93From this standpoint, it is clear that=
, for the world=92s peoples, armed conflicts are always a deliberate negati=
on of international harmony, and create profound divisions and deep wounds =
which require many years to heal. Wars are a concrete refusal to pursue the=
 great economic and social goals that the international community has set i=
tself=94.<a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed=
34b__ftnref16">[16]</a>

Nevertheless, as long as so great a q=
uantity of arms are in circulation as at present, new pretexts can always b=
e found for initiating hostilities. For this reason, I make my own the appe=
al of my predecessors for the non-proliferation of arms and for disarmament=
 of all parties, beginning with nuclear and chemical weapons disarmament.</=
font>

We cannot however fail to observe tha=
t international agreements and national laws =96 while necessary and greatl=
y to be desired =96 are not of themselves sufficient to protect humanity fr=
om the risk of armed conflict. A conversion of hearts is needed which would=
 permit everyone to recognize in the other a brother or sister to care for,=
 and to work together with, in building a fulfilling life for all. This is =
the spirit which inspires many initiatives of civil society, including reli=
gious organizations, to promote peace. I express my hope that the daily com=
mitment of all will continue to bear fruit and that there will be an effect=
ive application in international law of the right to peace, as a fundamenta=
l human right and a necessary prerequisite for every other right.</s=
pan>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><i><font face=3D"Times New Roman">Corruption and organized crime thr=
eaten fraternity</font></i></span></p>

8. The horizon of fraternity also has=
 to do with the need for fulfilment of every man and woman. People=92s legi=
timate ambitions, especially in the case of the young, should not be thwart=
ed or offended, nor should people be robbed of their hope of realizing them=
. Nevertheless, ambition must not be confused with the abuse of power. On t=
he contrary, people should compete with one another in mutual esteem (cf.=
=A0Rm=A012:10). In =
disagreements, which are also an unavoidable part of life, we should always=
 remember that we are brothers and sisters, and therefore teach others and =
teach ourselves not to consider our neighbour as an enemy or as an adversar=
y to be eliminated.

Fraternity generates social peace bec=
ause it creates a balance between freedom and justice, between personal res=
ponsibility and solidarity, between the good of individuals and the common =
good. And so a political community must act in a transparent and responsibl=
e way to favour all this. Citizens must feel themselves represented by the =
public authorities in respect for their freedom. Yet frequently a wedge is =
driven between citizens and institutions by partisan interests which disfig=
ure that relationship, fostering the creation of an enduring climate of con=
flict.

An authentic spirit of fraternity ove=
rcomes the individual selfishness which conflicts with people=92s ability t=
o live in freedom and in harmony among themselves. Such selfishness develop=
s socially =96 whether it is in the many forms of corruption, so widespread=
 today, or in the formation of criminal organizations, from small groups to=
 those organized on a global scale. These groups tear down legality and jus=
tice, striking at the very heart of the dignity of the person. These organi=
zations gravely offend God, they hurt others and they harm creation, all th=
e more so when they have religious overtones.

I also think of the heartbreaking dra=
ma of drug abuse, which reaps profits in contempt of the moral and civil la=
ws. I think of the devastation of natural resources and ongoing pollution, =
and the tragedy of the exploitation of labour. I think too of illicit money=
 trafficking and financial speculation, which often prove both predatory an=
d harmful for entire economic and social systems, exposing millions of men =
and women to poverty. I think of prostitution, which every day reaps innoce=
nt victims, especially the young, robbing them of their future. I think of =
the abomination of human trafficking, crimes and abuses against minors, the=
 horror of slavery still present in many parts of the world; the frequently=
 overlooked tragedy of migrants, who are often victims of disgraceful and i=
llegal manipulation. As John XXIII wrote: =93There is nothing human about a=
 society based on relationships of power. Far from encouraging, as it shoul=
d, the attainment of people=92s growth and perfection, it proves oppressive=
 and restrictive of their freedom=94.<a title=3D"" name=3D"14=
2fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftnref17">[17]</a><sp=
an style=3D"font-size:medium">=A0Yet human b=
eings can experience conversion; they must never despair of being able to c=
hange their lives. I wish this to be a message of hope and confidence for a=
ll, even for those who have committed brutal crimes, for God does not wish =
the death of the sinner, but that he converts and lives (cf.=A0Ez=A0=
18:23).

In the broad context of human social =
relations, when we look to crime and punishment, we cannot help but think o=
f the inhumane conditions in so many prisons, where those in custody are of=
ten reduced to a subhuman status in violation of their human dignity and st=
unted in their hope and desire for rehabilitation. The Church does much in =
these environments, mostly in silence. I exhort and I encourage everyone to=
 do more, in the hope that the efforts being made in this area by so many c=
ourageous men and women will be increasingly supported, fairly and honestly=
, by the civil authorities as well.

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><i><font face=3D"Times New Roman">Fraternity helps to preserve and c=
ultivate nature</font></i></span></p>

9. The human family has received from=
 the Creator a common gift: nature. The Christian view of creation includes=
 a positive judgement about the legitimacy of interventions on nature if th=
ese are meant to be beneficial and are performed responsibly, that is to sa=
y, by acknowledging the =93grammar=94 inscribed in nature and by wisely usi=
ng resources for the benefit of all, with respect for the beauty, finality =
and usefulness of every living being and its place in the ecosystem. Nature=
, in a word, is at our disposition and we are called to exercise a responsi=
ble stewardship over it. Yet so often we are driven by greed and by the arr=
ogance of dominion, possession, manipulation and exploitation; we do not pr=
eserve nature; nor do we respect it or consider it a gracious gift which we=
 must care for and set at the service of our brothers and sisters, includin=
g future generations.

In a particular way, the=A0agricul=
tural sector=A0is the primary productive sector with the crucial vocati=
on of cultivating and protecting natural resources in order to feed humanit=
y. In this regard the continuing disgrace of hunger in the world moves me t=
o share with you the question:=A0How are we using the earth=92s resource=
s?=A0Contemporary societies should reflect on the hierarchy of prioriti=
es to which production is directed. It is a truly pressing duty to use the =
earth=92s resources in such a way that all may be free from hunger. Initiat=
ives and possible solutions are many, and are not limited to an increase in=
 production. It is well known that present production is sufficient, and ye=
t millions of persons continue to suffer and die from hunger, and this is a=
 real scandal. We need, then, to find ways by which all may benefit from th=
e fruits of the earth, not only to avoid the widening gap between those who=
 have more and those who must be content with the crumbs, but above all bec=
ause it is a question of justice, equality and respect for every human bein=
g. In this regard I would like to remind everyone of that necessary=A0un=
iversal destination of all goods=A0which is one of the fundamental prin=
ciples of the Church=92s social teaching. Respect for this principle is the=
 essential condition for facilitating an effective and fair access to those=
 essential and primary goods which every person needs and to which he or sh=
e has a right.

Conclusion
10. Fraternity needs to be discovered=
, loved, experienced, proclaimed and witnessed to. But only love, bestowed =
as a gift from God, enables us to accept and fully experience fraternity.</=
font>

The necessary realism proper to polit=
ics and economy cannot be reduced to mere technical know-how bereft of idea=
ls and unconcerned with the transcendent dimension of man. When this openne=
ss to God is lacking, every human activity is impoverished and persons are =
reduced to objects that can be exploited. Only when politics and the econom=
y are open to moving within the wide space ensured by the One who loves eac=
h man and each woman, will they achieve an ordering based on a genuine spir=
it of fraternal charity and become effective instruments of integral human =
development and peace.

We Christians believe that in the Chu=
rch we are all members of a single body, all mutually necessary, because ea=
ch has been given a grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, f=
or the common good (cf.=A0Eph=A04:7,25;=A01 Cor=A012:7). Chri=
st has come to the world so as to bring us divine grace, that is, the possi=
bility of sharing in his life. This entails weaving a fabric of fraternal r=
elationships marked by reciprocity, forgiveness and complete self-giving, a=
ccording to the breadth and the depth of the love of God offered to humanit=
y in the One who, crucified and risen, draws all to himself: =93A new comma=
ndment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, =
that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disci=
ples, if you have love for one another=94 (Jn=A013:34-35). This is t=
he good news that demands from each one a step forward, a perennial exercis=
e of empathy, of listening to the suffering and the hopes of others, even t=
hose furthest away from me, and walking the demanding path of that love whi=
ch knows how to give and spend itself freely for the good of all our brothe=
rs and sisters.

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">Christ embraces all of humanity and w=
ishes no one to be lost. =93For God sent the Son into the world, not to con=
demn the world, but that the world might be saved through him=94 (<i>Jn</i>=
=A0<span style=3D"border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dashed;border=
-bottom-color:rgb(204,204,204)"><span>3:17</span></span>). He does it witho=
ut oppressing or constraining anyone to open to him the doors of heart and =
mind. =93Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader =
as one who serves=94 =96 Jesus Christ says =96 =93I am among you as one who=
 serves=94 (<i>Lk</i>=A022:26-27). Every activity therefore must be disting=
uished by an attitude of service to persons, especially those furthest away=
 and less known. Service is the soul of that fraternity that builds up peac=
e.</font></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">May Mary, the Mother of Jesus, help u=
s to understand and live every day the fraternity that springs up from the =
heart of her Son, so as to bring peace to each person on this our beloved e=
arth.</font></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:=
arial,sans-serif;font-size:16.363636016845703px"><span style=3D"font-size:m=
edium"><i><font face=3D"Times New Roman">From the Vatican, 8 December 2013<=
/font></i></span></p>

<div style=3D"color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:16=
.363636016845703px"><br clear=3D"all">
<hr align=3D"left" size=3D"1" width=3D"33%">
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn1"></font><f=
ont color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[1]</a><font face=3D"Times N=
ew Roman">Cf. Encyclical Letter=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D"#663300">Cari=
tas in Veritate</a></i>=A0(29 June 2009), 19: AAS 101 (2009), 654-655.</fon=
t></p>

</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn2"></font><f=
ont color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[2]</a><font face=3D"Times N=
ew Roman">Cf. FRANCIS, Encyclical Letter=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D"#663=
300">Lumen Fidei</a></i>=A0(29 June 2013), 54: AAS 105 (2013), 591-592.</fo=
nt></p>

</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn3"></font><f=
ont color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[3]</a><font face=3D"Times N=
ew Roman">Cf. PAUL VI, Encyclical Letter=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D"#663=
300">Populorum Progressio</a></i>=A0(26 March 1967), 87: AAS 59 (1967), 299=
.</font></p>

</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn4"></font><f=
ont color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[4]</a><font face=3D"Times N=
ew Roman">Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D=
"#663300">Sollicitudo Rei Socialis</a></i>=A0(30 December 1987), 39: AAS 80=
 (1988), 566-568.</font></p>

</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn5"></font><f=
ont color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[5]</a><font face=3D"Times N=
ew Roman">Encyclical Letter=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D"#663300">Populoru=
m Progressio</a></i>=A0(26 March 1967), 43: AAS 59 (1967), 278-279.</font><=
/p>

</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn6"></font><f=
ont color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[6]</a><font face=3D"Times N=
ew Roman">Cf. ibid., 44: AAS 59 (1967), 279.</font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn7"></font><f=
ont color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[7]</a><font face=3D"Times N=
ew Roman">Encyclical Letter=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D"#663300">Sollicit=
udo Rei Socialis</a></i>=A0(20 December 1987), 38: AAS 80 (1988), 566.</fon=
t></p>

</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn8"></font><f=
ont color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[8]</a><font face=3D"Times N=
ew Roman">Ibid., 38-39: AAS 80 (1988), 566-567.</font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn9"></font><f=
ont color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[9]</a><font face=3D"Times N=
ew Roman">Ibid., 40: AAS 80 (1988), 569.</font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn10"></font><=
font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[10]</a><font face=3D"Times=
 New Roman">Ibid.</font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn11"></font><=
font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[11]</a><font face=3D"Times=
 New Roman">Cf. Encyclical Letter=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D"#663300">Ca=
ritas in Veritate</a></i>=A0(29 June 2009), 19: AAS 101 (2009), 654-655.</f=
ont></p>

</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn12"></font><=
font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[12]</a><font face=3D"Times=
 New Roman"><i>Summa Theologiae</i>II-II, q. 66, art. 2.</font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn13"></font><=
font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[13]</a><font face=3D"Times=
 New Roman">SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the=
 Church in the Modern World=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D"#663300">Gaudium =
et Spes</a></i>, 69; cf. LEO XIII, Encyclical Letter=A0<i><a></font><font c=
olor=3D"#663300">Rerum Novarum</a></i>=A0(15 May 1891), 19: ASS 23 (1890-18=
91), 651; JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D"#66=
3300">Sollicitudo Rei Socialis</a>=A0</i>(30 December 1987), 42: AAS 80 (19=
88), 573-574; PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE,=A0<i><a></font><fon=
t color=3D"#663300">Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church</a></i>=
, 178.</font></p>

</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn14"></font><=
font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[14]</a><font face=3D"Times=
 New Roman">Encyclical Letter=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D"#663300">Redemp=
toris Hominis</a></i>=A0(4 March 1979), 16: AAS 61 (1979), 290.</font></p>

</div>
<div>
<a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn15"><=
font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[15]</a>Cf. PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE,=A0<a><f=
ont color=3D"#663300">Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church</a></=
i>, 159.

</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn16"></font><=
font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[16]</a><font face=3D"Times=
 New Roman">FRANCIS,=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D"#663300">Letter to Presi=
dent Putin</a></i>, 4 September 2013:=A0<i>L=92Osservatore Romano</i>, 6 Se=
ptember 2013, p. 1.</font></p>

</div>
<div>
<p><a title=3D"" name=3D"142fc488cd35dd34_142f9471277ed34b__ftn17"></font><=
font color=3D"#663300" face=3D"Times New Roman">[17]</a><font face=3D"Times=
 New Roman">Encyclical Letter=A0<i><a></font><font color=3D"#663300">Pacem =
in Terris</a></i>=A0(11 April 1963), 17: AAS 55 (1963), 265.</font></p>

</div>
</div></div>
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