INTERNATIONAL MEETING
OF PRAYER FOR PEACE:
"NO ONE IS SAVED ALONE. PEACE AND FRATERNITY"
APPEAL FOR
PEACE
Gathered in Rome, in “the spirit of Assisi”, and spiritually
united to believers worldwide and to all men and women of good will, we have
prayed alongside one another to invoke upon our world the gift of peace. We
have called to mind the wounds of humanity, we are united with the silent
prayers of so many of our suffering brothers and sisters, all too often
nameless and unheard. We now solemnly commit ourselves to make our own and to
propose to the leaders of nations and the citizens of the world this Appeal for
Peace.
On this Capitoline Hill, in the wake of the greatest conflict
in history, the nations that had been at war made a pact based on a dream of
unity that later came true: the dream of a united Europe. Today, in these
uncertain times, as we feel the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic that threatens
peace by aggravating inequalities and fear, we firmly state that no one can be
saved alone: no people, no single individual!
Wars and peace, pandemics and health care, hunger and access
to food, global warming and sustainable development, the displacement of
populations, the elimination of nuclear threats and the reduction of
inequalities: these are not matters that concern individual nations alone. We
understand this better nowadays, in a world that is amply connected, yet often
lacks a sense of fraternity. All of us are brothers and sisters! Let us pray to
the Most High that, after this time of trial, there may no longer be “others”,
but rather, a great “we”, rich in diversity. The time has come to boldly dream
anew that peace is possible, that it is necessary, that a world without war is
not utopian. This is why we want to say once more: “No more war”!
Tragically, for many, war once again seems to be one possible
means of resolving international disputes. It is not. Before it is too late, we
would remind everyone that war always leaves the world worse than it was. War
is a failure of politics and of humanity.
We appeal to government leaders to reject the language of
division, often based on fear and mistrust, and to avoid embarking on paths of
no return. Together let us look at the victims. All too many conflicts are
presently in course.
To leaders of nations we say: let us work together to create
a new architecture of peace. Let us join forces to promote life, health,
education and peace. The time has come to divert the resources employed in
producing ever more destructive and deadly weapons to choosing life and to
caring for humanity and our common home. Let us waste no time! Let us start
with achievable goals: may we immediately unite our efforts to contain the
spread of the virus until there is a vaccine that is suitable and available to
all. The pandemic is reminding us that we are blood brothers and sisters.
To all believers, and to men and women of good will, we say:
let us become creative artisans of peace, let us build social friendship, let
us make our own the culture of dialogue. Honest, persistent and courageous
dialogue is the antidote to distrust, division and violence. Dialogue
dismantles at the outset the arguments for wars that destroy the fraternity to
which our human family is called.
No one can feel exempted from this. All of us have a shared
responsibility. All of us need to forgive and to be forgiven. The injustices of
the world and of history are not healed by hatred and revenge, but by dialogue
and forgiveness.
May God inspire in us a commitment to these ideals and to the
journey that we are making together. May he touch every heart and make us
heralds of peace.
Rome, Capitoline
Hill, 20 October 2020
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