Pope Francis is highlighting the global problem of nuclear weapons affecting all nations and impacting future generations and our planet.
The Holy Father spoke of his concern in a message to the participants of the Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons held in Vienna, which began Monday and ends today. His message was read aloud by Archbishop Silvio Tomasi, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva.
“It is my great hope,” the Pope noted, that our responsibility toward others “will inform our efforts in favor of nuclear disarmament” and to make others see that “a world without nuclear weapons is truly possible.”
“Nuclear deterrence and the threat of mutually assured destruction cannot be the basis for an ethics of fraternity and peaceful coexistence among peoples and states,” he highlighted.
What is needed for us to reduce the nuclear threat and work toward nuclear disarmament, the Pope said, is a “global ethic.” Technological, social and political interdependence urgently calls for an ethic of solidarity now more than ever, he stressed.
Francis said we must work together for a more secure world, as well as for a future that is increasingly rooted in moral values and responsibility on a global scale.
While the focus is often placed on nuclear weapons’ potential for mass killing, the Pope said more attention must be given to the “unnecessary suffering” brought on by their use.
Reminding such weapons have the potential to destroy us and civilization, Francis stated, “The youth of today and tomorrow deserve far more”; they deserve “a peaceful world order based on the unity of the human family, grounded on respect, cooperation, solidarity and compassion.”
“Now is the time to counter the logic of fear with the ethics of responsibility,” he said, as well as “foster a climate of trust and sincere dialogue.”
“Spending on nuclear weapons squanders the wealth of nations,” he said, noting that to prioritize such spending “is a mistake” and “a misallocation of resources which would be far better invested in the areas of integral human development, education, health and the fight against extreme poverty.”
Since the desire for peace, security and stability is one of the deepest longings of the human heart and is rooted in God, he clarified it is “never satisfied by military means alone, much less the possession of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.”
“The future and the survival of the human family hinges on moving beyond this ideal and ensuring that it becomes a reality,” he concluded, saying the security of our own future depends on guaranteeing the peaceful security of others.
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On ZENIT’s Web page:
Full Message: http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-s-message-to-conference-on-the-humanitarian-impact-of-nuclear-weapons
