Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - ‘The Human Person, the Heart of Peace’ is the theme chosen by Pope Benedict XVI for the 40th World Peace Day on 1 January 2007. The theme for reflection chosen by the Holy Father expresses the conviction that respect for the dignity of the human person is an essential condition for peace in the human family. Human dignity is in fact the seal which God impressed on the human being, created in his image and likeness (Gen 1, 26-27), it is the sign of humanity’s common destiny, it is the foundation of love of God and love of neighbour. Only in the awareness of the transcendent dignity of every man and woman, is the human family on the path which leads to peace and to communion with God. In fact Benedict XVI in his encyclical Deus caritas est, affirms: "love of neighbour is a path that leads to the encounter with God" (16).
Today, perhaps with more effective means and force of persuasion than in the past, human dignity is threatened by aberrant ideologies, assailed by distorted use of science and technology, contradicted by diffused incongruent life styles. Indeed, ideologies based on nihilism or fanaticism (materialist or religious) seek to deny or to imposed supposed truths with regard to reality, mankind or God. Science and technology (bio-medicine especially), very often, instead of serving the common good of humanity are instrumental in serving a selfish vision of progress and wellbeing. Moreover, propaganda and the growing acceptance of disordered lifestyles contrary to human dignity are weakening the hearts and minds of people to the point of extinguishing the desire for ordered and peaceful coexistence. All this represents a threat to humanity, because peace is in danger when human dignity is not respected and when social coexistence does not seek the common good.
The Church has the mission of announcing the Gospel of Life, the central position of mankind in the universe and God's love for humanity. Therefore, to the challenges of the present time, the Church responds with a Christian anthropology based on the three pillars of human dignity, sociality and activity in the world, oriented in accordance with the order stamped by God on the universe, ((Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 37) and with a view to an integral humanism and solidarity that tends towards the development of the whole person and all men and women (Paul VI, Populorum progressio).
More than forty years ago Vatican II affirmed " the Church knows that her message is in harmony with the most secret desires of the human heart when she champions the dignity of the human vocation, restoring hope to those who have already despaired of anything higher than their present lot" (Gaudium et spes, 21). Every offence against the person is a threat to peace; every threat to peace is an offence to the truth of the person and of God: "The human person is the heart of peace!”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 13/7/2006; righe 33, parole 483)
