AMERICA/UNITED STATES - SYMPOSIUM AT UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK TO MARK 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF PACEM IN TERRIS BY JOHN XXII AND THE 25 YEARS OF PONTIFICATE OF JOHN PAUL II. SERVITOR PACIS PRIZE AWARDED TO LATE DR. CARLO URBANI AND TO MOTHER TERESA’S MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY

Wednesday, 8 October 2003

New York (Fides Service) – “It is ever more opportune to consider the valuable indications offered by Pacem in Terris in front of the necessity, once again so urgent, to clarify the figure of world public powers. Particularly important among these indications the correlation between the historical contents of the universal good and the shaping and functioning of world public powers” said designate Cardinal Archbishop Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, on October 7 in New York at the United Nations headquarters during a Symposium to mark 40th anniversary of Pacem in Terris by John XXII and the 25 years of pontificate of John Paul II.
The symposium was organised by the Holy See’s permanent Mission to the United Nations, with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Path to Peace Foundation, with the participation of Cardinal Edward Egan archbishop of New York, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See Observer to the UN, Kofi Annan UN Secretary General and Julian Unte, president of the 58th session of the UN General Assembly.
In his intervention Archbishop Martino outlined the contents of the universal common good indicated by John XXIII as the inspiring criteria for planning and shaping world public powers. He highlighted the need to promote authentic dignity of every human person, to defend the inviolable right to life whatever its condition, from conception to natural death, to guarantee freedom of thought and religion, the value and rights of the family, to encourage solidarity towards all men and women, the weakest in particular, to promote of democracy, at all levels and political environments, the affirm the centrality of the person in social-economic life and to animate of a culture inspired by human values.
After affirming that “universal authority must be built with patience, always founded on the unity of the human family and put at its service so as to prevent it from being a exploited for particular interests” the Cardinal designate concluded by saying that humanity must realise ever more clearly that it is called to the one same destiny, and that this calls for common shouldering of responsibility in view of progress towards the true good of the world of today and tomorrow.
At the end of the Symposium two Servitor Pacis awards were presented. The award, given by the Path to Peace Foundation, goes to people distinguished for works of charity and help to those most in need. The award 2003 was presented ad memoriam to the late Italian doctor Carlo Urbani the first to isolate the SARS virus of which he himself died on March 17 this year, and to the Missionaries of Charity, Sisters founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, for their work with children in Baghdad. SL (Fides Service 8/10/2003 EM lines 38 Words: 478)


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