World Peace Day - January 1, 2014

All men and women enjoy an equal and inviolable dignity. All are loved by God.“

World Peace Day, First observed in 1968, the annual day for peace was begun by Pope Paul VI under inspiration from Pope John XXIII's 1963 encyclical Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth).

Pope Francis issued his first World Peace Day message entitled "Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace”.

Pope Francis has used his message for the annual World Day of Peace to call for better treatment of the poor & suffering based on the Christian message that all people are brothers & sisters.

Mentioning over and over the relationship of God as a parent to humanity, the pope states:

"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," the pope continues.

"This is the reason why no one can remain indifferent before the lot of our brothers & sisters.“

At another point in the text, the pope issues a personal call for cessation of violence.

"I appeal forcefully to all those who sow violence & 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!" he states.

"Give up the way of arms & go out to meet the other in dialogue, pardon, and reconciliation, in order to rebuild justice, trust, and hope around you!"

The Pope Francis also calls attention to those suffering from hunger, saying they are left by the world's economic system to be "content with the crumbs”.

"We need ... 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 & 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," Pope Francis states.

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