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Arquivo para May 14th, 2016

Pacem in Terris, the Catholic view

14 May

The Encyclical of Pope John XXIII, published in April 1963, two years after PaceInTerrisEnconstruction of the Berlin Wall and in the midst of the cold war (conflict USSR and USA) and the issue of missiles installed in Cuba that caused tension between the two powers and also around the planet.

 

The time is another, the Berlin Wall fell, Russia is only part of the former Soviet Union and many countries today can even be thought of as socialists, but some values ​​are fundamental to be reminded of that encyclical.

 

The first part was a reflection on “rights and duties of man” just as one of the peace foundations, the second between “individuals and public authorities in each political community”, which should always be “geared to promoting well common “, and the third touches on the problems of minorities, political refugees, disarmament and underdeveloped peoples.

 

But the point of reflection that begins in this third part, and is an essential part of the fourth, said the “existence of international rights and duties, [which] are based on real standards, justice, solidarity and freedom” and finally, world problem.

 

The fourth part of the papal encyclical analyzes “relations of individuals and political communities with the world community, advocating the establishment of a universal public authority”, said in other words, the idea of ​​a different global governance functions which today holds the UN thinking “freely their duties within the common good” line, and forwards the fifth part to what should be the “Catholic participation.”

 

It is important because it anticipates a major problem of our time, think peace globally, without forgetting the problems of justice, solidarity and freedom among peoples.

 

In fact according to many thinkers, this problem is urgent and can not wait for global solutions, for example, to combat corruption, food security, ecological and economic problems that are the basis of many conflicts, and of course the tolerance religious serving fuel the war.