World Day of Peace
At the beginning of the year, His Holiness Pope Francis addressed leaders of the world and all men and women of goodwill on the need to build peace.
In his 2016 World Day of Peace Message on the theme: “Overcome Indifference and Win Peace,” the Holy Father said indifference and lack of commitment constitute a grave dereliction of the duty whereby each of us must work in accordance with our abilities and our role in society for the promotion of the common good, and in particular for peace, which is one of mankind’s most precious goods.
He stated that building peace was not accomplished by words alone, but through the grace of God, a conversion of heart, an attitude of compassion and the courage to act against despair.
In the view of The Catholic Standard, the Holy Father’s message is very relevant, especially to developing countries like Ghana trying to chart the path of progress and development in peace.
Most African leaders, for example, start their administration with the best of intentions only to be diverted by evils of corruption, self-aggrandizement and human rights abuses. All these do not lead to peace which Africans and Ghanaians in particular yearn for in their families, communities and respective nations.
According to the Holy Father, in the pursuit of peace, countries must refrain from drawing other people into conflicts or wars, which not only destroy a Nation’s infrastructure and cultural heritage, but also their moral and spiritual integrity. He says developed countries must forgive or make less burdensome international debt of poorer nations.
The Catholic Standard calls on African Governments to adopt policies of co-operation which, instead of bowing before the dictatorship of certain ideologies, will respect the values of the local populations and not harm the fundamental and inalienable right to life of the unborn.
We need to address the urgent problem of improving the living conditions of prisoners, especially those still awaiting trial, which we think also forms part of building peace in the world. Since rehabilitation should be the aim of penal sanctions, effective alternatives to incarceration should be considered as well as the abolition of the death penalty.
This Paper agrees with the Pope that Governing Authorities should consider the possibility of an amnesty or pardon for prisoners.
We admonish national Governments to review their current laws on immigration and find ways that could reflect a readiness to welcome migrants and to facilitate their integration as well as respect the rights and responsibilities of all parties concerned.
In his New Message to Ghanaians, Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference said that peace is not necessarily the absence of war and recalled the fact that in many countries, including Ghana, there is no war and yet there is not peace in homes and in families.
The Catholic Standard agrees with the Bishop that, “There is no peace between brothers and sisters, between parents and children, between husbands and wives. There is no peace between rival political parties.”
As we enter the election year, we should remember that there is the need for us to strive to make peace a reality and not a mere dream.
In his 2016 World Day of Peace Message on the theme: “Overcome Indifference and Win Peace,” the Holy Father said indifference and lack of commitment constitute a grave dereliction of the duty whereby each of us must work in accordance with our abilities and our role in society for the promotion of the common good, and in particular for peace, which is one of mankind’s most precious goods.
He stated that building peace was not accomplished by words alone, but through the grace of God, a conversion of heart, an attitude of compassion and the courage to act against despair.
In the view of The Catholic Standard, the Holy Father’s message is very relevant, especially to developing countries like Ghana trying to chart the path of progress and development in peace.
Most African leaders, for example, start their administration with the best of intentions only to be diverted by evils of corruption, self-aggrandizement and human rights abuses. All these do not lead to peace which Africans and Ghanaians in particular yearn for in their families, communities and respective nations.
According to the Holy Father, in the pursuit of peace, countries must refrain from drawing other people into conflicts or wars, which not only destroy a Nation’s infrastructure and cultural heritage, but also their moral and spiritual integrity. He says developed countries must forgive or make less burdensome international debt of poorer nations.
The Catholic Standard calls on African Governments to adopt policies of co-operation which, instead of bowing before the dictatorship of certain ideologies, will respect the values of the local populations and not harm the fundamental and inalienable right to life of the unborn.
We need to address the urgent problem of improving the living conditions of prisoners, especially those still awaiting trial, which we think also forms part of building peace in the world. Since rehabilitation should be the aim of penal sanctions, effective alternatives to incarceration should be considered as well as the abolition of the death penalty.
This Paper agrees with the Pope that Governing Authorities should consider the possibility of an amnesty or pardon for prisoners.
We admonish national Governments to review their current laws on immigration and find ways that could reflect a readiness to welcome migrants and to facilitate their integration as well as respect the rights and responsibilities of all parties concerned.
In his New Message to Ghanaians, Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference said that peace is not necessarily the absence of war and recalled the fact that in many countries, including Ghana, there is no war and yet there is not peace in homes and in families.
The Catholic Standard agrees with the Bishop that, “There is no peace between brothers and sisters, between parents and children, between husbands and wives. There is no peace between rival political parties.”
As we enter the election year, we should remember that there is the need for us to strive to make peace a reality and not a mere dream.
