[Apologetics] Pope asks for 'gift of peace' for the world

[Art Kelly]

Pope asks for 'gift of peace' for the world
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/world/5416265.html

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI marked the start of
2008 with an appeal today for world peace, calling it
a "divine gift" and stressing the role family values
play in nurturing peace.

The pope celebrated World Day of Peace by leading a
midmorning Mass and later appearing before thousands
of faithful, calling in his homily for "the gift of
peace: for our families, our cities and the whole
world."

"We all aspire to live in peace, but real peace ... is
not the simple conquest of man or the result of
political agreements. It is, above all, a divine
gift," Benedict said.

At the same time, the pope added, peace is a
"commitment that must be pursued with patience."

After the Mass at St. Peter's Basilica, the
80-year-old pope, dressed in ornate white and gold
vestment, waved and smiled from his studio window to
pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.

Benedict returned to a theme central to his papacy:
the importance of the traditional family based on the
marriage between man and woman.

"Mankind is a big family," he said, noting that peace
is inspired by the same values that hold a family
together.

Family is the "first and irreplaceable educator of
peace," Benedict said.

The remarks were in line with a strong Vatican
campaign under Benedict for the protection of the
traditional family and against proposals to extend
rights to gay couples or other unions outside
traditional marriage.

Taking an aggressive position in two overwhelmingly
Roman Catholic countries, the Vatican has decried
attempts by Italy's center-left government to give
legal status to de-facto couples and denounced the
Spanish social government for passing legislation
recognizing gay marriage and facilitating divorce.

Thousands marched in Madrid on Sunday to defend the
traditional family, with the pope praising the crowd
via a live hookup. Months earlier, he applauded a
similar rally in Italy.

"Whoever, even unknowingly, circumvents the
institution of the family undermines peace in the
entire community, national and international, since he
weakens what is in effect the primary agency of
peace," Benedict said today, quoting from his annual
peace message to world leaders.



ART KELLY, ATM-S
13524 Brightfield Lane
Herndon, Virginia 20171-3360
(703) 904-3763 home
(703) 396-6956 work
arthurkelly at yahoo.com
art.kelly at cox.net
ArtK135 at Netscape.net


      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs