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Wisdom Needed Now, More Than Ever,
Insists L´Osservatore Romano
VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit.org).- The
Vatican reacted cautiously to the announcement of the U.S.
operation in response to Black Tuesday's attacks, with L'Osservatore
Romano stressing that the "dramatic situation calls for
wise thinking."
"Never as at this time -- while military operations
seem to be undertaken against the authors of the madness of
terror -- is it urgently felt that the decisions of those
responsible in the world must be guided by wise thinking,"
stated a front-page article in today's Italian edition of
the semiofficial Vatican newspaper.
L'Osservatore Romano added: "To be anchored in wisdom
so that thoughts of solidarity, justice, and peace will prevail
is, in fact, the task of the Family of Nations, which must
journey in the century just begun, keeping alive the memory
of the tragedies that bloodied the century that just ended."
"Justice and peace are not abstract concepts or distant
ideals; they are values rooted in the heart of every person,
as common patrimony," the article continued.
The newspaper recalled John Paul II's words, written for
the 1993 World Youth Day.
Military operations, the Pope stated at the time, "never
serve the common good of humanity, violence destroys, it does
not build; the wounds it causes bleed for a long time and,
finally, conflicts worsen the already sad conditions of the
poor and are fueled by new forms of poverty."
WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit.org).- In a letter
to President George W. Bush, the head of the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops expressed support for efforts "to
seek out and hold accountable" those responsible for
the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In the letter dated Wednesday, Galveston-Houston Bishop Joseph
A. Fiorenza also stated that the bishops were praying for
Bush to "find just, wise and effective ways to respond
with resolve and restraint to the long-term task of ending
terrorism."
Referring to the United States' "moral right" and
"grave obligation to defend the common good" against
such attacks, Bishop Fiorenza said that the bishops "support
efforts by our nation and the global community to seek out
and hold accountable, in accord with national and international
law, those individuals, groups and governments which are responsible."
"While we must take into account the unique nature of
this new kind of terrorist threat, any military response must
be in accord with sound moral principles, notably the norms
of the just war tradition such as probability of success,
civilian immunity, and proportionality," Bishop Fiorenza
wrote.
He added: "Our nation must ensure that the grave obligation
to protect innocent human life governs our nation's political
and military decisions."
Bishop Fiorenza commended the president for "calling
on Americans to repudiate acts of ethnic and religious intolerance.
... Arab-Americans and Muslims are not our enemies."
He added: "Attacks on them are attacks on all of us."
U.S. Bishop´s
Letter to Bush
WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit.org).- Here is the
text of the letter dated Sept. 19 and sent by the president
of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to President George
W. Bush this week.
* * *
Dear Mr. President:
In the aftermath of last week's terrorist attacks, I would
like to reiterate that we stand in solidarity with you and
the American people in prayer for our beloved nation at this
time of terrible loss and momentous decisions.
The war-like acts of last Tuesday were appalling attacks
not only against our nation but against all humanity. Our
nation, in collaboration with others, has a moral right and
a grave obligation to defend the common good against such
terrorist attacks. Therefore, we support efforts by our nation
and the global community to seek out and hold accountable,
in accord with national and international law, those individuals,
groups and governments which are responsible. It is incumbent
upon all citizens to recognize this common threat, and to
be willing to make appropriate sacrifices in support of our
nation's multi-faceted and long-term effort to respond in
a morally responsible way.
Your administration has been clear that a broad range of
security, political, diplomatic, legal and military measures
will be necessary to stop this kind of terrorism and bring
the perpetrators and their supporters to justice. While we
must take into account the unique nature of this new kind
of terrorist threat, any military response must be in accord
with sound moral principles, notably the norms of the just
war tradition such as probability of success, civilian immunity,
and proportionality. Our nation must ensure that the grave
obligation to protect innocent human life governs our nation's
political and military decisions.
As we undertake the heavy burden of defending the common
good, in morally appropriate ways, against global terrorism,
we must not lose sight of the ultimate goal and responsibility
of using our nation's considerable influence and power to
contribute to a more just and peaceful world. Among other
things, I hope our foreign policy will give new emphasis to
deepening our engagement with the Arab and Muslim worlds and,
in particular, will continue every effort to press for a just
and peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
I want to commend you for calling on Americans to repudiate
acts of ethnic and religious intolerance. Arab-Americans and
Muslims are not our enemies but are our brothers and sisters,
part of our national family. Attacks on them are attacks on
all of us. Your continued leadership in this area will be
critical in the months ahead.
We pray that you will find just, wise and effective ways
to respond with resolve and restraint to the long-term task
of ending terrorism, confident, in the words of Pope John
Paul II, that Americans will not "give in to the temptation
to hatred and violence, but [will] commit themselves to serving
justice and peace."
Sincerely yours,
Most Reverend Joseph A. Fiorenza
President, USCCB
Statement from Bishops´
Conference of England and Wales
LONDON, SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit.org).- Here is the text of
a statement released Thursday by leaders of the Catholic Bishops'
Conference of England and Wales, in the wake of the Sept.
11 attacks on the United States.
* * *
Statement on the Current International Situation, 20 September
2001, by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor and Archbishop Patrick
Kelly, President and Vice-President of the Catholic Bishops'
Conference of England and Wales
- As President and Vice-President of the Catholic Bishops'
Conference of England and Wales, we express our horror at
the events of 11 September, our unequivocal condemnation
of the attack as an outrageous crime against our common
humanity, and our sympathy with and prayers for the victims
of the attack, their families and friends, and all who have
been working heroically to rescue and care for the victims.
- Such a crime demands a response on the basis of justice
and law, not of vengeance. The instruments of international
governance and law, and especially the United Nations, should
be closely involved in agreeing the proper response to this
atrocity, so that the international community will not be
bitterly divided. From a Catholic point of view, legal remedies
are not to be reduced to considerations of retribution and
punishment, but are to be directed towards the ultimate
goals of justice, reconciliation and healing.
- Military action must be a last resort, when all other
political, legal and diplomatic remedies have been exhausted.
If, in the pursuit of law and justice, military action has
to be taken, a Catholic and Christian framework of moral
understanding has certain relevant and urgent principles
to invoke:
- Proportionality. This principle does not concern the
numbers of victims on either side, but to what extent
the response achieves the effective restraint of evil,
or, on the contrary, to what extent it could actually
unleash even graver evil;
- Discrimination between the guilty and the innocent.
Many of those most immediately guilty have already died.
Now the crucial and necessary search is for the persons
or groups who planned and authorised the attacks. But
whole peoples must not be attacked and punished for
the actions of small and unrepresentative groups;
- Prospect of success. Notions of a 'war against terrorism'
aspire to guarantee that no group will ever again dare
to mount such terrorist attacks. But to speak of a war
against terrorism also carries with it a danger of unrestrained
escalation and perpetuation of the conflict, and of
multiplying the number of enemies in the next generation.
- Within our own countries there are many innocent nationals
who come from the regions which might conceivably be attacked
by the Western allies. They, too, are potential victims
of this tragedy. We are grateful that many distinguished
political and religious leaders, and several media sources,
have warned that reprisals against these innocent people
are intolerable. We encourage the people of our countries
to grow in respect and solidarity with this vulnerable group.
In particular we call on all Christian people to remain
faithful to the great commandment of love: love of God,
of our neighbour and of our 'enemy'.
- Some of the nations which might be accused of sheltering
suspects of this crime are among the poorest in the world.
Even before this event, their people have suffered grievously
and are strongly represented among the world's refugees
and asylum seekers. The present crisis can only worsen the
plight of such refugees and asylum seekers. We urge our
Government and our people to show compassion and humanity
towards those who suffer in this way.
- Nothing can justify the taking of innocent life, and
we have a solemn obligation to try to prevent such outrages
in future. One essential element of this effort is to understand
the causes of violence and the context out of which it springs.
Everything done to overcome gross economic, social and political
inequalities contributes to building up peace and avoiding
war. The struggle to overcome terrorism must not deflect
the international community from redressing these fundamental
injustices.
- We pray for those entrusted with the immense responsibility
to act in response to last week's attack, and who must make
their decisions in the face of profound public grief and
anger. Never, perhaps, will our societies be more tempted
to hatred and vengeance. In these circumstances we wish
to echo the words of our brother bishops in the United States
of America, who said on the day of the attacks: 'We call
upon all our fellow citizens to renew their trust in God
and to turn away from the bitter fruits of the kind of hatred
which is the source of this tragedy'.
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