VATICAN - Cardinal Tagle for global truce: Covid-19 emergency "can be an occasion for peace and reconciliation"

Wednesday, 1 April 2020 pandemic   wars   violence   peace   reconciliation   holy see   un   cease-fire   cardinal tagle  

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "The appeal of the Secretary General of the United Nations for a global ceasefire is needed and opportune. That Pope Francis supported and repeated it makes the appeal truly prophetic. The COVID 19 emergency is called a ‘pandemia’, meaning, it affects all peoples and all nations. It therefore demands that all peoples and nations respond together to protect our common human family and ‘common home’.
The COVID 19 emergency urges all of us to help save lives. Our common foe is the infection, not other human beings. The proposed ceasefire reminds us that we must be protecting each other, not killing each other. And we hope that when the pandemic is over (and we hope soon), that the ceasefire would continue as a way of life".
This is what Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, said to Agenzia Fides, expressing full support regarding the appeal for global ceasefire, while the world faces the coronavirus pandemic.
"Every crisis situation - Cardinal Tagle argues - can become a kairòs, depending on the meaning that we see, the calling that we hear, and the action that we take. The present crisis has revealed many disturbing things to us. It is shameful that some countries have large reserves of weapons but lack medicines, masks and protective equipment. It is scandalous that a big portion of national budgets goes to arms but very little to efforts towards dialogue and reconciliation. It is unbelievable that some people in authority use the emergency for political and ethnic bashing, when the virus does not choose races and political persuasions.
This crisis could become an occasion for peace and reconciliation if we, as one human family, have the humility to accept the folly of discrimination, prejudice, domination and violence and also the humility to choose acceptance, respect, compassion, service and peace".
Finally, the Prefect of the Missionary Dicastery thinks of all the populations who today in Asia, Africa and Latin America live in situations of violence, conflict, war: "It is not easy to say anything to people who suffer. Sometimes, silent presence speaks more to them. But I still want to say that the Church invites the victims of conflicts and wars especially in the poorer parts of the world to continue longing for and dreaming of peace. We Christians believe Jesus´ promise to be with us always as God´s peace, love and life. He is our hope. The Church invites all Christians and people of good will to promote peace through little and simple acts of caring or by a compassionate presence. To the tired and weary victims of wars I would like to say that their tears, pains and hopes will not be wasted. In God´s hands, the poor will re-educate consciences and re-direct human history ". (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 1/4/2020)


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