Educate young Christians and Muslims for justice and peace: Vatican

August 18, 2012: Conveying his greetings on the occasion of the celebration of ‘Id al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue said in his message that ‘For believers, genuine justice, lived in the friendship with God, deepens all other relationships: with oneself, with others and with the whole of creation.’

The Cardinal also said that it is a privileged time to deepen obedience to God, by fasting and other pious practices. He felt that it is an opportune time to focus our common reflection on the education of young Christians and Muslims for justice and peace, that are inseparable from truth and freedom.

Reflecting on Education, Cardinal Tauran said that it is entrusted to the whole of society, but it is first and foremost, the work of parents and, with them, of families, schools and universities, and those responsible for religious, cultural, social, and economic life, and the world of communication.

It is an enterprise to help children and young people to discover and to develop the resources with which the Creator has endowed them with and to build responsible human relationships, the Cardinal added.

Referring to the task of educators, Pope Benedict XVI recently affirmed: “For this reason, today more than ever we need authentic witnesses, and not simply people who parcel out rules and facts… A witness is someone who first lives the life that he proposes to others.” Besides, let us also remember that the young themselves are responsible as well for their own education and for their formation for justice and peace.

Justice is determined first of all by the identity of the human person, considered in his or her entirety. We must not forget that the common good cannot be achieved without solidarity and fraternal love! Believers profess that justice has its origin in the fact that all men are created by God and are called to become one, single family. Such a vision of things, with full respect for reason and openness to transcendence, urges all men and women of good will, inviting them to harmonize rights and duties, Cardinal Tauran explained.

In the tormented world of ours, educating the young for peace becomes increasingly urgent. To engage ourselves in an adequate manner, the true nature of peace must be understood: that it is not limited to the mere absence of war, or to a balance between opposing forces, but is at one and the same time a gift from God and a human endeavour to be pursued without ceasing. It is a fruit of justice and an effect of charity.
It is important that believers are always active in the communities they belong to: by practising compassion, solidarity, collaboration and fraternity. They can effectively contribute towards harmonious growth, integral development, prevention and resolution of conflicts, to name just a few.

Cardinal Tauran concluded his message saying ‘we wish to encourage young Muslim and Christian readers of this Message to cultivate truth and freedom, in order to be genuine heralds of justice and peace and builders of a culture which respects the dignity and the rights of every citizen. Only men and women sincerely convinced of these exigencies will be able to build societies where justice and peace will become realities.