Pacem in Terris - a true gift of Pope John XXIII: Card. Turkson

Rome, 27 April 2013: ‘Pacem in Terris, is a true gift of Pope John XXIII, which the time has not consumed’, said Cardinal Peter Turkson on Saturday while speaking at the Congress of Christian Workers Movement on the theme "Pacem in Terris, current events and prophecy" Bergamo, Italy.

Recalling the 50^th anniversary of the publication of Pope John XXIII’s last and largest
encyclical letter, Pacem in Terris, Cardinal Turkson said that we need to take advantage of this landmark encyclical. He made his presentation in three steps.

The first, starting from the consideration of geopolitical crisis, when the world, in those difficult early 60s, was about to see its end. The world was, in fact, threatened by a nuclear holocaust then. It was at that dramatic historical moment that the Good Pope had the bold idea to call everyone and everyone to work to build peace and human rights. He did so on the solid foundation, that is man himself. And this was not done just globally, but included individual, interpersonal, and local components.

In the second phase, Cardinal Turkson focused on the biblical roots of the Encyclical. In fact, said the Cardinal, the Pope received the inspiration for Pacem in Terris, from the teaching of the Prophets and the Gospel of the Lord.

In the third phase, the Cardinal observed that the encyclical ‘Pacem in Terris’ which is a "gift" given to us by Pope John is still, a true guide for Christians and all people of good will, in today's world, more strongly characterized by the phenomenon of globalization than 50 years ago.
He observed that Pacem in Terris leads us to understand peace and peace-building today.
Source: VR Sedoc