The earthquake and the nuclear power plant

In his weekly editorial, Vatican Press Office Director, Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi, reflects on the earthquake and the nuclear power plant:

For days, images of the tragedy in Japan continue to upset us and provoke questions. From the very outset they have evoked memories of the tragic Indian Ocean tsunami six years ago, which also caused a frightening number of victims, and even more: a sea of suffering and pain that calls for our compassion, our sympathy and our prayers.

But with the space of a few days the world's attention has shifted to the disaster at the nuclear power plant. The Japanese have shown that they can cope with earthquakes in an admirable way, constructing buildings capable of withstanding the strongest shock. In other countries the same shock would have caused countless deaths.

Yet even Japan’s technical progress has revealed, in one sense, and unexpectedly weak point. It only took the serious damage of one of more than 50 Japanese nuclear power plants to cause a new fear of death that is spreading around the world, in addition to the tsunami’s destruction. Nuclear power is a great natural resource which man tries to use for his benefit, but if he loses control of it, it can turn against him. And nobody knows better than the Japanese the effects of energy released from the heart of the matter turned against man. The safety of nuclear power plants and radioactive waste storage will never be absolute. It is right and necessary to reflect again on the proper use of technological power, its risks and its human price. The Pope often recommends this.

Today at the nuclear power plant, a group of heroes are generously risking their lives to save the lives of many others. Like the firefighters of 9/11. As then, the generous love for others, even at the cost of one’s life, is the true light in the darkness of this tragedy. It shines a light on the path to follow. It is the same direction as the journey with Jesus towards Easter.