VATICAN CITY, NOV. 25, 2001 (Zenit.org).- On the 30th anniversary of Caritas-Italy, John Paul II called for the globalization of solidarity to overcome the prevailing fear, insecurity, injustice and wars in the world.
“Not only have technology and economics been globalized, but also insecurity and fear, criminality and violence, injustice and war,” the Holy Father said.
“Therefore, it is urgent to build together a civilization of love and, in order to do so, to educate in respectful and fraternal dialogue between cultures and civilizations,” the Bishop of Rome said in St. Peter´s Basilica on Saturday, when he addressed 1,000 Caritas volunteers and employees.
The Pontiff gave his listeners a clear instruction. “It is necessary to bring into being a globalized charitable action, which will support the development of the ´little ones´ of the earth” so that they “will feel at home in every community,” he said.
To achieve this, the Holy Father suggested that the needy be directly involved in aid programs.
“The more one involves individuals and the whole community, the more effective will be the efforts to avoid marginalization, to influence the mechanisms that generate injustice, to defend the rights of the weak, to remove the cause of poverty, and to establish the South and North, the East and West, in a ´relation of solidarity,´” the Pontiff concluded.
