バチカンFelix en of aizenkai

　It is a great honour for me to address this prestigious gathering, and I wish to thank Reverend Yasumi Hirose, President of the Japan Religious Committee for the World Federation, for his gracious invitation.

I wish also to express my appreciation for the initiative taken by the Japan Religious Committee for the World Federation for organising this conference on World Peace in order to "commit ourselves to the future by remembering the past, especially to abhor nuclear war by remembering Hiroshima."

We wish to remember the past because we wish to build a new future. I am reminded what the late Pope John Paul II, pilgrim of peace, said in Hiroshima in 1981:

"In the face of the man-made calamity that every war is, one must affirm and reaffirm, again and again, that the waging of war is not inevitable or unchangeable. Humanity is not destined to self-destruction. Clashes of ideologies, aspirations and needs can and must be settled and resolved by means other than war and violence. Humanity owes it to itself to settle differences and conflicts by peaceful means."

Convinced of these words, we believers of all religions declare to the world that we will work to build a reconciled world, a world able to look with serenity to its own future.

Monsignor. Felix A. Machado, chatting with Mme Kurenai Deguchi (5th Spiritual Leader of Jinrui Aizenkai) 　The theme of peace is central to all religions. All humanity must increasingly become God's family, living in harmony and peace.

This is why the theme of peace must be seen in the wider context of the problems of our world: the dehumanizing poverty, exploitation of children and women, especially those who are victims of war, of broken families and of abuse, ecological disaster, discrimination on the basis of religious affinity, oppression of minorities, problems of disillusioned youth, unequal distribution of world's resources, etc.

Man's longing for peace is expressed by every religion. The references concerning this longing, in the context of man's life and his relationship with the Absolute or the Transcendental Reality, occupy prominent place in the sacred books of the different religions.

If that longing is fundamental and of essential nature of being human then believers of every religion should support it, whether they be politicians, leaders of international organizations, businessmen and workers, associations and private citizens.

For us Christians Jesus Christ is "our peace." For our Jewish brothers and sisters, the word "shalom" expresses both a wish and blessing in a situation in which man is in harmony with himself, with nature and God; for the followers of Islam the term "salaam" is so important that it constitutes one of the glorious divine names.

In the Hindu tradition many Vedic hymns are devoted to the theme of peace, e.g. the Atharva Veda sings,"peaceful be heaven, peaceful the earth, peaceful the broad space between. Peaceful for us be the running waters, peaceful the plants and herbs! Peaceful to us be the signs of the future, peaceful what is done and undone, peaceful to us be what is and what will be" (Atharva Veda, XIX,9,1).

Sakyamuni Buddha advocated non-harming, non-violence, and peace as the central part of his teaching. In Dhammapada it is written: "Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world; by non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is an eternal law" (I, 5).

According to Traditional Religion, which is known by different names in different places, peace is more than absence of war or open conflict. Positively peace is viewed in terms of harmony with all facets of reality, the seen and the unseen, the divine and the human, the cosmic and the historical.

Peace also presupposes balance and respect for diversity. Peace in traditional religions is fostered by a communitarian as opposed to an individualistic way of life, relationship with the land and sea which inculcates a sense of responsibility and stewardship with respect to nature in general.

"Man may posses everything: health, wealth, spouse, and children, knowledge and skill, power and glory; but still he can be the most miserable creature if he is lacking that gift of the divine which does not depend on any other gift, and on which all other gifts depend if they are to be real blessings for man: peace.

Human fullness is incomplete without peace, whereas even the one who lacks everything else can still have peace within himself and peace with all beings, which in fact constitutes happiness.

The Vedas were deeply aware of this and thus of the constant necessity to invoke peace with all the power of the (shanti) mantra, (the recitation of which) is the beginning and the end of everything. Nothing is achieved by external discord or internal unrest, and nothing is accomplished in the world or in human life unless it is grounded in peace"1.

It is important to emphasise, above all from the Christian point of view, that peace is first and foremost the gift of God. Almighty God has entrusted this gift to man.

Peace is not so much a superficial balance between diverse material interests; rather, it is the essential good man must search for. It is a fruit of morality and virtues.

Since God is the primary Fountain, the essential Truth and the supreme Good of all beings, man's search for peace cannot but begin with God. In this sense peace comes from God; God is its foundation.

God gives creation to humanity for its use and for its development. God also writes on the human conscience the laws which oblige man to respect, in various ways, the life of every person. Thus, we can say, that God himself is guarantee of all fundamental human rights.

God himself helps man in his interior being to find peace and to realize it in his life and in the world. In fact, man, limited and subject to errors and to evil during his existence, is always confronted with many difficulties; he is attracted by false goods and deviated by irrational and egoistic instincts.

Therefore it is necessary for man to open to the transcendence of God who purifies him of all errors and liberates him from aggressive passions. God is not somewhere far away from the heart of man; rather, He can be found in prayer and in the practice of justice.

Monsignor. Felix A. Machado, chatting with Mme Kurenai Deguchi (5th Spiritual Leader of Jinrui Aizenkai) 　Peace then, is the fruit of one's communion with God and neighbours.

Every gift also entails responsibility.

Man is not dispensed from his responsibility of receiving the gift of peace and making it his personal and communitarian commitment in the course of history. This is how the divine gift of peace becomes for man a human project. All people of good will need to participate in this project, by denouncing tirelessly hatred, violence, war and work to promote justice, peace and harmony.

Believers need to reinforce their commitment to interreligious dialogue in order to collaborate in joint efforts to uphold moral values, to maintain the traditional concept of marriage and the family, and to uphold the rights of parents. Where human life itself is threatened, whether at its very beginning or at its natural end, we see people of different religions coming together in its defence.

Our conversations across religious boundaries must examine and touch upon different aspects of human rights. It can be said that the lack of justice, in individual, social and international relations, is a cause of much unrest in our world today, unrest which often breaks out into violent conflict.

There are some who tend to blame religion for conflict so that, as the slogan goes, "there can be no peace in the world without peace among the religions." This view is misleading, and even unjust, if it is construed as meaning that all the ills of society and all conflicts owe their origins to religion. Conflicts, in fact, usually have other causes, economic, social and political.

Yet there is a grain of truth in this saying, for religious differences can indeed contribute to the building up of tension and can make opposition between opposing factions more entrenched. This means that in times of violence joint interreligious action can be extremely significant.

Religious leaders can work together to create the conditions for bringing about peaceful solutions to the ongoing conflicts. I am filled with hope for the future when I hear the common commitments taken by representatives of different religions who gathered around Pope John Paul II, in Assisi, on 24 January 2002.

This is what they declared: "We commit ourselves to proclaiming our firm conviction that violence and terrorism are incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion, and, as we condemn every recourse to violence and war in the name of God or of religion, we commit ourselves to doing everything possible to eliminate the root causes of terrorism."

They continued: "We commit ourselves to educating people to mutual respect and esteem, in order to bring about a peaceful and fraternal co-existence between people of different ethnic groups, cultures and religions. We commit ourselves to fostering the culture of dialogue, so that there will be an increase of understanding and mutual trust between individuals and among people, for these are the premises of authentic peace."

And they concluded: "We commit ourselves to frank and patient dialogue, refusing to consider our differences as an insurmountable barrier, but recognising instead that to encounter the diversity of others can become an opportunity for greater reciprocal understandingﾓ (Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Peace: A Single Goal and a Shared Intention, Vatican City, 2002, p. 93).

Monsignor. Felix A. Machado, chatting with Mme Kurenai Deguchi (5th Spiritual Leader of Jinrui Aizenkai) Peace is threatened when believers choose to live in isolation, closed in upon themselves, and in self-sufficiency which leads to a lack of openness to others. If one party declares that it has the truth, and that all others are in error and are therefore not worthy of consideration, no relationship can be possible.

It is important to make a distinction between error as such and the person who falls into error. Even if we are convinced that truth is on our side, and that others "err regarding the truth or are led astray as a result of their inadequate knowledge, in matters either of religion or of the highest ethical standards", these others never forfeit their personal dignity. They are therefore always to be treated with respect.

Interreligious dialogue can help us on the way to Truth which is always before us.

One of the tasks of dialogue is to overcome prejudice.

An accurate introductory information is a first step for overcoming false ideas and negative views of one another and for breaking down barriers of understanding. Partners in dialogue across religious boundaries need to, first of all, accept one another as endowed with equal dignity.

This does not mean that we value all ideas about the ultimate truth identically. There are, of course, fundamental differences between believers of different religions. However, standing honestly before Truth, believers of all religions need to be open to the other, as a form of openness to God, allowing oneself to be challenged and changed.

Another aspect of truth is sincerity, something essential for mutual confidence and fruitful dialogue. Where there is no real trust, because of a suspicion of lack of sincerity, dialogue becomes impossible. A climate of trust has to be created, bridges of friendship constructed and cordial relationships built.

The day after his installation as 265th successor of Apostle Peter, H.H. Pope Benedict XVI assured the delegates of different religions who had participated in the installation ceremony that he wanted to continue interreligious dialogue by constructing bridges of friendship across religious boundaries. During his first visit outside Italy Pope Benedict XVI, in the footsteps of his predecessor Pope John Paul II, made it a point to visit a Jewish synagogue and meet with Muslim leaders in Germany.

Pope Benedict considers religious fundamentalism and religious relativism as two enemies of interreligious dialogue. Each religious tradition presents itself as a world in itself. Each religious tradition stands on inherent principles.

Christianity, for example, cannot abandon its essential faith, compromising it in order to come to an agreement with others at any cost. Let us not forget that the goal of interreligious dialogue is not to arrive at a common agreement but to be able to live in mutual respect and deep friendship.

While encouraging interreligious dialogue to continue Pope Benedict XVI also warns believers of the danger of relativism.

Monsignor. Felix A. Machado, chatting with Mme Kurenai Deguchi (5th Spiritual Leader of Jinrui Aizenkai) 　Indispensable to To achieve this goal they use the means of prayer, meditation and contemplation and search for interior peace. If prayer and meditation is neglected, the whole edifice of peace is liable to crumble.

During the World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi in 1986, the late Pope John Paul II explained the importance of prayer and meditation, especially for building peace.

He said to the participants: "The coming together of so many religious leaders to pray is in itself an invitation today to the world to become aware that there exists another dimension of peace and another way of promoting it which is not a result of negotiations, political compromises or economic bargainings. It is the result of prayer, which, in the diversity of religions, expresses a relationship with a supreme power that surpasses our human capacities alone"

　One can hardly hope to bring peace in the world if there is no peace within oneself. The religious traditions of Asia, in particular, emphasise the cultivation of inner peace; various religious traditions of Asia, such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, but also the Christian tradition, in the course of their long history, have given importance, through the institution of monastic life, to the cultivation of inner peace.

Peace is born in the heart of a person and then, as a fruit of it, planted in the world. The cultivation of inner peace is indispensable to building peace in the world. By their quiet and discreet but effective witness of life the monks promote peace which our world today needs so urgently.

To the participants, who came to Assisi again in 2002, he said: "If peace is God's gift and has its source in him, where are we to seek it and how can we build it, if not in a deep and intimate relationship with God? To build the peace of order, justice and freedom requires, therefore, a priority commitment to prayer, which is openness, listening, dialogue and finally union with God, the prime wellspring of true peace".

Reflecting on the meaning of prayer the Pope continues: "To pray is not to escape from history and the problems which it presents. On the contrary, it is to choose to face reality not on our own, but with the strength that comes from on high, the strength of truth and love which have their ultimate source in God. Faced with treachery of evil, religious people can count on God, who absolutely wills what is good. They can pray to him to have courage to face even the greatest difficulties with a sense of personal responsibilities, never yielding to fatalism or impulsive reactions".

　Peace and, as its necessary condition, the development of the whole person and of all peoples, are also a matter of religion and the full achievement of both the one and the other depends on our fidelity to our vocation as men and women of faith .

Believers must explore the theme of peace in the context of integral development of person and peoples. Unless you seek the good of one and all peace is placed in jeopardy.

Respect for rights of every human person is the foundation of peace. Of course, there are always rights and duties, flowing directly and simultaneously from human person's very nature.

The phenomenon of globalization which is being imposed without respect to solidarity among all peoples must become a serious concern for all believers.

Every believer must ask, "What will be the effect of the changes taking place? Will everyone be able to take advantage of a global market? Will everyone at last have a chance to enjoy peace? Will relations between States become more equitable, or will economic competition and rivalries between peoples and nations lead humanity towards a situation of even greater instability?"

The challenge, in short, is to ensure a globalization in solidarity, a globalization without marginalization. This is a clear duty in justice, with serious moral implications in the organizations of the economic, social, cultural and political life of nations".

　Let us ask the following questions: "Can true peace exist when men, women and children cannot live in full human dignity? Can there be a lasting peace in a world ruled by relations - social, economic and political - that favour one group or nation at the expense of another? Can genuine peace be established without an effective recognition of that wonderful truth that we are all equal in dignity?"

The integral development of people is the goal and measure of all development projects. All together need to promote values that truly benefit individuals and society.

It is not enough to reach out and help those in need. We must help them to discover the values which enable them to build a new life and to take their rightful place in society with dignity and justice.

"Development is no longer a question merely of improving certain situations or economic conditions. Development ultimately becomes a question of Peace, because it helps to achieve what is good for others and for the human community as a whole".

To Build Peace in the World needs Cooperation of all Religions

I deeply believe that interreligious dialogue is an act of love which has its roots in God himself10. Acknowledging fundamental differences which exist between religions believers need to commit themselves in promoting peace in the world.

Differences certainly need to be respected but instead of becoming obstacles in the way of peace differences should be overcome by understanding them.

Thanks to the increasing number of encounters and exchanges between religious believers around the world, believers have been able to attain a clearer awareness of their considerable responsibilities with regard to the true good of humanity as a whole.

As a result of interreligious dialogue believers have become an active force in the process of development and thus to offer a sure hope to humanity. In a number of instances, it has become evident that their activity would have proved more effective had it been carried out jointly and in a coordinated manner.

Of course, there is a long a way to go for believers of different religions to reach the goal of active cooperation in the cause of peace. Let us resolve to work for peace, above all by the personal example of our own right interior attitude, which shows outwardly in consistent action and behaviour.

Serenity, balance, self-control, and acts of understanding, forgiveness and generosity have a peace-making influence on peopleﾕs surroundings and on the religious and civil community".

Believers across religious boundaries need to multiply voices, by crying in season and out of season, against hatred, violence, aggression and war. War is a defeat for humanity. Respect for life and for all lives, respect for rights of every human being must become priority for all of us.

Monsignor. Felix A. Machado, chatting with Mme Kurenai Deguchi (5th Spiritual Leader of Jinrui Aizenkai) 　Freedom is essential to peace for it allows people to act responsibly. A solution that is imposed from above, and not accepted willingly, will not last. This is why it is important that peace processes not be confined only to select negotiations; the process needs to be shared with the populations involved in the conflict.

"Man has a natural right to be respected. He has a right to his good name. He has a right to freedom in investigating the truth, and within the limits of the moral order and the common good to freedom of speech and publication, and to freedom to pursue whatever profession he may choose. He has the right, also, to be accurately informed about public events" (John XXIII, Pacem in Terris, 12).

The proviso about respect for the moral order and the common good calls attention to the limits of this right. Access to information has to be combined with the necessary respect for confidentiality in some areas.

Libelous assertions or incitements to hatred cannot be justified on the grounds of freedom of speech. Yet, the principle of freedom remains, to be respected both in the private and the public sectors.

Religions have a role to play in safeguarding this fundamental right. Religions are, or can be, a significant part of a communications network. They help form public opinion.

They have a duty to educate people about the issues that concern society, particularly from the moral aspect. They must be concerned about inculcating respect and protecting human dignity. Their voices will be more powerful if they can be joined together.

Hence, the importance of joint statements by religious leaders, whether emanating from established interreligious bodies or ad hoc groups. In order to accomplish this task, religious bodies themselves need to enjoy freedom.

Freedom is the most noble prerogative of the human person. And demand for freedom regards, in the first place, the free exercise of religion in society.

Religious quest is inseparably linked to the quest for truth and "truth is to be sought after in a manner proper to the dignity of the human person and his social nature. The inquiry is to be free, carried on with the aid of teaching or instruction, communication, and dialogue".

The Catholic Church, during the Second Vatican Council, solemnly declared that "the human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom means that all men are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that in matters religious no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs. Nor is anyone to be restrained from acting in accordance with his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits".

Religious freedom constitutes the very heart of human rights.

"Its inviolability is such that individuals must be recognized as having the right even to change their religion, if their conscience so demands. People are obliged to follow their conscience in all circumstances and cannot be forced to act against it (Cf Article 18 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights)".

Freedom of conscience and of religion does not mean relativisation of the objective truth which every human being is morally obliged to seek. It must be clearly stated that no State has any competence, direct or indirect, over a person's religious convictions. It cannot arrogate to itself the right to impose or to impede the profession or public practice of religion by a person or a community.

The words of the late Pope John Paul II, in this context, are helpful.

He said: "The State's duties regarding the exercise of the right of religious freedom are matched by the precise and grave responsibilities of men and women for both their individual religious profession and the organization and life of the communities to which they belong. In the first place, the leaders of religious bodies are obliged to present their teaching without allowing themselves to be conditioned by personal, political or social interests, and in ways that conform to the requirements of peaceful coexistence and respect for the freedom of each individual".

Efforts of various private or public, national or international organizations which have, in recent years, defended those who have been victims of discrimination and persecution for their religious convictions must be appreciated.

The religious dimension, rooted in the human conscience, has a specific impact on the subject of peace, and every attempt to impede or to coerce its free expression inevitably has grave negative effects upon the possibility of a peaceful society.

Religious freedom also contributes decisively to producing citizens who are genuinely free; it also makes them to take up their duties with greater responsibility. An essential condition for peace is people's strong moral integrity and religious freedom.

In certain countries legislation has been introduced, or proposed, forbidding "unethical conversions". If what is banned is proselytism, that is the use of undue means to bring about conversion to a particular religion, then such legislation may be considered justified. If, however, any passage from one religion to another is forbidden, then there is a radical contradiction of a fundamental aspect of the principle of religious freedom.

There is also the question of "reciprocity", the equal treatment of religious minorities.

This concerns first of all the possibility of having places of worship, or even more minimally, the possibility of gathering for worship without being harassed by security forces. It is also not sufficient for the civil authorities to say that people can pray at home.

Religion has a communitarian aspect which has a right to find expression in common worship. Religious communities should also have the right to freedom of expression, the possibility to publish materials for the education of their members, and also to import such materials.

Furthermore these communities should have the right to propagate their views to others.

There does need to be a respect for public order, so it is understandable that the authorities would ban any form of preaching or publication which is disrespectful of the religion of the majority, or indeed of any religious community. It is nevertheless a violation of the right to religious freedom if the communities are condemned to a clandestine existence.

　"The world needs peace, the world ardently desires peace". And why does then man makes war? Why does man destroy human life?

Visiting Hiroshima and Nagasaki I asked myself, why do people who immediately move to help others in times of disasters, tacitly approve plans to wage war, war which is a defeat to humanity, war which is a shameful and not a heroic act on the part of us human beings? Anyone who loves life will also love peace.

Believers across religious boundaries have an indispensable role to play in promoting, building, educating and living in peace. Believers in their respective communities, as well as in wider society, must become a concrete example of peaceful and harmonious living.

In order to achieve this new initiatives for the spread of peace must be taken, so that overcoming problems and obstacles in the way of peace, they may meet challenges.

"Given the increased number of conflict situations, it is necessary to develop new energies of peace, for which religions are a valuable resource".

I would like to conclude by quoting a part of the appeal which was signed by religious leaders during a meeting which was held in Milan, Italy, in 1993.
Monsignor. Felix A. Machado, chatting with Mme Kurenai Deguchi (5th Spiritual Leader of Jinrui Aizenkai) It declared: "May no hatred, no conflict, no war be kindled by religions! War can never be justified by religion. May the words spoken by religions always be words of peace! May the way of faith lead to dialogue and understanding! May religions guide hearts to bring peace on earth! May religions help all men and women to love the earth and its peoples both great and small!".

Monsignor. Felix A. Machado, Vatican.