POPE ARRIVES AT ARA COELI CHURCH; STEPS TO CHURCH; POPE AT ALTAR; POPE SPEAKS (SOF); NUNS LISTEN.




Initials PW/V/CT/BB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: IN A NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO THE WORLD TODAY, POPE PAUL SAID HE HOPED THAT RECENT EPISODES OF GUERILLA WARFARE, TERRORISM AND REPRISALS WOULD NOT SHAKE THE WORLD'S CONFIDENCE IN OBTAINING PEACE.

HE CALLED ON THE WORLD TO CELEBRATE NEW YEAR'S DAY AS A DAY OF PEACE. SPEAKING TO A CONGREGATION IN HE ANCIENT ARA COELI BASILICA IN ROME, HE SAID THAT PEACE AS A DUTY.

THE POPE SAID THAT CONFLICTS BETWEEN NATIONS SHOULD NO LONGER BE RESOLVED BY TRIALS OF MURDEROUS BRUTE FORCE, BLIND AND RUINOUS AS IT IS, BUT RATHER THROUGH RATIONAL PROCEDURES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO PROTECT THE RIGHT, INTEREST AND HONOUR OF HUMAN COMMUNITIES.

PEACE TODAY, HE SAID, ACQUIRE A UNIVERSAL MEANING EMBRACING THE WHOLE OF MANKIND. ANY LOCAL AND PARTIAL VIOLATION OF ITS CIVILISED DOMINION WOUNDS THE GENERAL SENSIBILITY OF THE WORLD.

THE POPE ADDED: "THE CONFLICTS STILL IN PROCESS AT CERTAIN POINT OF THE EARTH -- AND WE ARE THINKING OF VIETNAM, PALESTINE AND AFRICA -- AND RECENT VIOLENT EPISODES OF GUERILLA WARFARE, TERRORISM AND REPRISAL SEND A PAINFUL QUIVER THROUGH THE ENTIRE BODY OF MANKIND."
HE SAID THE ROOTS OF PEACE LAY IN THE RECOGNITION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN, SUCH AS RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, THE RIGHT TO WORK, EQUALITY BETWEEN CITIZENS, ADEQUACY OF LIVELIHOOD, DEFENCE OF THE WEAK, AND EDUCATION.