Issued by the Catholic Center for Studies and Media - Jordan. Editor-in-chief Fr. Rif'at Bader - موقع أبونا abouna.org

Published on Saturday, 1 January 2022

The Catholic Center for Studies and Media in Jordan presents 2022 Message of Peace

Fr. Dr. Rif'at Bader/ en.abouna.org :

On the first day of the New Year 2022, the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) is pleased to present the message of peace for the new year issued by His Holiness Pope Francis, titled: ''Dialogue Between Generations, Education and Work: Tools for Building Lasting Peace'' on the  55th World Day of Peace 2022.

 

 In a televised message, CCSM Director Fr. Dr. Rif'at Bader has presented a summary of the annual peace message. He said that Pope Francis proposes three ways to build a lasting peace, namely dialogue between generations to build peace, teaching and education as drivers of peace, and striving to attain comprehensive human dignity. These are the threr elements that cannot be bypassed so as to create what he called a "social pact" for without them there is no decision or logic for any peace project.

 

In a world still gripped by the pandemic that has created untold problems, “some people attempt to flee from reality, taking refuge in their own little world; others react to it with destructive violence. Yet between selfish indifference and violent protest there is always another possible option, namely dialogue. Promoting such dialogue between generations involves breaking up the hard and barren soil of conflict and indifference in order to sow the seeds of a lasting and shared peace.

 

As for education and teaching that serve as motives for peace, Pope Francis says that they are the primary means of promoting integral human development; they make individuals more free and responsible, and they are essential for the defence and promotion of peace. In a word, teaching and education are the foundations of a cohesive civil society capable of generating hope, prosperity and progress.

 

He also hopes that investment in education will also be accompanied by greater efforts to promote the culture of care, which, in the face of social divisions and unresponsive institutions, could become a common language working to break down barriers and build bridges where it is essential to forge a new cultural paradigm through “a global pact on education for and with future generations, one that commits families, communities, schools, universities, institutions, religions, governments and the entire human family to the training of mature men and women.

 

As for  creating and ensuring labor builds peace, Pope Francis speaks of an “architecture” of peace, to which different institutions of society contribute,  as it is an expression of ourselves and our gifts, but also of our commitment, self-investment and cooperation with others, since we always work with or for someone. Seen in this clearly social perspective, the workplace enables us to learn to make our contribution towards a more habitable and beautiful world.

 

The 2022 Message of Peace calls for combining ideas and efforts in order to create the solutions and conditions that can provide everyone of working age with the opportunity, through their work, to contribute to the lives of their families and of society as a whole.

 

Lastly, as the CCSM presents the new message of peace, it pleads with the Almighty God to bless the efforts of peacemakers in the world and prays for dear Jordan, as it is on the threshold of the new centenary with determination and steadfastness under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein and Crown Prince  Al Hussein Ibn Abdullah, and all the faithful people who work day and night to preserve and multiply the treasures of this country, so that Jordan can remain a state of security and stability as well as an oasis of harmony and dialogue.

 

Happy New Year 2022