Pope calls for end to world's conflicts

In his annual address, the pontiff called for people to rediscover a sense of hope in the midst of the world's problems

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Sunday, 12, Apr 2009 12:16

Pope Benedict XVI has prayed for an end to conflict in the world and for people to rediscover a sense of hope.

In his Urbi et Orbi speech marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Pope said he prayed for all those suffering in the world.

The Pope also prayed for a resolution of the IsraelPalestine conflict and called for all parties to adopt a spirit of reconciliation in order to promote peace and security.

He said: "Reconciliation — difficult but indispensable — is a precondition for a future of overall security and peaceful coexistence, and it can only be achieved through renewed, persevering and sincere efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

In the annual address, he also called on people to rediscover a sense of hope in the midst of the world's problems and highlighted the problems faced by the people of Africa.

"At a time of world food shortage, of financial turmoil, of old and new forms of poverty, of disturbing climate change, of violence and deprivation which force many to leave their homelands in search of a less precarious form of existence, of the ever present threat of terrorism, of growing fears over the future, it is urgent to rediscover grounds for hope," he said.

"Africa suffers disproportionately from the cruel and unending conflicts, often forgotten, that are causing so much bloodshed and destruction in several of her nations, and from the growing numbers of her sons and daughters who fall prey to hunger, poverty and disease," the Pope added.

In comments before the address, the Pope also prayed for the victims of last weeks' earthquake in Italy.

Speaking on behalf of the Pope, his personal secretary Georg Ganswein said: "In this tragic hour ... I feel spiritually close to you and share your anguish,"

Yesterday, a mass funeral was held in the Italian town of Aquila as Italy mourned the 289 people killed in last week's 6.3 Richter scale earthquake.