The Prior Pope Benedict-- strong peace advocate

[TexasLawyer]

Pope Benedict XV served from 1914 to 1922. He seemed pretty engaged in world politics-- as a strong advocate for peace and charity. When this Appeal for Peace was written, Benedict XV had just become pope. 1914 was the same year that Arch-Duke Ferdinand was assassinated and much of Europe was pulled into WWI.

I hope that the choice to become Benedict XVI is an indication that the new pope intends to follow in XV's footsteps.

Peace needs all the advocacy it can get.

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pope0258.htm



Pope Benedict XV - Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum - Appealing for Peace - 1 November 1914

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pope0258d.htm

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Certainly those days would seem to have come upon us of which Christ Our Lord foretold: "You shall hear of wars and rumours of wars-for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" (Matt. 24:6-7). On every side the dread phantom of war holds sway: there is scarce room for another thought in the minds of men.

The combatants are the greatest and wealthiest nations of the earth; what wonder, then, if, well provided with the most awful weapons modern military science has devised, they strive to destroy one another with refinements of horror. There is no limit to the measure of ruin and of slaughter; day by day the earth is drenched with newly-shed blood, and is covered with the bodies of the wounded and of the slain.

Who would imagine as we see them thus filled with hatred of one another, that they are all of one common stock, all of the same nature, all members of the same human society? Who would recognize brothers, whose Father is in Heaven? Yet, while with numberless troops the furious battle is engaged, the sad cohorts of war, sorrow and distress swoop down upon every city and every home; day by day the mighty number of widows and orphans increases, and with the interruption of communications, trade is at a standstill; agriculture is abandoned; the arts are reduced to inactivity; the wealthy are in difficulties; the poor are reduced to abject misery; all are in distress.

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We implore those in whose hands are placed the fortunes of nations to hearken to Our voice. Surely there are other ways and means whereby violated rights can be rectified. Let them be tried honestly and with good will, and let arms meanwhile be laid aside. It is impelled with love of them and of all mankind, without any personal interest whatever, that We utter these words. Let them not allow these words of a friend and of a father to be uttered in vain.

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[TexasLawyer]

1. He also tried to head off World War II

At the end of WWI he wrote:

... heartily do We rejoice. But this joy of Our paternal heart is disturbed by many bitter anxieties, for if in most places peace is in some sort established and treaties signed, the germs of former enmities remain;

and you well know, Venerable Brethren, that there can be no stable peace or lasting treaties, though made after long and difficult negotiations and duly signed, unless there be a return of mutual charity to appease hate and banish enmity. This, then, Venerable Brethren, is the anxious and dangerous question upon which we wish to dwell and to put forward recommendations to be brought home to your people. ...