Pope’s demands restoration of just international order in Peace Day message

December 12, 2024

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CWN Editor's Note: In his message for the 58th World Day of Peace, Pope Francis calls for a reduction of world debt, an end to the death penalty, and a global fund to combat hunger.

The World Day of Peace will be observed on January 1, 2025. The Pope’s message—on the theme, “Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace”—was released by the Vatican on December 12.

“May 2025 be a year in which peace flourishes!” the Pontiff says near the conclusion of his message. Reminding readers that 2025 is a Jubilee Year, he recalls the Jewish tradition of jubilee as a time “to restore God’s justice in every aspect of life,” and proposes that we do the same today:

I think, in particular, of all manner of disparities, the inhuman treatment meted out to migrants, environmental decay, the confusion willfully created by disinformation, the refusal to engage in any form of dialogue and the immense resources spent on the industry of war.

Introducing his particular proposals for the year, the Pope says that “foreign debt has become a means of control whereby certain governments and private financial institutions of the richer countries unscrupulously and indiscriminately exploit the human and natural resources of poorer countries.” He adds that the problem is compounded by “the ‘ecological debt’ incurred by the more developed countries,” which he argues will fall most heavily on the poor nations. So he urges a reduction on the debt owed by the poor countries.

The Pope’s next proposal is a call to respect life from conception until natural death. In that context he renews his call for an end to capital punishment.

Finally the Pope suggests the development of a global fund—endowed with the money that is currently spent on armaments—to provide food for the poor.

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