Pope says Philippines are "Asia's beacon of evangelization"

John Paul II meets with new Filipino ambassador to the Holy See

The pope said these words today while receiving credentials of the Philippine's new ambassador to the Holy See, Her Excellency Leonida Vera. The pope pointed out that that the country's ancient Christian civilization was a key to finding a solution to the nation's social plagues, above all violence. 

"Once again, he said, "I make my appeal to all parties to end terrorism, which continues to cause so much suffering amongst the civil population and to embrace dialog as the only possible means for people create a society to ensure justice, peace and harmony for one and all."

John Paul II also stressed he stance against capital punishment, which is still legal in the Philippines. In order that today's society has the means to lower crime rates and if "it has the duty to be just it has also has the obligation to be merciful."   

John Paul II also condemned the use of what he called "political near-sightedness and "futile" those social and political instances which, instead of bringing real benefits to people, become a cause for the  "alienation and estrangement" of new generations.  

Attracted to the lure of easy money, youth often end up following paths of crime or extreme movements "promising social change through violence and bloodshed," the pontiff said. All sectors in society must, however, work to find solutions to this problem  and governments "must not only acknowledge and help poor people", he said, they must also "actively involve them to find long term remedies."

• vatican
• Philippines
• youth
• john
• paul
• ii
• diplomatic
• relations
• evangelization