"Nor can we overlook the fact that wars involve another horrendous crime, the
crime of rape. This is a most grave offence against the dignity of women, who
are not only violated in body but also in spirit, resulting in a trauma hard
to erase and with effects on society as well. Sadly, even apart from
situations of war, all too many women even today are victims of violence.
 "Every conflict and war is emblematic of the throwaway culture, since
people's lives are deliberately crushed by those in power. Yet that culture is
also fuelled by more subtle and insidious forms of rejection. I think in the
first place of the way the sick are treated; often they are cast aside and
marginalised like the lepers in the Gospel. Among the lepers of our own day we
can count the victims of the new and terrible outbreak of Ebola which,
especially in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, has already taken over six
thousand lives. Today I wish publicly to praise and thank those healthcare
workers who, alongside men and women religious and volunteers, are caring in
every way possible for the sick and their families, especially orphaned
children. At the same time I renew my appeal to the entire international
community to provide adequate humanitarian assistance to patients and to make
concerted efforts to combat the disease.
 "Together with lives thrown away because of war and disease, there are those
of numerous refugees and displaced persons. Once again, the reality can be
appreciated by reflecting on the childhood of Jesus, which sheds light on
another form of the throwaway culture which harms relationships and causes the
breakdown of society. Indeed, because of Herod's brutality, the Holy Family
was forced to flee to Egypt, and was only able to return several years later.
One consequence of the situations of conflict just described is the flight of
thousands of persons from their homeland. At times they leave not so much in
search of a better future, but any future at all, since remaining at home can
mean certain death. How many persons lose their lives during these cruel
journeys, the victims of unscrupulous and greedy thugs? I raised this issue
during my recent visit to the European Parliament, where I insisted that 'we
cannot allow the Mediterranean to become a vast cemetery'. Then too there is
the alarming fact that many immigrants, especially in the Americas, are
unaccompanied children, all the more at risk and in need of greater care,
attention and protection.
 "Often coming without documents to strange lands whose language they do not
speak, migrants find it difficult to be accepted and to find work. In addition
to the uncertainties of their flight, they have to face the drama of
rejection. A change of attitude is needed on our part, moving from
indifference and fear to genuine acceptance of others. This of course calls
for 'enacting adequate legislation to protect the rights of... citizens and to
ensure the acceptance of immigrants'. I thank all those who, even at the cost
of their lives, are working to assist refugees and immigrants, and I urge
states and international organisations to make every effort to resolve these
grave humanitarian problems and to provide the immigrants' countries of origin
with forms of aid which can help promote their social and political
development and settle their internal conflicts, which are the chief cause of
this phenomenon. 'We need to take action against the causes and not only the
effects'. This will also enable immigrants to return at some point to their
own country and to contribute to its growth and development.
 "Together with immigrants, displaced people and refugees, there are many
other 'hidden exiles' living in our homes and in our families. I think
especially of the elderly, the handicapped and young people. The elderly
encounter rejection when they are considered a 'burdensome presence', while
the young are thrown away when they are denied concrete prospects of
employment to build their future. Indeed, there is no poverty worse than that
which takes away work and the dignity of work, or which turns work into a form
of enslavement. This is what I sought to stress during my recent meeting with
popular movements working to finding adequate solutions to some of today's
problems, including the scourge of rising unemployment among the young,
illegal labour, and the dramatic situation of so many workers, especially
children, who are exploited out of greed. All this is contrary to human
dignity and the fruit of a mentality which is centred on money, benefits and
economic profit, to the detriment of our fellow man.
 "Then too, the family itself is not infrequently considered disposable,
thanks to the spread of an individualistic and self-centred culture which
severs human bonds and leads to a dramatic fall in birth rates, as well as
legislation which benefits various forms of cohabitation rather than
adequately supporting the family for the welfare of society as a whole.
 "Among the causes of these realities is a model of globalisation which levels
out differences and even discards cultures, cutting them off from those
factors which shape each people's identity and constitute a legacy essential
to their sound social development. In a drab, anonymous world, it is easy to
understand the difficulties and the discouragement felt by many people who
have literally lost the sense of being alive. This tragic situation is
aggravated by the continuing economic crisis, which fosters pessimism and
social conflict. I have been able to see its effects here in Rome, where I
meet many people in trying situations, and in the various journeys I have made
in Italy.
 "To the beloved Italian nation, then, I would like to express my hope that in
the continuing climate of social, political and economic uncertainty the
Italian people will not yield to apathy or dissension, but will rediscover
those values of shared concern and solidarity which are at the basis of their
culture and civic life, and are a reason for confidence both now and in the
future, especially for the young.
 "Speaking of the young, I wish to mention my journey to Korea, where last
August I met thousands of young people assembled for the Sixth Asian Youth
Day. There I spoke of the need to treasure our young, 'seeking to pass on the
legacy of the past and to apply it to the challenges of the present'. This
demands that we reflect on 'how well we are transmitting our values to the
next generation and on the kind of world and society we are preparing to hand
on to them'.
 "This evening I will have the joy of setting off once more for Asia, to visit
Sri Lanka and the Philippines as a sign of my interest and pastoral concern
for the people of that vast continent. To them and to their governments I wish
to voice yet again the desire of the Holy See to offer its own contribution of
service to the common good, to harmony and social concord. In particular, I
express my hope for a resumption of dialogue between the two Koreas, sister
countries which speak the same language.
 "Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, at the beginning of a new year,
though, we do not wish our outlook to be dominated by pessimism, or the
defects and deficiencies of the present time. We also want to thank God for
the gifts and blessings he has bestowed upon us, for the occasions of dialogue
and encounter which he has granted us, and for the fruits of peace which he
has enabled us to savour.
 "I experienced an eloquent sign that the culture of encounter is possible
during my visit to Albania, a nation full of young people who represent hope
for the future. Despite the painful events of its recent history, the country
is marked by the 'peaceful coexistence and collaboration that exists among
followers of different religions', in an atmosphere of respect and mutual
trust between Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims. This is an important sign that
sincere faith in God makes one open to others, generates dialogue and works
for the good, whereas violence is always the product of a falsification of
religion, its use as a pretext for ideological schemes whose only goal is
power over others. Similarly, in my recent journey to Turkey, a historic
bridge between East and West, I was able to see the fruits of ecumenical and
interreligious dialogue, as well as efforts made to assist refugees from other
countries of the Middle East. I also encountered this spirit of openness in
Jordan, which I visited at the beginning of my pilgrimage to the Holy Land,
and in the testimonies which come from Lebanon, a country which I pray will
overcome its current political problems.
 "One example close to my heart of how dialogue can build bridges comes from
the recent decision of the United States of America and Cuba to end a lack of
communication which has endured for more than half a century, and to initiate
a rapprochement for the benefit of their respective citizens. Here I think too
of the people of Burkina Faso, who are experiencing a period of significant
political and institutional change, with the hope that a renewed spirit of
cooperation will contribute to the growth of a more just and fraternal
society. I also note with pleasure that last March an agreement was signed to
end long years of tension in the Philippines. I wish to encourage the efforts
made to ensure a stable peace in Colombia, as well as the initiatives taken to
restore political and social harmony in Venezuela. At the same time, I express
my hope that a definitive agreement may soon be reached between Iran and the
5+1 Group regarding the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and my
appreciation of the efforts already made in this regard. I note with
satisfaction the intention of the United States to close the Guantanamo
detention facilities, while acknowledging the generous willingness of several
countries to receive the detainees. I heartily thank those countries. Finally,
I would like to express my appreciation and encouragement to those countries
actively engaged in promoting human development, political stability and civil
coexistence between their citizens.
 "Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, on 6 August 1945, humanity
witnessed one of the most horrendous catastrophes in its history. For the
first time, in a new and unprecedented way, the world experienced the full
potential of man's destructive power. From the ashes of that immense tragedy
which was the Second World War, there arose among the nations a new will for
dialogue and encounter which inspired the United Nations Organisation, whose
seventieth anniversary we will celebrate this year. In his visit to the UN
headquarters fifty years ago, my predecessor, Pope Paul VI, noted that 'the
blood of millions, countless unheard-of sufferings, useless massacres and
frightening ruins have sanctioned the agreement that unites you with an oath
that ought to change the future of the world: never again war, never again
war! It is peace, peace, that has to guide the destiny of the nations of all
mankind'.
 "This is likewise my own hope-filled prayer for this new year, which, for
that matter, will see the continuation of two significant processes: the
drawing up of the Post-2015 Development Agenda, with the adoption of
Sustainable Development Goals, and the drafting of a new Climate Change
Agreement. The latter is urgently needed. The indispensable presupposition of
all these is peace, which, even more than an end to all wars, is the fruit of
heartfelt conversion. With these sentiments, I once more offer to each of you,
to your families and your peoples, my prayerful good wishes that this new year
of 2015 will be one of hope and peace".

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 The Pope baptises thirty-three infants in the Sistine Chapel

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