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“Never again one against the other, never, never again! … Never again war!”. Paul VI”s
call for peace before the General Assembly of the United Nations on 4 October
1965 echoed in the Cathedral of Hiroshima on Saturday, 6 August, at the end of
the Mass celebrated for the 71st anniversary of the dropping of the atomic
bomb.
The words of Pope Montini “ who died 38 years ago on 6 August “ were at the heart of
the message with which the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace wished to
emphasize the importance of the commemorative ceremonies, joining in the
“prayer of solidarity and hope” raised by the Church of Japan.
On behalf of the President, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, and all the
members of Justice and Peace, the message was read by Dicastery official, Fr
Michael Czerny, SJ, who travelled to Japan in order to join in
a series of initiatives in memory of the tragic bombardment of 1945, which claimed
an estimated 140,000 lives. In particular, Fr Czerny attended a two-day
conference dedicated to disarmament and safety, sponsored in Tokyo by Religions
for Peace “ the world conference established in 1970 in order to foster the
contribution of various religions to the peace building process “ and by the
United Nations University. He also took part in the interreligious meeting
hosted by the Tendai Buddhist Community and in the programme of celebrations
organized by the Diocese of Hiroshima, which concluded with the Mass on 6
August in the Cathedral.
The message of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace underscored the
coinciding anniversary of the Transfiguration of the Lord, which “reveals the
glory of Christ and demands a response of listening to Jesus Christ and of
following him”. The text quoted the words of Pope Francis, emphasizing that the
Lord”s “full adherence to the will of the Father makes his humanity transparent
to the glory of God, who is Love” and mercy.
In this perspective the anniversary of the nuclear catastrophe offers “a unique
and special occasion for our prayerful commemoration”. The message, read by Fr
Czerny, encourages prayer and action “in solidarity with the victims of the
atom bombs and of all wars and all terrorism around the world”, and highlights
in particular the context of the Jubilee Year of Mercy inducted by Pope
Francis. “This Jubilee”, it explains, “ gives each and every one of us the
opportunity to revisit the sinful and sorrowful moments of our lives, not in
order to be crushed and to despair, but in order to allow God”s loving grace to
enter” the heart of each person “with forgiveness and healing”.
