This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio of Pope Paul VI.  That Encyclical, in developing the Christian concept of the person, set forth the notion of integral human development and proposed it as “the new name of peace”.  In this memorable and still timely document, the Pope stated succinctly that “development cannot be restricted to economic growth alone.  To be authentic, it must be integral; it must foster the development of each man and of the whole man”.

We need, then, to reject the culture of waste and to care for individuals and peoples labouring under painful disparities through patient efforts to favour processes of solidarity over selfish and contingent interests.  This also entails integrating the individual and the social dimensions through the application of the principle of subsidiarity, encouraging the contribution of all, as individuals and as groups.  Lastly, there is a need to promote human beings in the indissoluble unity of soul and body, of contemplation and action.

In this way, progress that is both effective and inclusive can achieve the utopia of a world free of deadly instruments of aggression, contrary to the criticism of those who consider idealistic any process of dismantling arsenals.  The teaching of John XXIII remains ever valid.  In pointing to the goal of an integral disarmament, he stated: “Unless this process of disarmament be thoroughgoing and complete, and reach men’s very souls, it is impossible to stop the arms race, or to reduce armaments, or – and this is the main thing – ultimately to abolish them entirely” (Pacem in Terris, 11 April 1963).

From the speech of Pope Francis to the sympsium "Prospects for a world free of nuclear weapons and for integral disarmament", 10/11/2017 (full text >>)