UN Address

Pope Benedict addressed the United Nations today in New York City to talk about the need for international cooperation and diplomacy to deal with world crises, instead of resorting to violence and unilateral action (or inaction). Above all, the Pope said, respect for human rights is the key to solving many of the world’s problems, such as genocide and political oppression. This is a familiar stance for a pope to take. Respect for human rights and liberties are central to the Church’s mission. During the Cold War, the Church under Pope John Paul II was very active in speaking out against Communism and the human rights violations and political abuses of Communist governments. Pope Benedict also mentioned the need to protect the environment, which is a relatively new focus of the Church and many other religious denominations.

Pope Benedict’s plea for international cooperation was driven by his view that too many of the biggest decisions in the world are being made by a few of the most powerful nations, without thinking about the impact on smaller countries and populations. He did not directly mention the United States directly, although the U.S. and the Vatican have been at odds in recent years over some major foreign policy decisions. It can be assumed that the U.S. was one of the targets of Pope Benedict’s criticism.