Pope Benedict XVI called on April 5 for all nations to end the production, stockpiling and use of land mines and cluster bombs. He also expressed his support for programs and measures that “guarantee the necessary assistance to victims of such devastating weapons.” He noted that 10 years have passed since the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty first took effect. Signatories to the treaty agree to ban the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of antipersonnel mines. The Convention on Cluster Munitions, which would similarly prohibit cluster bombs and munitions, was recently adopted and is open for signatories, the pope added. “I wish to encourage countries that still haven’t done so to sign without delay.” The United States is a signatory to neither treaty.
Pope Joins Call for Weapons Ban
Show Comments (
)
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
The latest from america
Although the Catholics invented the practice of excommunication to deal with severe sins, other religious groups have also adopted it for their own purposes.
John Cogley was once called “the most prominent American Roman Catholic journalist of his generation.” The onetime executive editor of Commonweal also played a key role in the election of J.F.K.
Catholic life in the United States is deeply rooted in the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. But that might not mean what you think it means.
Many professionals who care for strangers are not religious workers, but they play a pivotal role in reinforcing the imago Dei, the notion that all people are made in the image of God.