The Pope’s UN Visit—What Did It Accomplish?

ON HIS flight over the Atlantic to address the UN in New York City, Pope John Paul II passed the 620,000-mile [1,000,000 km] mark in his world travels. It was October 4, 1995, and this was his 68th journey abroad as pope. Without a doubt, he is the most widely traveled pontiff in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.

He arrived at Newark International Airport, New Jersey, on a rainy Wednesday, surrounded by one of the most elaborate security curtains ever set up for any dignitary. It was estimated that some 8,000 federal and city officials were assigned to protect the pope. One report called it “an elaborate carapace of security,” with helicopters and scuba divers involved.

Why the Visit?

In his address at the airport, the pope recalled that his predecessor, Pope Paul VI, had addressed the UN General Assembly with a call for peace: “No more war, war never again!” John Paul II said he was returning “to express [his] deep conviction that the ideals and intentions which gave origin to the UN half a century ago are more indispensable than ever in a world searching for purpose.”

At evening prayers at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Newark, the pope again showed his support for the UN, saying: “That organization exists to serve the common good of the human family, and therefore it is fitting that the pope speak there as a witness to the hope of the Gospel.” He added: “Our prayer for peace is therefore also a prayer for the United Nations Organization. Saint Francis of Assisi . . . shines forth as a great lover and artisan of peace. Let us invoke his intercession upon the United Nations’ work for justice and peace throughout the world.”

In his speech to the UN, he praised the nonviolent political changes of 1989 in Eastern Europe, where several countries had had freedom restored. He encouraged “true patriotism” as distinct from “narrow and exclusive nationalism.” He spoke about the injustices of the present system, saying: “When millions of people are suffering from a poverty which means hunger, malnutrition, sickness, illiteracy, and degradation, we must . . . remind ourselves that no one has a right to exploit another for his own advantage.”

Then he stated: “As we face these enormous challenges, how can we fail to acknowledge the role of the United Nations Organization?” He said that the UN needs “to become a moral center where all the nations of the world feel at home.” He stressed the need to promote “the solidarity of the entire human family.”

True Peace—From What Source?

Without a doubt, he expressed many noble sentiments. Yet, in his lengthy speech, did he at any time direct the world’s leaders to God’s solution for mankind’s problems—his Kingdom rulership through Christ Jesus? (Matthew 6:10) No. In fact, at no time did he quote the Bible in his speech to the UN. On the contrary, he said that “with the help of God’s grace, we can build in the next century and the next millennium a civilization worthy of the human person, a true culture of freedom.” To Bible students, that sentiment might seem to echo a similar one uttered by those at ancient Babel over 4,000 years ago, who thought they could keep mankind united by human means: “Come on! Let us build ourselves a city and also a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a celebrated name for ourselves.” (Genesis 11:4) So, from this viewpoint, it is mankind’s political leaders, represented at the UN, who are going to build a new civilization based on freedom.

But what does the Bible prophesy regarding the future of man’s political governments and the UN itself? The books of Daniel and Revelation give a clear vision of the future that awaits them. Daniel prophesied that in the last days, God would install his Kingdom rulership, like a huge stone ‘not cut out by human hands.’ What action will it take? “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. . . . It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.” Man’s governments will be replaced by one righteous rulership for all mankind.—Daniel 2:44, 45.

What is to happen to the UN? Revelation chapter 17 depicts the UN (and its short-lived predecessor, the League of Nations) as a scarlet-colored wild beast that “is to go off into destruction.” (Revelation 17:8)a Jehovah’s source of true peace is not any imperfect human agency, no matter how sincere its adherents may be. True peace will come through God’s promised Kingdom, in the hands of the resurrected Christ Jesus in the heavens. That is the basis for the fulfillment of God’s promise at Revelation 21:3, 4: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

The Visit—How Much Impact?

When the pope alluded to the Bible in his speeches, were the Catholic faithful encouraged to take out their Bibles and check the references? The fact is that the vast majority did not even carry a Bible. Seldom did the pope make any specific text reference to facilitate audience Bible reading.

One example was when he spoke to 83,000 at Giants Stadium, New Jersey, and said: “We wait for the return of the Lord as the judge of the living and the dead. We await his return in glory, the coming of God’s kingdom in its fullness. That is the constant invitation of the psalms: ‘Wait for the Lord with courage; be stout-hearted, and wait for the Lord.’” But which text was he quoting from the psalms? And which Lord was he referring to—Jesus or God? (Compare Psalm 110:1.) According to the Vatican paper, L’Osservatore Romano, he was quoting Psalm 27:14, which better reads: “Put your hope in Yahweh, be strong, let your heart be bold, put your hope in Yahweh.” (The Jerusalem Bible) Yes, we should put our hope in Yahweh, or Jehovah, the God of the Lord Jesus.—John 20:17.

In the course of history, have Catholic clergy and leaders promoted peace among the nations? Has Catholic teaching served to resolve ethnic, racial, and tribal differences? The 1994 massacres in Rwanda, east-central Africa, and the internecine wars of the last few years in what was Yugoslavia all illustrate that religious beliefs generally fail to dissolve the deepest hatred and prejudices that lurk in the human heart. Neither a cursory weekly confession nor regular attendance at Mass is going to change the way people think and act. There has to be a much deeper influence, one that comes about only when the Word of God is allowed to penetrate the heart and the mind of the believer.

The changed conduct of a true Christian is based, not on an emotional reaction induced by religious rites, but on a rational understanding of God’s will for each individual. The apostle Paul stated: “Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.” (Romans 12:1, 2, JB) This new behavior is achieved by a study of God’s Word that leads to accurate knowledge of his will. It creates a spiritual force that actuates the mind and results in Christian conduct.—Ephesians 4:23; Colossians 1:9, 10.

Is the Church at a “Critical Crossroads”?

The Spanish paper El País described Pope John Paul II as having “extraordinary charisma” for a man of 75, and a U.S. paper called him “a master of the media.” He is skilled in handling the press and in connecting with the masses and their children. In his travels he ably represents the Holy See located in Vatican City. Even though the Vatican has official recognition at the UN, the pope’s blessing on that organization is not going to guarantee it Jehovah God’s blessing.

The reactions to the pope’s visit were varied. Many of those Catholics who got tickets to the outdoor Mass felt emotionally uplifted by the experience. However, some Catholic leaders took a more negative view of the visit and its possible effects. The New York Times quoted Timothy B. Ragan, president of the Catholic National Center for Pastoral Leadership, as saying that “the Pope’s visit had been a missed opportunity. Although the trip ‘was uplifting and sacramentally a highlight for lots of people,’” for many Catholic leaders it provided “no occasion for listening on his part and no framework for dialogue.” Many Catholics feel that on issues such as celibacy, birth control, and divorce, they are forced to listen to a monologue.

Some Catholic authorities acknowledge that “the church is at a critical crossroads,” and they fear that many Catholics, “especially the young, are losing a distinct sense of what being Catholic means.” James Hitchcock, a Catholic traditionalist, “sees the problem as a destructive cold war between an increasingly conservative hierarchy and a residually liberal ‘middle management.’”

As for how the pope’s visit would affect the crisis in the ranks of the church, Hitchcock stated: “He comes here, he is adulated, he goes home—and nothing happens. The results are disappointing from my point of view.” The pope certainly missed an opportunity to tell the political leaders at the UN where the source of true peace is to be found.

Although the UN Charter and human propaganda give emphasis to a goal of “peace and security,” do not be deceived. The Bible warns: “Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security!’ then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:3) True peace and security will come about only by God’s will and in his way—through his Kingdom rulership, not through the UN.

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[Picture Credit Line on page 22]

UN photos