Foreign debt

Pope John Paul II has spoken many times about the existence of a
foreign debt
which is

"...suffocating quite a few countries of the American Continent"

He also fully realizes that this problem of
foreign debt
is a very difficult problem to solve.

Our Lady has now led us to her children who live in areas of America where their economies are
severely suffering
because of the
continuous burden of owing money
to other more wealthy countries.

Because this is such a serious
and
complicated problem,

we see it affecting the quality of life
of the peoples found living in those
poorer countries.

During the Great Jubilee Year 2000, Pope John Paul II had strongly encouraged, and was hopeful, that "in the spirit of the Jubilee," other countries would begin to
lessen or even cancel debts owed to them.
This would have truly been a
GREAT ACT OF LOVE!

From the words of the Old Testament, he has cited
Leviticus, chapter 25, verses 8-12:

The Lord spoke to Moses, "Thou shalt also number to thee seven weeks of years, that is to say, seven times seven, which together make forty-nine years: And thou shalt sound the trumpet in the seventh month, the tenth day of the month, in the time of the expiation in all your land. And thou shalt sanctify the fiftieth year, and shalt proclaim remission to all the inhabitants of thy land: for it is the year of jubilee. Every man shall return to his possession, and every one shall go back to his former family: Because it is the jubilee and the fiftieth year. You shall not sow, or reap the things that grow in the field of their own accord, neither shall you gather the first fruits of the vines, Because of the sanctification of the jubilee: but as they grow you shall presently eat them."

On a hopeful note, our Holy Father

pointed out that different
Bishops' conferences in AMERICA have organized meetings to seriously study the problem and have published documents outlining workable solutions!

He, himself expressed the hope that "...the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace together with other competent agencies, ..., 'through study and dialogue with representatives of the First World {the more affluent countries who hold these foreign debt loans} and with the leaders of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, will seek ways of resolving the problem of the foreign debt and produce guidelines that would prevent similar situations from recurring on the occasion of future loans.' "

He continued to point out that it would be
very helpful if
experts who deal in economics and monetary questions would begin to look more closely at the total economic order throughout the world.

He feels that this is necessary in order to
correct
the present order!

He is extremely hopeful that this critical review would, in the end,
result in the setting forth
of some workable solutions that would ultimately insure the
development of all individuals and peoples!

We should remember that Solidarity
must be preceded first by
our true conversion and communion or it will not last!
AND
as a result of a firmly founded solidarity, we will earnestly desire to share the financial burdens with our
less fortunate brothers and sisters in Christ~~

"light"

which

shine

in
the
darkness
for
them!