CONFERRAL ON THE HOLY FATHER OF THE POLITICAL COURAGE PRIZE
BY FRENCH CATHOLIC TELEVISION (KTO)
AND THE JOURNAL POLITIQUE INTERNATIONALE

ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II
TO VARIOUS MEMBERS
OF THE WORLD OF CULTURE AND JOURNALISM

Saturday, 2 October 2004

Your Eminence,
Dear Brothers in the Episcopate,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to welcome you and cordially greet Cardinal Lustiger as well as Mr Patrick Wajsman, Director of the magazine Politique Internationale, and the members of the French Catholic television company, KTO. I thank you for awarding me the "Political Courage Prize" This draws attention to the Church's mission of peace in a world where conflicts are unfortunately too numerous. I would like to launch a new appeal for peace, to build a society of brotherhood among the peoples.

My thoughts go to journalists, who through their witness and publications are artisans of peace and freedom, and who pay a heavy tribute to wars. I am also thinking of the hostages and their families, innocent victims of violence and hatred, and I invite all people of good will to respect human life. No reprisal can end in haggling over human lives. The path of violence is a dead-end.

As I entrust you to the Virgin Mary and implore for the world the gift of peace that comes from God, I impart to you and to all your loved ones my Apostolic Blessing.