Pope to take peace message to U.N.

Press, 2 October 1979, Page 8

Pope to take peace message to U.N.

NZPA-Reuter Dublin Pope John Paul 11 was early today due to end his three-day visit to the Irish Republic during which he repeatedly called for an end to the bloodshed, hatred, and terrorism of the Northern Ireland conflict. He was due to leave Shannon Airport in Dublin at 3 a.m. this morning New Zealand time on a visit to the United States. Before he left he promised to expand his message of peace and reconciliation in a world-wide context when he addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York tomorrow. At a meeting yesterday with Ireland’s Roman Catho-. lie bishops, the Pope dis-1 closed that some people had advised him against his Irish' visit because of a worsening in the Northern Ireland conflict. “These very difficulties, however, made it all the] mote important to be here, and to share closely with ail of you these uncommon trials, and to seek in union with you the aid of God and good human counsel," he said. The Pope added: “These'

treasons for coming here 1 gain in eloquence if they are .placed in the framework of ,my visit to the United Nations, where it will be my privilege and duty to set out ways of living in peace and reconciliation throoghout the I world.’’ I Earlier, in Galway, Ire-j Hand's young — from north! land south alike — engulfed, Ithe Pope with an ecstatic. I wave of joyous affection. , They were responding ini mingled love and faith with; lan uproarious ovation to a ! passage in his youth Mass I sermon in which he roundly ideclared: “Young people of; ilreland: I love you.’’ If this was the . emotional! I peak of the Pope’s visit, it; was followed swiftly by the! (spiritual climax. ' This came when, in com-1 plete contrast to the jubilant; fervour of Galway, the Pope’ ■knelt in eloquent silence for! ia few seconds in the tinyl (west of Ireland village of I Knock. I For the humble act of the Pope’s pilgrimage to the;' ispot where villagers 100! years ago said they saw a: jvision of the Virgin Mary] was the culmination of his entire visit to Ireland —| I “the goal of my journey,” he said. : In Galway, the. Pope en-l (trusted the future of his I i peace mission in Ireland to Irish youth. He entreated them to ob-l serve three simple words! from the Sermon on the! Mount: “Love your enemies.” and he declared: Tn the long run. love always brings victory, love is never defeated.”

?’ The provisional Sinn Fein. :.he political wing of the f Irish Republican Army, 1 meanwhile, has announced ’; that its ruling body will : i meet in Dublin today to disI'cuss the appeal for peace in ■Northern Ireland made by the Pope in Drogheda on . 'Saturday. i The provisionals' have I , firmly denied reports circuylating that they have already (decided to lay down their i (arms and declare a truce. il Later today a hero’s Wellcome that will be repeated (across the Uniled States will begin when the Pope arrives : I lor a visit that could revitalise the Catholic faith in I (America. I The Pope's visit is an ■{occasion that no politician (dare miss. To be in a photo(graph with the Pope could |be worth several thousand -(votes at the next election. T Inevitably, the visit has been seized upon by busi- ’ nessmen as a chance to (make the proverbial “fast ■jbuck,” and some entrepre■■neurs appear to be treating lithe pontiff like a visiting ,(rock superstar. There are T-shirts with Ithe Pope’s name and face on I them, posters of a smilingPontiff and even records of' (the Pope saying Mass at St! (Peter’s in Rome. However,! | music shops report that an-1 other record, of the Pope! sjnging at a festival of| (sacred song in Poland, is not' (in great demand. For the planners of the ■ papal visit to Boston, no detail has been too minor. Even the Pope’s medical irecords have been filed at (three area hospitals.