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A reflection by Fr. Oscar Pezzarini, director of Cottolengo Don Orione in Claypole and Economist and General Commissioner of the Work of Don Orione

Father Oscar Pezzarini

"True peace lies inside us"

In view of the imminent attack on Iraq and after worldwide demonstrations against war, Father Oscar sustained that peace starts in everyday life, in the thoughts and in the actions of each one of us. He also said that "another weaponry that also abounds is the one that kills but without any declaration of war".

Buenos Aires, Sunday, February 16, 2003.- After worldwide demonstrations in more than sixty countries against the outbreak of war against Iraq, Father Oscar Pezzarini, in charge of the weekly comment in "La Manga", Fr. Julio Grassi's radio program (Radio Rivadavia -AM 630 kHz- Sundays from 2 to 5 a.m.) held tonight that "the reason for the existence in the world of violent leaders or officers is that the persons who live in this world are more or less violent".

"If the world were peaceful, violent people would stay at their homes without knowing what to do. War does not reside in cannons or in bombs, but in those who shoot and set them off", said the General Commissioner and Economist of the Work of Don Orione.

"Peace is the virtue which brings ease of mind and puts the soul to rest. It is the quietness, union, reconciliation, and concord of the soul. This starts in everyday life, in each one's actions and thoughts."

"It is almost unbelievable that at this moment of history, as we all witness and partake in so many breakthroughs in science and technology no way other than war can be found to settle certain conflicts. We know that whatever the outcome, was is going to damage the whole mankind. Pope John Paul II said 'In war, the only defeated power is mankind'".

"Thus, this is no solution to the hunger of millions of children in the world, and it also doesn't aid in their access to education or to health, and it is not going to solve the problem of lack of work so many families suffer", said the Director of the Don Orione Little House of Divine Providence in Claypole.

"On the contrary, we know that all this will increase, not just at the place of conflict but in many other places around the world. This is why we must pray and express ourselves. But it is also true that if we are in the presence of war danger it is not only because of the whim of some world leaders. Maybe this is the apex for finding a way towards Peace."

"It is contradictory that all the international organizations and those peace, communication, and progress conferences are unable to find solutions different from the destruction of both people and nations."

"We must not forget that war or peace spring to life in the frequently split heart of man. Peace starts inside man himself. If there are violent leaders or officers in the world it is because the people who live in this world are more or less violent."

"If the world were peaceful, violent people would stay at their homes without knowing what to do. War does not reside in cannons or in bombs, but in those who shoot and set them off. Peace is the virtue which brings ease of mind and puts the soul to rest. It is the soul's quietness, union, reconciliation, concord. This all starts in everyday life, in each one's actions and thoughts."

"We are worried by this imminent war. But we must also worry about thousands of little stress wars set off by our selfishness, by unfairness which is carried out, and maybe the dangerous thing is just to keep looking what is going on around us without trying to do anything. This may be more dangerous than a lot of weaponry."

"We must pray for peace, we must ask and we must express ourselves. But we must also start by curing our own weapons. We must find out that real peace is inside us, that our contribution to peace may be to wield the "weapons" of tenderness, of a smile, and of forgiveness. Someone who dearly loves his wife and his children is much more opposed to war than many ceremonies or demonstrations. A good fellow worker who always has a word of encouragement or a nice joke is of more use to the world than someone who writes something favoring peace. Someone who keeps company to an old sick person or to a lone child may be more peace-keeping than those who protest against the arms race."

"Those arms that daily kill without any declaration of war make up another weaponry that also abounds", closed Father Oscar Pezzarini.

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