"The shattered order cannot be fully restored except by a response that com- bines justice with forgiveness, " Pope John Paul II says in his message for the Jan. 1, 2002, World Day of Peace, released at the Vatican Dec. 11. This year's World Day of Peace "offers all humanity, and particularly the leaders of nations, the opportunity to reflect upon the demands of justice and the call to forgiveness in the face of grave problems which continue to afflict the world, not the least of which is the new level of violence introduced by organized terrorism, " the pope writes. "Terrorism, " he says, "is often the outcome of that fa- natic fundamentalism which springs from the conviction that one's own vision of the truth must be forced upon everyone else. " Terrorism exploits both people and God, the pope says. "It ends by making [God] an idol to be used for one's own purposes. " The pope believes "terrorism is built on contempt for human life. For this reason, not only does it commit intolerable crimes, but because it resorts to terror as a political and military means it is itself a true crime against humanity. " There is "a right to defend oneself against terrorism, " says the pope. At the same time, he says, "the recruitment of terrorists in fact is easier in situations where rights are trampled upon and injustices tolerated over a long period of time. " The pope calls for an international "commitment to relieving situations of oppression and marginalization, " while adding that injustices "in the world can never be used to excuse acts of terrorism. " He urges world religions to "work together to eliminate the social and cultural causes of terrorism, " and to "take the lead in publicly condemn- ing terrorism and in denying terrorists any form of religious or moral legitimacy. " He adds, "The help that religions can give to peace and against terrorism consists precisely in their teaching forgiveness. " Forgiveness " is the opposite of resentment and revenge, not of justice, " he says. Forgiveness does not mean overlooking "the need to right the wrong done. " But, the pope writes: "What sufferings are inflicted on humanity because of the failure to reconcile!" --Origins, Dec. 20, 2001