Pope says, “The use of atomic energy for war is a crime,” during second papal visit to A-bombed city of Hiroshima in 38 years
Nov. 25, 2019
by Tsuyoshi Kubota, Staff Writer
Pope Francis, who has been visiting Japan, went to Hiroshima and Nagasaki on November 24. This is the second visit to both A-bombed cities by a Roman Catholic pope in 38 years. He delivered a message in the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward, Hiroshima, saying, “The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is today, more than ever, a crime not only against the dignity of human beings.” He also said, “The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral.” The pope clearly rejected the use and possession of nuclear weapons and appealed for the need to expand the tragic memory of Hiroshima where the atomic bomb was dropped for the first time in human history.
In the pope’s approximately 14-minute long message, he asked emphatically, “How can we propose peace if we constantly invoke the threat of nuclear war?” Using strong language, he criticized nuclear weapon states for relying on nuclear deterrence and for continuously turning their backs on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. He also called for specific actions to build peace, and said future generations will condemn our failure if we spoke of peace but did not act to bring it about.
Regarding the catastrophic tragedy that occurred in Hiroshima, the pope said, “We cannot allow present and future generations to lose the memory of what happened here.” He also suggested the memory of Hiroshima is an expansive one, capable of awakening the conscience of all men and women. He further explained the importance of conveying what happened in Hiroshima as the result of the atomic bombing to all government leaders and future generations to ensure that it will never be repeated again.
Prior to the delivery of the pope’s message, Nishi Ward resident Yoshiko Kajimoto, 88, an A-bomb survivor who was exposed to the atomic bomb at the age of 14, spoke about her A-bomb experiences and made the following appeal to the audience: “Nuclear weapons should not exist on this planet.” She also talked about the catastrophic scene immediately after the bomb was dropped and said that there are many survivors who still suffer the lasting effects of the radiation. She urged all government leaders to visit Hiroshima.
About 2,000 people including A-bomb survivors and various religious leaders attended the Meeting for Peace. After arriving at the Peace Memorial Park, the pope was greeted by Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui and Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki. Then, one by one, the pope shook hands, exchanged words with and embraced some A-bomb survivors living in Hiroshima Prefecture. He laid a wreath of flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims, and lit a candle using a pilot flame, which he received from a High School Peace Ambassador. Then the pope offered a silent prayer for approximately one and a half minutes to mourn the A-bomb victims. After spending 50 minutes at the Peace Park, he left Hiroshima Airport (in Mihara City) for Tokyo.
The pope visited Nagasaki on the morning of November 24, and made a appealed in his speech for the abolition of nuclear weapons. He stressed, “Convinced as I am that a world without nuclear weapons is possible and necessary.” He rejected the nuclear deterrence policy and the possession of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, and mentioned he had felt it a duty to visit the A-bombed cities.
On the morning of November 24, in the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Park containing the Hypocenter Cenotaph, the pope pointed out Nagasaki is a city that witnessed the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences of a nuclear attack. He stressed: “We must never grow weary of working to support the principal international legal instruments of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.” His words are assumed to urge the Japanese government, which relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella and has yet to participate in the nuclear weapons ban treaty, to take some actions.
The pope criticized the manufacture, maintenance and upgrading of weapons as an absurd act of terrorism because the arms race wastes precious resources. With the current situation in mind in which the rift between the nuclear weapon states and the non-nuclear weapon states has been brought into focus before the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (NPT) Review Conference to be held next spring, the pope warned that there is a risk of mutual distrust leading to a dismantling of the international arms control framework.
Short biography of Pope Francis
Pope Francis, né Jorge Bergoglio, was born to an Italian immigrant family on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied philosophy in Chile and Argentina and taught literature at a university in Argentina. In 1969, he was ordained to the priesthood, and in 1998, became archbishop of Buenos Aires. He was ordained a cardinal in 2001. On March 13, 2013, he was elected pope by cardinals in a papal conclave and inaugurated as the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the first pope from Latin America. He is a member of the Jesuit order.
1. Key points of the pope’s speech in Hiroshima
2. The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is, more than ever, a crime not only against the dignity of human beings. The Use of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral.
3. The possessing of nuclear weapons is also immoral.
4. How can we speak of peace even as we build terrifying new weapons of war? How can we propose peace if we constantly invoke the threat of nuclear war? A true peace can only be an unarmed peace.
5. Here I pay homage to all the victims, and I bow before the strength and dignity of those who have survived those first moments.
6. We cannot allow present and future generations to lose the memory of what happened here. The memory (of Hiroshima) is an expansive one, capable of awakening the conscience of all men and women.
7. On behalf of all the victims of atomic bombings and experiments, and of all conflicts, let us together cry: Never again war.
(Originally published on Novenmber 25, 2019)
Pope Francis, who has been visiting Japan, went to Hiroshima and Nagasaki on November 24. This is the second visit to both A-bombed cities by a Roman Catholic pope in 38 years. He delivered a message in the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward, Hiroshima, saying, “The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is today, more than ever, a crime not only against the dignity of human beings.” He also said, “The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral.” The pope clearly rejected the use and possession of nuclear weapons and appealed for the need to expand the tragic memory of Hiroshima where the atomic bomb was dropped for the first time in human history.
In the pope’s approximately 14-minute long message, he asked emphatically, “How can we propose peace if we constantly invoke the threat of nuclear war?” Using strong language, he criticized nuclear weapon states for relying on nuclear deterrence and for continuously turning their backs on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. He also called for specific actions to build peace, and said future generations will condemn our failure if we spoke of peace but did not act to bring it about.
Regarding the catastrophic tragedy that occurred in Hiroshima, the pope said, “We cannot allow present and future generations to lose the memory of what happened here.” He also suggested the memory of Hiroshima is an expansive one, capable of awakening the conscience of all men and women. He further explained the importance of conveying what happened in Hiroshima as the result of the atomic bombing to all government leaders and future generations to ensure that it will never be repeated again.
Prior to the delivery of the pope’s message, Nishi Ward resident Yoshiko Kajimoto, 88, an A-bomb survivor who was exposed to the atomic bomb at the age of 14, spoke about her A-bomb experiences and made the following appeal to the audience: “Nuclear weapons should not exist on this planet.” She also talked about the catastrophic scene immediately after the bomb was dropped and said that there are many survivors who still suffer the lasting effects of the radiation. She urged all government leaders to visit Hiroshima.
About 2,000 people including A-bomb survivors and various religious leaders attended the Meeting for Peace. After arriving at the Peace Memorial Park, the pope was greeted by Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui and Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki. Then, one by one, the pope shook hands, exchanged words with and embraced some A-bomb survivors living in Hiroshima Prefecture. He laid a wreath of flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims, and lit a candle using a pilot flame, which he received from a High School Peace Ambassador. Then the pope offered a silent prayer for approximately one and a half minutes to mourn the A-bomb victims. After spending 50 minutes at the Peace Park, he left Hiroshima Airport (in Mihara City) for Tokyo.
Pope’s speech in Nagasaki: “A world without nuclear weapons is possible.”
The pope visited Nagasaki on the morning of November 24, and made a appealed in his speech for the abolition of nuclear weapons. He stressed, “Convinced as I am that a world without nuclear weapons is possible and necessary.” He rejected the nuclear deterrence policy and the possession of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, and mentioned he had felt it a duty to visit the A-bombed cities.
On the morning of November 24, in the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Park containing the Hypocenter Cenotaph, the pope pointed out Nagasaki is a city that witnessed the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences of a nuclear attack. He stressed: “We must never grow weary of working to support the principal international legal instruments of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.” His words are assumed to urge the Japanese government, which relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella and has yet to participate in the nuclear weapons ban treaty, to take some actions.
The pope criticized the manufacture, maintenance and upgrading of weapons as an absurd act of terrorism because the arms race wastes precious resources. With the current situation in mind in which the rift between the nuclear weapon states and the non-nuclear weapon states has been brought into focus before the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (NPT) Review Conference to be held next spring, the pope warned that there is a risk of mutual distrust leading to a dismantling of the international arms control framework.
Short biography of Pope Francis
Pope Francis, né Jorge Bergoglio, was born to an Italian immigrant family on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied philosophy in Chile and Argentina and taught literature at a university in Argentina. In 1969, he was ordained to the priesthood, and in 1998, became archbishop of Buenos Aires. He was ordained a cardinal in 2001. On March 13, 2013, he was elected pope by cardinals in a papal conclave and inaugurated as the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the first pope from Latin America. He is a member of the Jesuit order.
1. Key points of the pope’s speech in Hiroshima
2. The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is, more than ever, a crime not only against the dignity of human beings. The Use of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral.
3. The possessing of nuclear weapons is also immoral.
4. How can we speak of peace even as we build terrifying new weapons of war? How can we propose peace if we constantly invoke the threat of nuclear war? A true peace can only be an unarmed peace.
5. Here I pay homage to all the victims, and I bow before the strength and dignity of those who have survived those first moments.
6. We cannot allow present and future generations to lose the memory of what happened here. The memory (of Hiroshima) is an expansive one, capable of awakening the conscience of all men and women.
7. On behalf of all the victims of atomic bombings and experiments, and of all conflicts, let us together cry: Never again war.
(Originally published on Novenmber 25, 2019)
