Cardinal Zuppi: Forgiveness and justice are the path to peace

By Vatican News

During his visit to the studios of Vatican News set up at the Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples in the Italian city of Rimini, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi highlighted the importance of forgiveness and justice as paths to peace.

The Cardinal Archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian Bishops' Conference stressed that reconciliation is the only way to find our neighbor and build a fraternal world.

Cardinal Zuppi pointed out the fundamental role of religions in combating hatred and violence, and underlined that true courage lies in negotiation and compromise to achieve peace.

Education is rundamental

Christians, according to the Cardinal, can do much to counteract the poor education that leads to war, conflict, prejudice, hatred, resentment, and revenge, which cultivate a distorted sense of justice that is revenge.

Through forgiveness and justice, reconciliation is the only way to educate toward peace by recognizing the other as a brother; and education is essential.

"It is the way we heed God's counsel not to be led by instinct," he said.

The courage to compromise

Compromise is the fruit of courage, the Cardinal noted in the interview, saying courage lies in dialogue.

"Pope Francis is absolutely right when he says that true courage is knowing how to negotiate," he said. "True courage is knowing how to choose, understand, and find a compromise that looks toward the future."