Pope calls for 'dignified living conditions' for people in slums

Published: 2006-10-02

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI called for "dignified living conditions" for people living in slums and ghettos. After praying the noonday Angelus Oct. 1, the pope reminded pilgrims gathered in the courtyard of his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, that Oct. 2 marked World Habitat Day. The United Nations established the day to highlight the importance of city management and an individual's right to adequate shelter. This year's theme was "Cities: Magnets of Hope." The pope said that dealing with the rapid growth of cities and the increase of people moving into urban areas "represents one of the most serious problems that humanity of the 21st century is called to face." He encouraged all those who work on urban management to help ensure that "people living in degraded neighborhoods be guaranteed dignified living conditions, the fulfillment of their basic needs and the possibility of achieving their dreams," especially concerning family life and "peaceful coexistence" in society.

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