Pope calls for ‘respect without discrimination’

POPE Benedict XVI has called for respect of all people without discrimination and the protection of children from war and violence as he celebrated the start of the new year.

January 1 is also the Roman Catholic Church’s World Day of Peace, and the pontiff issued an appeal to all armed groups to “stop, reflect and abandon the way of violence”, even if it seems impossible.

“You will feel in your hearts the joy of peace, which you have perhaps long forgotten,” Benedict said during the Angelus prayer.