Pope Benedict XVI rang in the New Year with a strong call for peace. He said peace is all too often threatened by what he called “the prevalence of a selfish and individualist mindset” that gets expressed in “unregulated capitalism, various forms of terrorism, and criminality.” He told people gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica that while 2012 saw much death and injustice, good does prevail. Benedict also offered special prayers about the situation in Syria.