VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2005 (VIS) - At 11 this morning, in the Regia Hall, Pope Benedict addressed members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, in his first meeting with them as a group since his April 19 election to the papacy. In his speech in French, The Pope thanked the ambassadors and authorities of the countries they represent for their participation in the funeral of John Paul II and the celebrations for his election and the start of his pontificate.
The Holy Father said his thoughts also go "to the nations with whom the Holy See does not yet have diplomatic relations," pointing to their participation as well in the ceremonies for the funeral of John Paul and his own election to the Chair of Peter. "Appreciative of such gestures, I wish today to express my gratitude and to send greetings to the civil authorities of these countries, hoping to see them represented very soon to the Holy See. Messages that I especially appreciated arrived from these countries, notably from those whose Catholic communities are numerous. I would like to say how dear these communities and their people are to me, and I assure them they are present in my prayers."
Benedict XVI underscored "the long and fruitful ministry of the beloved John Paul II," as a "tireless missionary of the Gospel to the many countries he visited, rendering a unique service to the cause of unity of the human family." John Paul, he added, "invited all people of good will ... to build a society of justice, peace, and solidarity in charity and mutual pardon."
"For my part," remarked the Pope, "I come from a country where peace and fraternity are dear to the hearts of the people, notably those who, like me, have known war and the separation among brothers belonging to the same nation because of devastating and inhuman ideologies which, masked by dreams and illusions, brought down the yoke of oppression upon men and women. You will therefore understand that I am especially sensitive to dialogue between people in order to overcome all forms of conflicts and tensions and to make our earth a land of peace and fraternity."
Everyone, he went on, "is called to realize a peaceful society in order to vanquish the temptation of clashes between cultures, ethnic groups and different worlds. Thus, each people must draw from its spiritual and cultural patrimony the best values of which it is a bearer."
"To pursue in this direction," stated Pope Benedict, "the Church never ceases to proclaim and to defend basic human rights, unfortunately still violated in different parts of the earth, and she works towards assuring respect for every person's right to life, food, a home, work, health care, protection of the family and the promotion of social development, in respect for the dignity of men and women, created in the image of God."
He added that the Catholic Church will continue to help safeguard "the dignity of every human person and service to the common good ... without seeking any privilege for herself, but only the legitimate conditions of freedom and action for her mission."
AC/.../DIPLOMATIC CORPS VIS 20050512 (530)
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