Vatican
City, 14 November 2013 (VIS) – This morning Pope Francis visited
the president of the Republic of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano, in the
Quirinal Palace, where he arrived shortly after 11 o'clock, after
crossing the centre of Rome by car. Upon arrival he was greeted by
the Head of State in the courtyard of the palace, where he received
military honours and the anthems of both Vatican City State and Italy
were played. President Napolitano then accompanied the Pope to the
library; the members of the government awaited them in the
antechamber. This is the third meeting between the Holy Father and
the president: the first was on 19 March, the first day of his
pontificate, and the second took place on 8 June, when the Italian
Head of State visited the Vatican. Today, the Bishop of Rome returns
this visit.
Pope
Francis thanked President Napolitano for his many gestures of
attention in these first eight months of his pontificate, which he
described as a continuation of those demonstrated during Napolitano's
seven years of office during the pontificate of Benedict XVI. He
recalled his predecessor with affection, recalling his 2008 visit to
the Quirinale, which he described as the “symbolic home of all
Italians”. Paying a visit “to this place, so rich in symbols and
history, ideally I would like to knock on the doors of each
inhabitant of the country, when the roots of my earthly family lie,
and offer the word of the Gospel, healing and always new, to all”.
The
Pope mentioned the key moments in the relationship between the
Italian State and the Holy See, and cited the inclusion in the
Constitution of the Republic of the Lateran Pacts and the Agreement
on the Revision of the Concordat; almost thirty years have passed
since this latter, which represents “the legislative frame of
reference for the serene development of relations between State and
Church, a framework which reflects and supports the daily
collaboration in the service of the human person with a view to the
common good, in the distinction of their respective roles and spheres
of action. There are many matters with regard to which we have common
concerns and our responses may converge. The current moment is marked
by the economic crisis which is difficult to overcome and whose
gravest effects include a lack of employment. It is necessary to
multiply efforts to alleviate the consequences of the crisis and to
seize and strengthen any sign of recovery”.
In
this context, “the main task of the Church is to bear witness to
God's mercy and to encourage a generous response of solidarity to
open up a future of hope; because where hope grows, there is an
increase in energy and commitment to the construction of a more human
and just social and civil order, and new potential emerges for
healthy and sustainable development”. The Holy Father mentioned his
pastoral visits in Italy, especially to the island of Lampedusa where
he encountered the suffering of those who, because of war or poverty,
are compelled to emigrate, often in desperate conditions” and where
he saw “the commendable solidarity of those who dedicate themselves
to the work of welcoming” these immigrants. He also recalled the
trips to Cagliari, where he prayed before the Madonna of Bonaria, and
Assisi, to venerate the Saint of Italy and the patron whose name he
has taken. “Also in these places I have touched with my hands the
wounds that afflict many people”.
The
family, “fulcrum of hope and social problems”, was the final
topic of the Pope's address. He emphasised that the Church continues
to promote the efforts of all, individuals and institutions, in
support of the family, which is the primary location in which the
human being is formed and grows, and where values are transmitted
along with the examples that make them credible. The family needs the
stability and recognition of mutual bonds in order to carry out fully
its unique role and to achieve its mission. While the family makes
its energies available to society, it asks in return to be
appreciated, valued and protected”.
Before
leaving the palace, Pope Francis met with workers in the Quirinal,
along with their families. He thanked Napolitano for the familiarity
of the encounter and directly addressed the children present, whom he
described as “very important”. The Holy Father, recalling that
the employees of the Quirinal are often aware of the social and
family problems that Italians wish to make known to the president,
encouraged them to treat all people with a spirit of “welcome and
understanding”, and added that “there is a great need for people
who work with professionalism and a strong sense of humanity and
comprehension, with sympathetic attention especially towards the
weakest. I urge you not to be discouraged by difficulties, but to be
ready to support each other”.
The
Bishop of Rome took leave of the president, expressing his wish that,
“supported by prayer, Italy may draw upon her rich heritage of
civil and spiritual vales, and find again the creativity and
consensus necessary for harmonious development, to promote the common
good and the dignity of every person, and to offer to the
international community her contribution for peace and justice”.
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