Pope to new ambassadors: task of ambassador, through small steps, is to bring peace

Vatican City, 18 December 2014 (VIS) -This morning in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father received in audience the ambassadors of the following nations, presenting their Credential Letters:

      - Mr. Vaanchig Purevdorj of Mongolia,

      - Mr. Sean Mcweeney, Q.C., of The Bahamas,

      - Mr. Edward D.A. Lambert of Dominica,

      - Mr. Philip Sang’ka Marmo of Tanzania,

      - Mrs. Louise Bang Jespersen of Denmark,

      - Mr. Dato’ Mohd Zulkephli Bin Mohd Noor of Malaysia,

      - Dr. Francois Xavier Ngarambe of Rwanda,

      - Mr. Jari Petteri Luoto of Finland,

      - Mrs. Janet Lowe of New Zealand,

      - Sheikh Mouclary Diarra of Mali,

      - Mr. Kokou Nayo Atsumikoa M’Beou of Togo,

      - Mr. Shameem Ahsan of Bangladesh, and,

      - Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser bin Ahmad Ali Al-Thani of Qatar.

The Holy Father welcomed the new ambassadors with the following words: “I warmly welcome you and hope that every time you enter this house that you feel at home. I extend our welcome and respect for you and for your peoples and the heads of your governments. I greet you and wish your work to be fruitful, to be fertile. The work of an ambassador lies in small steps, small things, but they always end up making peace, bringing closer the hearts of people, sowing brotherhood among peoples. This is your job, but with little things, tiny things. Today we are all happy because we have seen how two peoples, distanced for so many years, made a step nearer one another yesterday. That was brought about by ambassadors, by diplomacy. Your job is noble work, very noble. I wish it to be fruitful, fertile, and may God bless you. Thank you.”