Vatican City, 12 January 2014 (VIS) –
This morning, in the Sala Regia of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, Pope
Francis gave his first annual address to the members of the
Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See. The Pope thanked the
dean of Ambassadors, Jean-Claude Michel of the Principality of Monaco
and recalled the late Alejandro Valladares Lanza of Honduras, who
passed away a few months ago and who was dean of the Diplomatic Corps
for many years.
The Holy See currently maintains
diplomatic relations with 180 countries, along with the European
Union and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and a special
mission to the State of Palestine.
With regard to International
Organisations, the Holy See is present in the United Nations in the
quality of an “observer state”, and is also a member or observer
of various organisations and agencies of the UN system and in a
number of regional organisations.
In his address, Pope Francis first
commented that the past year has been especially rich in gratifying
moments not only in the life of the Church but also in terms of the
relations the Holy See maintains with States and international
organisations, such as the establishment of diplomatic relations with
South Sudan, the signing of agreements, both basic and specific, with
Capo Verde, Hungary and Chad, and the ratification of the agreement
with Equatorial Guinea in 2012. He also emphasised the increasing
presence of the Holy See both in Central America, where it has
assumed the role of Extra-Regional Observer in the Central American
Integration System, and in Africa, with the accreditation of the
first Permanent Observer of the Economic Community of West African
States.
He went on to outline some current
world problems, focusing on the family, conflicts in the Middle East,
especially in Syria, Egypt and Lebanon, and the life of Christians in
this region. He also referred to the dramatic situation in various
countries in Africa, such as Nigeria, the Central African Republic,
Mali and South Sudan. He reiterated the need to reconstruct a climate
of reconciliation and peace in various Asian nations such as Korea.
Another central theme was the situation of the many people forced to
leave their countries on account of famine, violence and abuse,
especially in the Horn of Africa and the Region of the Great Lakes,
without forgetting those who migrate from Latin America to the United
States and those from Africa and the Middle East who seek refuge in
Europe. The so-called throwaway culture, in which people as well as
goods and food are regarded as disposable, and concern for the
environment were other questions the Pope touched upon in his
address, ample extracts of which are offered below:
“In my Message for the World Day of
Peace, dedicated to fraternity as the foundation and pathway to
peace, I observed that 'fraternity is generally first learned within
the family…', for the family 'by its vocation… is meant to
spread its love to the world around it' and to contribute to the
growth of that spirit of service and sharing which builds peace. This
is the message of the Crib, where we see the Holy Family, not alone
and isolated from the world, but surrounded by shepherds and the
Magi, that is by an open community in which there is room for
everyone, poor and rich alike, those near and those afar. In this way
we can appreciate the insistence of my beloved predecessor Benedict
XVI that 'the language of the family is a language of peace'.
“Sadly, this is often not the case,
as the number of broken and troubled families is on the rise, not
simply because of the weakening sense of belonging so typical of
today’s world, but also because of the adverse conditions in which
many families are forced to live, even to the point where they lack
basic means of subsistence. There is a need for suitable policies
aimed at supporting, assisting and strengthening the family.
“It also happens that the elderly are
looked upon as a burden, while young people lack clear prospects for
their lives. Yet the elderly and the young are the hope of humanity.
The elderly bring with them wisdom born of experience; the young open
us to the future and prevent us from becoming self-absorbed. It is
prudent to keep the elderly from being ostracised from the life of
society, so as to preserve the living memory of each people. It is
likewise important to invest in the young through suitable
initiatives which can help them to find employment and establish
homes. We must not stifle their enthusiasm! I vividly recall my
experience at the Twenty-Eighth World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro. I
met so many happy young people! What great hope and expectation is
present in their eyes and in their prayers! What a great thirst for
life and a desire for openness to others! Being closed and isolated
always makes for a stifling, heavy atmosphere which sooner or later
ends up creating sadness and oppression. What is needed instead is a
shared commitment to favouring a culture of encounter, for only those
able to reach out to others are capable of bearing fruit, creating
bonds of communion, radiating joy and being peacemakers.
“The scenes of destruction and death
which we have witnessed in the past year confirm all this – if ever
we needed such confirmation. How much pain and desperation are caused
by self-centredness which gradually takes the form of envy,
selfishness, competition and the thirst for power and money! At times
it seems that these realities are destined to have the upper hand.
Christmas, on the other hand, inspires in us Christians the certainty
that the final, definitive word belongs to the Prince of Peace, who
changes 'swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks',
transforming selfishness into self-giving and revenge into
forgiveness.
“It is with this confidence that I
wish to look to the year ahead. I continue to be hopeful that the
conflict in Syria will finally come to an end. Concern for that
beloved people, and a desire to avert the worsening of violence,
moved me last September to call for a day of fasting and prayer.
Through you I heartily thank all those in your countries – public
authorities and people of good will – who joined in this
initiative. What is presently needed is a renewed political will to
end the conflict. In this regard, I express my hope that the Geneva 2
Conference, to be held on 22 January, will mark the beginning of the
desired peace process. At the same time, full respect for
humanitarian law remains essential. It is unacceptable that unarmed
civilians, especially children, become targets. I also encourage all
parties to promote and ensure in every way possible the provision of
urgently-needed aid to much of the population, without overlooking
the praiseworthy effort of those countries – especially Lebanon and
Jordan – which have generously welcomed to their territory numerous
refugees from Syria.
“Remaining in the Middle East, I note
with concern the tensions affecting the region in various ways. I am
particularly concerned by the ongoing political problems in Lebanon,
where a climate of renewed cooperation between the different
components of civil society and the political powers is essential for
avoiding the further hostilities which would undermine the stability
of the country. I think too of Egypt, with its need to regain social
harmony, and Iraq, which struggles to attain the peace and stability
for which it hopes. At the same time, I note with satisfaction the
significant progress made in the dialogue between Iran and the Group
of 5+1 on the nuclear issue.
“Everywhere, the way to resolve open
questions must be that of diplomacy and dialogue. This is the road
already indicated with utter clarity by Pope Benedict XV when he
urged the leaders of the European nations to make 'the moral force of
law' prevail over the 'material force of arms' in order to end that
'needless carnage' which was the First World War, whose centenary
occurs this year. What is needed is courage 'to go beyond the surface
of the conflict' and to consider others in their deepest dignity, so
that unity will prevail over conflict and it will be 'possible to
build communion amid disagreement'. In this regard, the resumption of
peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians is a positive sign, and
I express my hope that both parties will resolve, with the support of
the international community, to take courageous decisions aimed at
finding a just and lasting solution to a conflict which urgently
needs to end. I myself intend to make a pilgrimage of peace to the
Holy Land in the course of this year. The exodus of Christians from
the Middle East and North Africa continues to be a source of concern.
They want to continue to be a part of the social, political and
cultural life of countries which they helped to build, and they
desire to contribute to the common good of societies where they wish
to be fully accepted as agents of peace and reconciliation.
“In other parts of Africa as well,
Christians are called to give witness to God’s love and mercy. We
must never cease to do good, even when it is difficult and demanding,
and when we endure acts of intolerance if not genuine persecution. In
vast areas of Nigeria violence persists, and much innocent blood
continues to be spilt. I think above all of the Central African
Republic, where much suffering has been caused as a result of the
country’s tensions, which have frequently led to devastation and
death. As I assure you of my prayers for the victims and the many
refugees, forced to live in dire poverty, I express my hope that the
concern of the international community will help to bring an end to
violence, a return to the rule of law and guaranteed access to
humanitarian aid, also in the remotest parts of the country. For her
part, the Catholic Church will continue to assure her presence and
cooperation, working generously to help people in every possible way
and, above all, to rebuild a climate of reconciliation and of peace
among all groups in society. Reconciliation and peace are likewise
fundamental priorities in other parts of Africa. I think in
particular of Mali, where we nonetheless note the promising
restoration of the country’s democratic structures, and of South
Sudan, where, on the contrary, political instability has lately led
to many deaths and a new humanitarian crisis.
“The Holy See is also closely
following events in Asia, where the Church desires to share the joys
and hopes of all the peoples of that vast and noble continent. On
this, the fiftieth anniversary of diplomatic relations with the
Republic of Korea, I wish to implore from God the gift of
reconciliation on the peninsula, and I trust that, for the good of
all the Korean people, the interested parties will tirelessly seek
out points of agreement and possible solutions. Asia, in fact, has a
long history of peaceful coexistence between its different civil,
ethnic and religious groups. Such reciprocal respect needs to be
encouraged, especially given certain troubling signs that it is
weakening, particularly where growing attitudes of prejudice, for
allegedly religious reasons, are tending to deprive Christians of
their liberties and to jeopardize civil coexistence. The Holy See
looks, instead, with lively hope to the signs of openness coming from
countries of great religious and cultural traditions, with whom it
wishes to cooperate in the pursuit of the common good.
“Peace is also threatened by every
denial of human dignity, firstly the lack of access to adequate
nutrition. We cannot be indifferent to those suffering from hunger,
especially children, when we think of how much food is wasted every
day in many parts of the world immersed in what I have often termed
the 'throwaway culture'. Unfortunately, what is thrown away is not
only food and dispensable objects, but often human beings themselves,
who are discarded as 'unnecessary'. For example, it is frightful even
to think there are children, victims of abortion, who will never see
the light of day; children being used as soldiers, abused and killed
in armed conflicts; and children being bought and sold in that
terrible form of modern slavery which is human trafficking, which is
a crime against humanity.
“Nor can we be unmoved by the
tragedies which have forced so many people to flee from famine,
violence and oppression, particularly in the Horn of Africa and in
the Great Lakes Region. Many of these are living as fugitives or
refugees in camps where they are no longer seen as persons but as
nameless statistics. Others, in the hope of a better life, have
undertaken perilous journeys which not infrequently end in tragedy. I
think in particular of the many migrants from Latin America bound for
the United States, but above all of all those from Africa and the
Middle East who seek refuge in Europe.
“Still vivid in my memory is the
brief visit I made to Lampedusa last July, to pray for the numerous
victims of the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. Sadly, there is a
general indifference in the face of these tragedies, which is a
dramatic sign of the loss of that 'sense of responsibility for our
brothers and sisters', on which every civil society is based. On that
occasion I was also able to observe the hospitality and dedication
shown by so many people. It is my hope that the Italian people, whom
I regard with affection, not least for the common roots which unite
us, will renew their praiseworthy commitment of solidarity towards
the weakest and most vulnerable, and, with generous and coordinated
efforts by citizens and institutions, overcome present difficulties
and regain their long-standing climate of constructive social
creativity.
“Finally, I wish to mention another
threat to peace, which arises from the greedy exploitation of
environmental resources. Even if 'nature is at our disposition', all
too often we do not 'respect it or consider it a gracious gift which
we must care for and set at the service of our brothers and sisters,
including future generations'. Here too what is crucial is
responsibility on the part of all in pursuing, in a spirit of
fraternity, policies respectful of this earth which is our common
home. I recall a popular saying: 'God always forgives, we sometimes
forgive, but when nature – creation – is mistreated, she never
forgives!'. We have also witnessed the devastating effects of several
recent natural disasters. In particular, I would mention once more
the numerous victims and the great devastation caused in the
Philippines and other countries of South-East Asia as a result of
typhoon Haiyan.
“Pope Paul VI noted that peace 'is
not simply the absence of warfare, based on a precarious balance of
power; it is fashioned by efforts directed day after day towards the
establishment of an order willed by God, with a more perfect justice
among men and women'. This is the spirit which guides the Church’s
activity throughout the world, carried out by priests, missionaries
and lay faithful who with great dedication give freely of themselves,
not least in a variety of educational, healthcare and social welfare
institutions, in service to the poor, the sick, orphans and all those
in need of help and comfort. On the basis of this 'loving
attentiveness', the Church cooperates with all institutions concerned
for the good of individuals and communities.
“At the beginning of this new year,
then, I assure you once more of the readiness of the Holy See, and of
the Secretariat of State in particular, to cooperate with your
countries in fostering those bonds of fraternity which are a
reflection of God’s love and the basis of concord and peace. Upon
you, your families and the peoples you represent, may the Lord’s
blessings descend in abundance. Thank you”.