杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

Latest... (updated at 11:32)

杏MAP导航 Francis focused on the virtue of 鈥榟ope鈥� in his annual accredited to the Holy See. Hope, he said, 鈥渋s an essential virtue for Christians, to inspire our way of approaching the times that lie ahead鈥�.

Noting that 鈥減eace and integral human development are鈥� the principal aim of the Holy See in its involvement in the field of diplomacy鈥�, the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 speech focused heavily on calls for dialogue and for concerted international action on various issues facing the world today.

Apostolic Visits an opportunity for dialogue

The Pontiff recalled his numerous Apostolic Visits over the course of the past year, beginning with the journey to Panama for World Youth Day. 鈥淚t is always a joy and a great opportunity to meet young people鈥�, he said. 鈥淭hey are the future and hope of our societies鈥�. He acknowledged the 鈥済rave crimes鈥� committed against young people by adults, including members of the clergy, and noted that, with the Meeting for the Protection of Minors in the Church, 鈥渢he Holy See has renewed its commitment to bring to light abuses already committed and to ensure the protection of minors鈥�.

He highlighted the need for adults to assume their 鈥減roper educational responsibilities鈥�, and noted the upcoming event on 鈥淩einventing the Global Compact on Religion鈥�. The 杏MAP导航 likewise said that the 鈥渆pochal change鈥� we are now experiencing calls for the creation of an 鈥渆ducational village鈥� for forming human relationships, while noting the primary right of families to educate, and of churches and communities to assist them in the task.

Combatting climate change

In the context of being open to dialogue with young people, and listening to their concerns, the 杏MAP导航 raised the issue of climate change, with calls for ecological conversion on the part of all. He lamented the lack of commitment of the international community in addressing the challenges facing our common home. Ecology was an important theme of the Synod on the Amazon, the 杏MAP导航 said, which was primarily an ecclesial event.

杏MAP导航 Francis also highlighted the 鈥減roliferation of political crises鈥� in countries in the Americas, mentioning Venezuela in particular. Although rooted in diverse causes, these crises, he said, are linked by inequality, injustice, corruption and poverty. It is necessary, he said, to establish a 鈥渃ulture of dialogue鈥� to respond to those issues.

Mutual understanding and peaceful coexistance

On his second journey in 2019, 杏MAP导航 Francis travelled to the United Arab Emirates, where he signed the Document on Human Fraternity with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, focused on fostering mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence. He emphasized the need to train future generations in interreligious dialogue.

During his visit to Morocco, the Holy Father signed a joint appeal, with King Muhammed VI, on Jerusalem 鈥� a holy city for the world鈥檚 three great monotheistic religions, which, the 杏MAP导航 said, should be a symbolic place of peaceful coexistence.

International commitment to peace

The 杏MAP导航 called on the international community to be engaged in the peace process, not only in the Holy Land, but throughout the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. He pointed in particular to the war in Syria, and ongoing conflicts in Yemen and Libya. And in view of the heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, he renewed his appeal 鈥渢hat all the interested parties avoid an escalation of the conflict and 鈥榢eep alive the flame of dialogue and self-restraint鈥�, in full respect of international law鈥�.

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He also encouraged the international community to address the plight of migrants seeking asylum, whose legitimate needs must be identified, while noting once again, how the Mediterranean Sea has become 鈥渁 vast cemetery鈥�. The 杏MAP导航 called on world leaders to find lasting solutions to the crisis of forced migration, at the same time praising those countries that have generously sought out ways 鈥渢o share the burden of resettling refugees鈥�.

The importance of dialogue and the culture of encounter

杏MAP导航 Francis also recalled his visits to the Eastern European nations of Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Romania, where he experienced 鈥渢he importance of dialogue and the culture of encounter鈥�. He highlighted 鈥渢he importance of dialogue and respect for international law in resolving the 鈥榝rozen conflicts鈥� that persist鈥� in Europe, taking note of situations in the western Balkans and the southern Caucasus, including Georgia; and encouraging ongoing talks for the reunification of Cyprus. He also expressed his appreciation for efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. 鈥淒ialogue, not arms, is the essential way to resolve disputes鈥�, he insisted.

The 杏MAP导航 said the Holy See 鈥渉as followed the European project with great interest鈥� from its earliest beginnings, and noted the 50^th anniversary of its presence as an observer at the Council of Europe. The Holy See, he said, 鈥渆mphasizes and inclusive process of growth inspired by a spirit of participation and solidarity鈥�. Calling to mind the fire at Notre Dame, which showed that 鈥渆ven what seems so solid can be fragile and easily destroyed鈥�, he cautioned Europe against losing 鈥渢hat sense of solidarity that for centuries has set it apart鈥�. 杏MAP导航 Francis said the 30^th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall reminds us 鈥渉ow easy it is to erect barriers鈥�. But, he continued, 鈥渞ather than walls of hatred, we prefer bridges of reconciliation and solidarity鈥�.

Signs of peace and reconciliation in Africa

The Pontiff was also able to visit Africa in the course of the past year, where he was 鈥渁ble to see signs of peace and reconciliation鈥�, including an agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Mozambique; security replacing instability in Madagascar; and peaceful coexistence between members of different religions in Mauritius.

However, looking at other parts of the continent, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渋t is painful to witness, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria, continuing episodes of violence against innocent people, including many Christians persecuted and killed for their fidelity to the Gospel鈥�. Here, too, he appealed to the international community to work together, calling on it to work not only to eliminate 鈥渢he scourge of terrorism鈥�, but also 鈥渢o implement practical strategies鈥� for reducing poverty, improving healthcare, favouring development and humanitarian aid, as well as good governance and civil rights.

杏MAP导航 Francis spoke of the necessity, as well, of encouraging 鈥渋nitiatives to foster fraternity among all local cultural, ethnic, and religious groups, particularly in the Horn of Africa, in Cameroon, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo鈥�, in the face of continuing violence.

Hopes for a visit to South Sudan

He noted, too, the need to address the issue of internal displacement, expressing support for the work of the United Nations High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement. In this regard, 杏MAP导航 Francis said his thoughts turn also to Sudan and the Central African Republic, with the hope that both countries can embrace peace. 鈥淢y thoughts also turn to South Sudan鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渨hich I hope to be able to visit in the course of this year鈥�.

The 杏MAP导航鈥檚 final journey in 2019 took him to east Asia, where he visited Thailand with its harmony of various ethnic groups with different philosophies, cultures, religion.

No to nuclear weapons

In Japan, the Holy Father 鈥渆xperienced the pain and horror that we human beings are capable of inflicting on one another鈥� especially in hearing the voices of survivors of the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 鈥淭rue peace鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渃annot be built on the threat of a possible total annihilation of humanity by nuclear weapons鈥�. He repeated 鈥渁 world 鈥榳ithout nuclear weapons is possible and necessary鈥欌��, and encouraged the work of the Tenth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, taking place later this year.

As he concluded his review of his journeys throughout the year, the 杏MAP导航 said he is thinking of a nation he had not had the opportunity to visit: Australia, which has been hard hit by serious wildfires throughout the country. 鈥淚 would like to assure the Australian people, especially the victims and all those in the areas devastated by the fires, of my closeness and my prayers,鈥� he said.

Founding principles of UN remain valid

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted that 2020 marks the 75^th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. The 杏MAP导航 insisted that the foundational principles of the organization 鈥� the desire for peace, the pursuit of justice, respect for the dignity of the human person, and humanitarian cooperation and assistance 鈥� remain valid today, and should form the basis for international relations. Referencing the Encyclical Pacem in terris, by St John XXIII, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥淲e wish to reaffirm the resolve of the entire human family to work for the common good as a criterion for moral action, and a goal inspiring each country to cooperate in guaranteeing the existence and peaceful security of all others鈥�. And he affirmed, too, that human rights are 鈥渋ntrinsically grounded in human nature itself鈥�. In this context, he said, 鈥渢here is a clear need to move once again towards an overall reform of the multilateral system, beginning with the UN system鈥�.

Concluding his remarks, the 杏MAP导航 recalled that this year is the 500^th anniversary of the death of the great artist Raphael. Greeting the 鈥減eople of Italy鈥�, he expressed his 鈥減rayerful hope鈥� that they might 鈥渞ecover the spirit of openness that exemplified the Renaissance鈥�.

A special word to women

And noting the 70^th anniversary of the proclamation of the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven, the 杏MAP导航 said he wanted to address 鈥渁 special word to all women, 25 years after鈥� the Beijing conference on women in 1995. 鈥淚t is my hope, he said, that the invaluable role of women in society may be increasingly acknowledged worldwide, and that all forms of injustice, discrimination, and violence against women come to an end鈥�.

Finally, the Holy Father said that the Assumption of Mary 鈥渁lso invites us to look ahead to the completion of our earthly journey, to that day when justice and peace will be re-established鈥�. And reaffirming his own commitment, and that of the Holy See, to that goal, he renewed his 鈥渃ordial best wishes for a new year rich in hope and in every blessing鈥�.

Updated at 11:32.