杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

杏MAP导航 Francis on Monday awarded the Paul VI prize, on the feast day of the Saint, to Italian President, Sergio Mattarella.

The prize, awarded in memory of 杏MAP导航 Montini was established in 1979 by the Paul VI Institute and is awarded to individuals or institutions 鈥渨ho, with their studies and their works, have contributed to the growth of the religious meaning in the world鈥�.

Addressing the participants in the award ceremony in the Vatican鈥檚 Clementine Hall, the 杏MAP导航 recalled that 杏MAP导航 Saint Paul VI is also to be thanked for the Second Vatican Council which, amongst other things, emphasised the role of the lay faithful. 鈥淧rominent amongst their occupations is politics鈥�, he said, describing politics as 鈥渙ne of the highest forms of charity鈥�. But, the 杏MAP导航 continued, 鈥漌e may ask ourselves - how to make political action a form of charity and, on the other hand, how to live charity within political dynamics?"

Service

The answer lies in the word 鈥渟ervice鈥� the 杏MAP导航 continued. St. Paul VI said that those who exercise public power must regard themselves "as the servants of their fellow countrymen, with the disinterestedness and integrity befitting their high office".

Christ himself spoke of the difficulty of serving and doing for others, noted the Holy Father, who stressed his idea that 鈥�'he who does not live to serve does not live to live. I believe that today the awarding of the Paul VI Prize to President Mattarella is a beautiful occasion to celebrate the value and dignity of service, the highest style of living, which puts others before one's own expectations鈥�.

Addressing President Mattarella directly,  the 杏MAP导航 went on to stress that this is true for him, a fact 鈥渨itnessed by the Italian people鈥�. He recalled how the President recently renounced his long-awaited retirement when he stepped back in and took on a new mandate 鈥渋n the name of the service required of you by the State鈥�.

Responsibility

杏MAP导航 Francis then went on to stress that to make service complete one must also apply responsibility. 鈥淪ervice goes hand in hand with responsibility鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淚t is, as the word itself indicates, the ability to offer answers, drawing on one's own commitment, without waiting for others to give them鈥�, explained the 杏MAP导航, before turning to President Mattarella once more and noting 鈥渉ow many times, Mr President, first by example and then by words, have you called for this!鈥�

Bringing his discourse to a close the 杏MAP导航 reiterated that 鈥測es, the sense of responsibility and the spirit of service were for St. Paul VI at the basis of the construction of social life鈥�. He left behind a legacy of building communities of solidarity, and that was his dream.

"I am happy," 杏MAP导航 Francis said bringing his discourse to an end, 鈥渢o make myself an instrument of gratitude on behalf of all those, young and old, who see in you a teacher, but above all a consistent and courteous witness of service and responsibility鈥�. 杏MAP导航 Montini would be pleased, he concluded, and quoting him saying: "Contemporary man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, or if he listens to teachers he does so because they are witnesses".