杏MAP导航 opens Vatican judicial year: Doing justice requires the virtue of courage

杏MAP导航

Addressing officials of the Tribunal of Vatican City State at the inauguration of its 95th judicial year, 杏MAP导航 Francis reminds them that the administration of justice requires the virtue of courage and humility in pursuing the truth and even in facing criticism.

By Lisa Zengarini

In his address delivered on Saturday to mark the inauguration of the 95th Judicial Year in the Vatican City State, 杏MAP导航 Francis focused on the virtue of courage needed to administer justice.

A 鈥渉ealthy audacity鈥� that does not aim at self-promotion

He started by recalling that for Christians this virtue is not only a particular quality of heroic individuals but rather, 鈥渁 trait that is given and enhanced in encountering Christ, as a fruit of the action of the Holy Spirit that anyone can receive if we invoke Him.鈥� It is expressed particularly in 鈥渢he ability to act with patience and perseverance, rejecting internal and external pressures that hinder the accomplishment of good.鈥�

Without this 鈥渉ealthy audacity鈥�, that 鈥渄oes not aim at self-promotion, but at solidarity鈥� with the weaker in society, he noted, there is a risk of 鈥渘eglecting many small and large injustices.鈥�

Justice is always an act of charity

As we admire the courage of all those men and women who suffer war or human rights violations in the world, including many persecuted Christians , the 杏MAP导航 remarked that we are all called "to commit ourselves to the future of our children, to safeguard the common home, to take on our professional responsibilities.鈥� This is particularly true for the administration of justice: In fact, along with the prudence, charity, temperance, 鈥渢he task of judging requires the virtues of fortitude and courage, without which wisdom risks remaining sterile.鈥�

Courage in pursuing the truth

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to recall recalled that in the jurisdictional function, courage is needed, in the first place, to thoroughly ascertain the truth, 鈥渞emembering that doing justice is always an act of charity, an opportunity for fraternal correction aimed at helping the other recognize his mistake.鈥� This 鈥� he stressed - is all the more true when particularly serious and scandalous behaviours emerge and must be sanctioned, 鈥渆specially when they occur within the Christian community.鈥�

Courage to ensure due process

The same courage, the 杏MAP导航 continued , is needed 鈥渨hile striving to ensure the proper conduct of proceedings and facing criticism.鈥� The best response to outside criticism, he told the Vatican magistrates, 鈥渋s diligent silence and the seriousness of commitment to work, which allow our Tribunals to administer justice with authority and impartiality, ensuring due process while respecting the peculiarities of the Vatican legal system.鈥�

鈥淭he strength of institutions and firmness in the administration of justice are demonstrated by the serenity of judgment, the independence, and impartiality of those called upon, at various stages of the process, to judge.鈥�

The courage of prayer for discernment in doing justice

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled the courage of prayer to implore that the 鈥渓ight of the Holy Spirit always illuminates the discernment necessary to reach a just verdict.鈥� Prayer, he said, should never be considered 鈥渁 waste of time鈥� for their work.

鈥淒iscernment is done "on one's knees," imploring the gift of the Holy Spirit, so that decisions can be made that are in the direction of the good of individuals and the entire ecclesial community. And for this too, courage and strength of spirit are needed.鈥�

Among those attending the inauguration of the new Judicial Year were the President the Vice President of the Tribunal, and the Promoter of Justice, as well as the Presidents of the Courts of Appeal and Cassation. Also present were some representatives of Italian civil authorities.

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