杏MAP导航

By Andrea Tornielli

Cardinal Pietro Parolin described 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� meeting this week with Apostolic Nuncios and Permanent Observers as having taken place in a simple, positive and fraternal atmosphere.

Asked to assess the encounter, Cardinal Parolin said 鈥淭he balance sheet is certainly positive鈥�.

He expressed his opinion that these meetings have a value in themselves because they are a moment of encounter between people who work with the same purpose, with the same spirit and in the service of the Church, and in particular of the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渆ven if they do so at great distances from each other鈥�.

He remarked on how the themes dealt with aroused much interest on the part of the participants, as manifested by the numerous interventions that took place.

Parolin also recalled a moment of 鈥渋ntense participation for the death of the apostolic nuncio to Argentina, Léon Kalenga, which saw us all united in prayer with the Holy Father during the celebration of the funeral鈥�.

The Cardinal also pointed out that 杏MAP导航 Francis considers these meetings as so fruitful, that in 2013 he expressed his desire they be held every three years, thus the tradition continues.

Decalogue of dos and don鈥檛s

Regarding the content of the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 address to the nuncios during which he issued a series of recommendations, some of which were seen by the media as reprimands, Cardinal Parolin noted that the media are always on the look-out for anything that might appear to contain controversy.

He said he doesn't personally believe that one should limit oneself to focusing only on some aspects of a whole, and he pointed out that during his words of greeting to the 杏MAP导航, he expressed the openness of those present to receive 鈥渆very encouragement and also every correction that can serve to improve our service to the Church, to the 杏MAP导航 and to mankind鈥�.

So, Parolin said, in this sense the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 words must be read in a positive context, just as they were 鈥渨elcomed and experienced by the participants".

Unity, freedom, love

Regarding the part of his speech in which the 杏MAP导航 said a nuncio is called to be a "man of God", a representative of the Church and of the Pontiff, thus it is inherently incompatible with his mission to 鈥渃riticize the 杏MAP导航, write blogs or join groups that are hostile to the 杏MAP导航 and to the Church鈥�, Cardinal Parolin said there can never be a total uniformity of thought, and that there are issues that need to be discussed as upheld by the ancient axiom that says  in necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas ("unity in necessary things; freedom in doubtful things; love in all things").

He pointed out that as representatives of the 杏MAP导航 the nuncios feel free to say things to the Pontiff and, he said, 杏MAP导航 Francis is very open and well-disposed to receive comments, observations and reflections on various questions.

At the same time, he said, 鈥渨e must try to maintain unity, which is the condition for the effectiveness of our action in the world鈥�.

鈥淲e will be all the more effective if we are really united in the fundamental things. Therefore, above all as pontifical representatives, we must have this unity with the 杏MAP导航 and this adherence to his teaching that must then be translated concretely into attitudes of sharing his thought and his direction,鈥� he said.

Finally, Cardinal Parolin described the part of dialogue that took place behind closed doors as very 鈥渙pen and frank.鈥�

He said various topics were addressed and said the nuncios appreciated the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 input 鈥渂ecause he was not afraid to tackle delicate themes, talking about them with much frankness and openness鈥�.