93 ambassadors to the Holy See present Pope Leo XIV with book of reflections
Ambassadors accredited to the Holy See handed the pope a volume of reflections on the political and social situation in their countries on September 15, marking the 30th anniversary of the association Carità Politica
Ninety-three ambassadors accredited to the Holy See gave Pope Leo XIV a compendium of reflections on September 15, marking the 30th anniversary of the association Carità Politica.
The ambassadors presented the pope with a volume of reflections on the political and social situation in their own countries. The book, titled "Pensieri di 93 ambasciatori a Papa León XIV," was handed over on September 15 in the Sala Marconi of the Palazzo Pio in Rome. Its purpose is to give the pope a range of views on the world's challenges and hopes as diplomats see them.
Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, opened the event and stressed the value of the book, which includes anastatic reproductions of the ambassadors' original texts. The project aims to build links between the countries represented and the pope, and to allow an exchange of views that is hard to achieve by other means.
Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, said "the book has a double meaning: on the one hand, to make the mission of the pope known in the different contexts of the ambassadors, and on the other, to offer him suggestions for his pastoral action covering all the countries represented." Coccopalmerio said the idea of using ambassadors as a channel between the Holy See and states came from Monsignor Giovanni Battista Montini, the future Paul VI.
"This channel is fundamental, since through the ambassadors the thought of the pope and the Christian faith can be spread in various parts of the world. It is therefore an original and effective tool of evangelization," the cardinal said.
Alfredo Luciani, founder and president of Carità Politica, said the link between religion and diplomacy runs through all of the association's work. "Our purpose is to present concrete proposals to the world, and who better than the ambassadors to offer reflections on the social doctrine of the Church. Political charity is the core of this doctrine, and our commitment is to bring charity into universal political discourse," Luciani said.
"Religioni e diplomazia" conference in September
Speakers at the press conference also announced a conference set for September 28 to 30 in the Aula Pio XI of the Palazzo San Calisto, with a large number of ambassadors taking part. The meeting, titled "Religioni e diplomazia," opens on Monday, September 28 at 10 a.m. with a panel on "Christianity and Culture in Europe," attended by Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.
Monday afternoon turns to "Political Islam and the Challenges of Interpretation." On Tuesday, September 29, the morning session will deal with "Current Relations Between the Synagogue of Rome and the Holy See," with a contribution from Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni. In the afternoon, a session called "Imparare Roma" will feature Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, the pope's vicar general for the Diocese of Rome, and a paper by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher on "Religions and Diplomacy."
On Wednesday, September 30, the morning begins with a talk by Monsignor Renato Tarantelli Baccari on "Dialogue Between Cultures and Religions." The afternoon will feature Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad and Father Alfonso Vincenzo Amarante, closing the three-day meeting.
