By Devin Watkins
At his annual Audience for Members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See on Thursday, Pope Francis laid out his vision for a ‘diplomacy of hope’ based on truth, forgiveness, freedom, and justice.
The Holy Father began his address – which, after the initial greeting, was read by Msgr Filippo Ciampanelli, Under Secretary of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches – by noting the importance of the Jubilee year for the Catholic Church, saying it calls each of us to rediscover “what is truly essential.”
He expressed his gratitude to the Italian authorities for their efforts to prepare the city of Rome to welcome millions of pilgrims who will travel to the Eternal City in 2025.
As the year begins, noted the Pope, we find our world torn by numerous conflicts, acts of terror, societal tensions, and the creation of new barriers that divide people.
He invited all people to set aside a “logic of confrontation” and rather embrace a “logic of encounter, so that the future does not find us hopelessly adrift, but pressing forward as pilgrims of hope, individuals and communities on the move, committed to building a future of peace.”
Diplomacy of hope in truth
Pope Francis then set out his vision for a “diplomacy of hope,” which he said can sweep away the dense clouds of war with the “renewed winds of peace.”
All people, he said, are endowed with an innate thirst for truth and long to hear the glad tidings that respond to humanity’s need for someone to save us from our misery.
At the same time, he noted, “hardly any corner of our world has been left untouched by the broad cultural transformation brought about by the rapid advances in technology, whose alignment to commercial interests is increasingly evident, generating a culture rooted in consumerism.”
In response, said the Pope, a diplomacy of hope must therefore be a “diplomacy of truth,” which links reality, truth, and knowledge in order to provide human beings with a common language anchored in reality.
Language is especially important in diplomatic relations, he noted, lamenting efforts to change the meaning of terms or unilaterally reinterpreting the content of human rights treaties.
“It represents a form of genuine ideological colonization that attempts, in accordance with carefully planned agendas, to uproot the traditions, history and religious bonds of peoples,” he said, condemning as “unacceptable” attempts to enshrine “an alleged ‘right to abortion’.”
Forgiveness to move beyond hatred
The Pope went on to call for a “diplomacy of forgiveness,” which can find ways to mend relationships broken by hatred and violence in ways that care for victims.
He appealed for the international community to put an end to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, recalling the enormous toll the conflicts have wrought on innocent civilians.
“At the same time,” he added, “it must also be pointed out that war is fuelled by the continued proliferation of ever more sophisticated and destructive weapons,” repeating his assertion that “war is always a failure.”
Pope Francis also recalled ongoing conflicts in Myanmar, Sudan, the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, Mozambique, and the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He condemned growing expressions of anti-Semitism and persecutions against Christian communities.
“There can be no true peace without the guarantee of religious freedom, which entails respect for the conscience of individuals and the possibility of publicly manifesting one’s faith and membership in a community,” he said.
The Pope expressed his hopes for the future of Syria, saying all Syrians, including Christians, should share in the common good of the entire nation.
Freedom and justice as foundation for peace
Pope Francis then called for a “diplomacy of freedom,” which seeks to put an end to the scourge of human trafficking, drug addiction, and other forms of modern slavery.
He urged all countries to care for the victims of human trafficking and migrants who set out in search of a better life, while also calling for efforts to address the root causes of displacement.
A diplomacy of hope, he added, is also a “diplomacy of justice,” saying there can be no peace without justice, highlighting the Jubilee year’s call for the forgiveness of debts, be they societal or fiscal.
“I reiterate my call for the death penalty to be eliminated in every nation, since it finds no justification today among the instruments capable of restoring justice,” he said.
Repaying ecological debts to common home
In conclusion, Pope Francis recalled humanity’s debt to our common home, which he said countries should care for through efforts to share financial resources to mitigate the effects of climate change.
“In light of this ecological debt,” he said, “it is important to find effective ways to convert the external debt of poor countries into effective, creative and responsible policies and programmes to promote an integral human development.”
The Pope then expressed his condolences and prayers for the victims of the “earthquake that struck Tibet two days ago.”
As the Jubilee year gets underway, the Pope told diplomats accredited to the Holy See, may hope flourish in the hearts of all people, so that our desires for peace may be realized. – Vatican News
