Pope
Francis' address to Paraguayan government authorities
(Vatican Radio) On his arrival in Paraguay, Pope Francis called
for the promotion of the common good and encouraged efforts to strengthen peace
and democracy in the nation. He also said helping the poor and needy should be
given the priority of place. The Pope's words came in an address to the
Paraguayan government authorities and members of the diplomatic corps in the
grounds of the presidential palace shortly after arriving in Asuncion on Friday
(July 10th) on the final leg of his visit to Latin America. Please find below
an English translation of the full text of the Pope’s prepared remarks:
Mr President,
Distinguished Government Authorities,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I offer cordial greetings to you, Mr President, and I thank you for your
respectful and affectionate words of welcome in the name of the government, the
civil authorities and the beloved Paraguayan people. I also greet the
distinguished members of the diplomatic corps, and through them, I express my
respect and esteem to the countries they represent.
A particular word of thanks is due to all those individuals and institutions
which worked so hard to prepare this visit and to make me feel at home.
It is not hard to feel at home in so welcoming a land. Paraguay is known
as the heart of America, not only because of its geographic location, but also
because of the warmth of its hospitality and the friendliness of her people.
From the first days of the country’s independence to recent times, Paraguay has
known the terrible sufferings brought on by war, fratricidal conflict, lack of
freedom and contempt for human rights. How much suffering and
death! Yet the Paraguayan people have also shown an admirable spirit of
perseverance in surmounting adversities and in working to build a prosperous
and peaceful nation. Here, in the garden of this palace which has
witnessed so much of the country’s history – from the time when it was no more
than a riverbank used by the Guaraní, until the present day – I wish to pay
tribute to the many ordinary Paraguayan people, whose names are not written in
history books but who have been, and continue to be, the real protagonists in
the life of your nation. I would also like to acknowledge with profound
admiration the role played by the women of Paraguay in those dramatic historical
moments. As mothers, wives and widows, they shouldered the heaviest
burdens; they found a way to move their families and their country forward,
instilling in new generations the hope of a better tomorrow.
A people which forgets its own past, its history and its roots, has no
future. Memory, if it is firmly based on justice and rejects hatred and
all desire for revenge, makes the past a source of inspiration for the building
of a future of serene coexistence. It also makes us realize the tragedy
and pointlessness of war. Let there be an end to wars between
brothers! Let us always build peace! A peace which grows
stronger day by day, a peace which makes itself felt in everyday life, a peace
to which each person contributes by seeking to avoid signs of arrogance,
hurtful words, contemptuousness, and instead by working to foster
understanding, dialogue and cooperation.
For some years now, Paraguay has sought to build a solid and stable
democracy. It is proper to recognize with satisfaction progress made in
this direction, thanks to the efforts of everyone, even amid great difficulties
and uncertainties. I encourage you to continue working to strengthen the
democratic structures and institutions, so that they can respond to the
legitimate aspirations of the nation’s people. The form of government
adopted by your Constitution, a “representative, participative and pluralistic
democracy” based on the promotion of and respect for human rights, must banish
the temptation to be satisfied with a purely formal democracy, one which, as
Aparecida put it, is content with being “founded on fair election procedures”
(Aparecida Document, 74).
In every sector of society, but above all in public service, there is a need to
reaffirm that dialogue is the best means of promoting the common good, on the
basis of a culture of encounter, respect and acknowledgment of the legitimate
differences and opinions of others. In the effort to overcome a spirit of
constant conflict, convictions born of ideology or partisan interest should
blend advantageously with love of the country and its people. That love
must be the incentive to increased administrative transparency and unceasing
efforts to combat corruption.
Dear friends, in the desire to serve and promote the common good, the poor and
needy have to be given priority of place. Paraguay has done much to
advance along the path of economic growth. Important steps have been
taken in the areas of education and health care. May all social groups
work to ensure that there will never again be children without access to
schooling, families without homes, workers without dignified employment, small
farmers without land to cultivate, or campesinos forced to leave their lands
for an uncertain future. May there be an end to violence, corruption and
drug trafficking. An economic development which fails to take into
account the weakest and underprivileged is not an authentic development. Economic
progress must be measured by the integral dignity of the human person,
especially the most vulnerable and helpless.
Mr President, dear friends, in the name of my brothers, the bishops of
Paraguay, I also wish to assure you of the commitment and cooperation of the
Catholic Church in the common effort to build a just and inclusive society
where each person can live in peace and harmony. All of us, including the
Church’s pastors, are called to be concerned with building a better world (cf.
Evangelii Gaudium, 183). Our sure faith in God, who willed to become man,
to live among us and to share our lot, urges us to press forward. Christ
opens up to us the path of mercy, which, founded on justice, goes beyond it to
inspire works of charity, so that no one will remain on the fringes of this
great family which is Paraguay, a land you love and which you wish to serve.
With great joy that I have come to this country consecrated to the Virgin of
Caacupé, I invoke the Lord’s blessings on each of you, your families and all
the beloved people of Paraguay. May this country be fruitful, as
symbolized by the pasiflora fower on Our Lady’s mantle, and may the national
colors which decorate her image draw all the Paraguayan people to embrace the Mother
of Caacupé.
Thank you very much.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét