VATICAN CITY, FEB. 29, 2008 (Zenit.org).- All decision-making affecting the future of the international community should take into account the rights of all members of the human family, Benedict XVI told the new U.S. envoy to the Holy See.
The Pope said this today upon receiving the letters of credence of Mary Ann Glendon. In 2004, Pope John Paul II named Glendon president of the Pontifical Academy of the Social Sciences, making her the first woman to head one of the major pontifical academies.
Prior to her appointment, Glendon was the Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard University. Glendon succeeds Ambassador Francis Rooney.
Addressing the new ambassador in English, Benedict XVI called the United States a nation that "values the role of religious belief in ensuring a vibrant and ethically sound democratic order."
The Pope continued: "Your nation’s example of uniting people of good will, regardless of race, nationality or creed, in a shared vision and a disciplined pursuit of the common good has encouraged many younger nations in their efforts to create a harmonious, free and just social order.
"Today this task of reconciling unity and diversity, of forging a common vision and summoning the moral energy to accomplish it, has become an urgent priority for the whole human family, which is increasingly aware of its interdependence and the need for effective solidarity in meeting global challenges and building a future of peace for coming generations."
"The experience of the past century," he said, "with its heavy toll of war and violence, culminating in the planned extermination of whole peoples, has made it clear that the future of humanity cannot depend on mere political compromise. Rather, it must be the fruit of a deeper consensus based on the acknowledgement of universal truths grounded in reasoned reflection on the postulates of our common humanity."
Self-evident
Mentioning the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Holy Father said the document "was the product of a worldwide recognition that a just global order can only be based on the acknowledgment and defense of the inviolable dignity and rights of every man and woman. This recognition, in turn, must motivate every decision affecting the future of the human family and all its members.
"I am confident that your country, established on the self-evident truth that the Creator has endowed each human being with certain inalienable rights, will continue to find in the principles of the common moral law, enshrined in its founding documents, a sure guide for exercising its leadership within the international community."
The Holy Father also highlighted the role of international organizations, that "by their nature are capable of fostering genuine dialogue and understanding, reconciling divergent views, and developing multilateral policies and strategies capable of meeting the manifold challenges of our complex and rapidly changing world."
Benedict XVI noted with gratitude "the importance which the United States has attributed to interreligious and intercultural dialogue as a positive force for peacemaking," and the nation's "historic appreciation of the role of religion in shaping public discourse and in shedding light on the inherent moral dimension of social issues."
Such appreciation, the Pope noted, "is reflected in the efforts of so many of your fellow citizens and government leaders to ensure legal protection for God's gift of life from conception to natural death, and the safeguarding of the institution of marriage, acknowledged as a stable union between a man and a woman, and that of the family."
Partnership
Glendon, told the Holy Father in her discourse that the United States "believes that strong alliances, friendships and international institutions enable us to advance along" the common path of the world community to "promote freedom, prosperity and peace."
"We recognize a privileged place in such a partnership for the Holy See whose strong moral voice resonates in the hearts of men and women throughout the world," she added.
The ambassador said the United States "understands that we are part of an increasingly interconnected world that calls on each of us -- no matter what our culture or faith -- to work for peace, life and hope."
Glendon said the nation is proud of the various projects "to protect and enhance the dignity of the person" that the United States and the Holy See have collaborated on, namely initiatives aimed at eliminating the trafficking of human beings.
Regarding issues such as poverty, hunger and disease, the U.S. envoy said that for the nation, "these are not only humanitarian issues but concerns that affect regional stability and security. We are striving, therefore, to provide impoverished nations with the economic and social tools that will empower them to seize hold of their own destiny."
The United States is "an instrument of hope in the world," she said, "because its people are compassionate and generous."
The ambassador then mentioned Benedict XVI's visit to Washington, D.C., and New York in April: "We are particularly pleased that Your Holiness will visit the United States this coming spring.
"On your first visit to the U.S. as Pontiff, you will find a warm welcome from a nation that understands the important contribution offered by people of faith in our society."
Glendon added, "You will be among friends."
