VATICAN - The Pope tells new Ambassadors: “The international community is also called to act -- over and above simple justice -- by showing its solidarity with the poorest and ensuring a better distribution of wealth.”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On May 29, the Holy Father received the Letters of Credence of nine new ambassadors to the Holy See (Tanzania, Uganda, Liberia, Chad, Bangladesh, Belarus, Guinea, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria). In his address, he told them that “in our modern-day world, the leaders of nations have an important role to play, not only in their own country, but also in international relations, sot that every person, wherever he may live, may enjoy decent living conditions.”
Such principles can also be applied on an international level, the Holy Father pointed out. “In all cases, the international community is also called to act - over and above simple justice - by showing its solidarity with the poorest and ensuring a better distribution of wealth, enabling especially those countries whose wealth resides in the soil or under the soil to be the primary beneficiaries thereof. Rich countries cannot appropriate what comes from other lands. Justice and solidarity must mean that the international community oversees the distribution of resources, placing special attention in promoting the development of those countries most in need.”
In addition to justice, it is also necessary to develop fraternal relations, the Pope said, “in order to create well- balanced societies where harmony and peace can reign, and to regulate any problems that may arise through dialogue and negotiation, without using any form of violence which always affects the weakest and poorest people.”
Benedict XVI later reflected on the fact that “all people with responsibility in public life are primarily called to make their mission one of service to their compatriots and, in a broader sense, to all the inhabitants of the planet.”
For their part, the local Churches will not fail to do everything possible to make their contribution to the wellbeing of their compatriots, sometimes in difficult situations. “Their desire is tirelessly to continue serving human beings, all human beings, without discrimination of any kind,” the Holy Father concluded, expressing his best wishes to the Ambassadors in the service that they are called to perform in diplomatic life. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 30/5/2008)