Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Church’s relations with nations was the subject of an address given by Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, until recently in charge of the Holy See’s section for relations with nations, and now, since 15 September, president of Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State and president of the Governatorato dello Stato della Città del Vatican, when he addressed participants at the Seminar for newly appointed Bishops organised in Rome by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. “To speak of the Holy See and relations with nations means speaking of papal diplomacy, a theme which at first may seem very distant from your pastoral mission, but only at first because the activity of papal diplomacy is very pastoral”.
The Archbishop spoke about the figure of the Apostolic Nuncio, often referred to as Papal Ambassador or Vatican Ambassador. “This term is not incorrect but can be misleading because people may think that the Pontifical Nuncio represents the Pope as Sovereign of Vatican City State… Whereas he represents the Roman Pontiff...who is the “head of the college of bishops, the Vicar of Christ, and the pastor of the universal Church on earth’ (can. 331 CDC); the Roman Pontiff (can. 362) has the innate and independent right (recognised by the international community) to appoint, send, transfer, and recall his own legates either to particular churches in various nations or regions or to states. Therefore the essential, constitutive reference for Papal Nuncios is the Pope with the mentioned characteristics, not the Pope as Sovereign of Vatican City State”.
“The principal function of a pontifical legate is daily to make stronger and more effective the bonds of unity which exist between the Apostolic See and particular churches” (can. 364). For this function the pontifical representative is at the service of the unity of the great human family: “The mission of the Church in fact is to be a channel and a sign of the unity of the entire human race”.
By means of contact with the bishops, church institutions, clergy and laity in the countries to which they are sent, the pontifical representatives get to know the situation of the local Church so that the Holy Father and the Offices of the Roman Curia can work in the best of manners. Among the other tasks of the pontifical representative stated in the Code of Canon Law, Archbishop Lajolo mentioned ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue: “Even before reaching its religious goals, friendly and constructive dialogue fosters social harmony and the moral and spiritual unity of a people”. The pontifical representative has also the task of promoting peace, progress and cooperation among peoples: “All Ambassadors are men and women of peace … the pontifical representative is such not only as a professional but primarily as a vocation, religious and ecclesial”. The pontifical representative treats questions concerning Church/State relations, the stipulation and implementation of agreements and conventions. “The essence of the soul, so to say, of Vatican diplomacy is religious - Archbishop Lajolo underlined - and everything about it which may be considered ‘political’ has a spiritual rather than secular, worldly meaning”.
Archbishop Lajolo spoke about the Holy See’s diplomatic presence today: 174 countries and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta have full diplomatic relations with the Apostolic See; the Holy See has pontifical Nunciatures with a resident pontifical representative in 101 countries; the Holy See has 15 representatives to international Organisations. The Archbishop then mentioned a few focal points of the diplomatic activity of the Holy See and concluded “Vatican diplomacy is the Pope’s diplomacy. It’s job is to be docile and faithful, following closely the instructions of the Vicar of Christ, striving to make known his daily concerns and to work to achieve his great visions”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 19/9/2006; Righe 48 - Parole 691)
