Discourse of Pope Benedict XVI to the Ambassador to the Holy See from the Kingdom
of Denmark, Mr. Hans Klingenberg
Discourse to the Ambassador from Denmark, Mr. Hans Klingenberg
Your
Excellency, It is with pleasure that I welcome you to the Vatican and accept the
Letters of Credence by which you are appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Kingdom of Denmark to the Holy See. I thank you for the kind greetings which
you bring from Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, and I would ask you to convey to Her
Majesty, to the Government, and to the people of your country my gratitude for their
good wishes and the assurance of my prayers for the spiritual well-being of the nation.
The Church’s diplomatic relations form a part of her mission of service to the
international community. This engagement with civil society is shaped by her conviction
that in an increasingly globalized world efforts to promote integral human development
and a sustainable economic order must consider the fundamental relationship between
God, creation and his creatures. Within this perspective, tendencies towards social
fragmentation and piecemeal development initiatives can be overcome by the recognition
of the unifying moral dimension constitutive of every human being, and the moral consequence
pertaining to every economic decision (cf. Caritas in Veritate, 37). Indeed, contemporary
scepticism in the face of political rhetoric, and a growing uneasiness with the lack
of ethical points of reference governing technological advances and commercial markets
all indicate the imperfections and limitations found within both individuals and society
and the need for a rediscovery of fundamental values and a profound cultural renewal
in harmony with God’s design for the world (cf. ibid., 21).
Your Excellency,
the world’s attention is currently drawn towards Denmark as it hosts the United Nations
summit on climate change. The political and diplomatic deliberations at play in addressing
the demands of such a complex matter test the resolve of stakeholders to forgo nationalistic
or short-term alleged advantages in favour of longer-term benefits for the entire
international human family. While some consensus can undoubtedly be reached through
the elaboration of shared aspirations matched with policies and targets, fundamental
change in any form of human behaviour – individual or collective – requires conversion
of heart. Courage and sacrifice, fruits of an ethical awakening, enable us to envisage
a better world and embolden us to pursue with hope all that is necessary to ensure
that future generations are bequeathed the whole of creation in such a condition that
they too can call it home. When the “moral tenor of society” (ibid., 51) declines,
however, the challenges facing today’s leaders can only increase.
This
urgent need to emphasize the moral duty to distinguish between good and evil in all
human action in order to rediscover and nurture the bond of communion that unites
the human person and creation was a central theme of my recent address to FAO. On
that occasion the international community considered the pressing issue of food security.
Again, I stated that, important as they may be, development plans, investments and
legislation are not enough. Rather, individuals and communities must change their
behaviour and their perception of need. For States themselves this includes a redefining
of the concepts and principles that have hitherto governed international relations
to include the principle of altruism and the resolve to seek out new parameters -
ethical as well as juridical and economic - capable of building relationships of greater
fairness and balance between developing and developed countries (cf. Address to FAO,
16 November 2009).
Within this framework a holistic understanding of the
health of society can emerge in which our duties towards the environment are never
detached from our duties towards the human person and in which a moral critique of
the cultural norms shaping human coexistence, with particular concern for the young,
is considered central to the well-being of society. Too often efforts to promote
an integral understanding of the environment have had to sit alongside a reductionist
understanding of the person. Typically the latter is lacking in respect for the spiritual
dimension of individuals and at times is hostile towards the family, pitting spouses
against each other through a distorted portrayal of the complementarity of men and
women, and pitting mother and unborn child against each other through a misconstrued
portrayal of “reproductive health”. Responsibility in relationships, including the
responsibility of careful parenting (cf. Caritas in Veritate, 44; Familiaris Consortio,
35), can never be truly nurtured without profound respect for the unity of family
life according to the loving design of our Creator.
Denmark’s assistance
to humanitarian causes is widespread and multi-faceted. The Kingdom’s commitment
to supporting peace-keeping operations and development projects together with its
growing commitment to the continent of Africa are readily recognized by the Holy See
for their generosity and professionalism. Among the principles we share in regard
to development is the conviction that any form of corruption is always an affront
to the dignity of the human person and will always be a severe impediment to the just
and equitable progress of peoples. Denmark’s domestic record in this regard is commendable
and your foreign financial aid policies rightly insist upon accountability and transparency
on the part of receiver nations.
Mr Ambassador, the members of the Catholic
Church in your country will continue to pray and work for the spiritual, social and
cultural development of all the Danish people. In ecumenical fellowship with other
Christians they are attentive to the needs of the migrant communities present in your
land as well as other groups that are vulnerable in various ways. Additionally the
Church’s schools, pupils from which I regularly welcome to my weekly General Audience,
serve the nation as they seek to bear witness to the love and truth of Christ.
Your
Excellency, during your term as Denmark’s representative to the Holy See the various
departments of the Roman Curia will do all they can to assist you in the discharge
of your duties. I offer my best wishes for the success of your endeavours to strengthen
the cordial relations already existing between us. Upon you, your family and all
your fellow citizens I invoke the abundant blessings of Almighty God.