Pope Benedict XVI meets the Ambassadors at the presentation of the Letters of Credence
(December 17, 2009) “The challenges that humanity faces today is certainly a call
for mobilization of minds and creativity of man, an intensification of applied research
for a more efficient and healthy use of energy and resources . These efforts can provide
a conversion or transformation of the current development model of our societies,”
said Pope Benedict XVI. He was addressing the Ambassadors of Bangladesh, Denmark,
Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Finland and Latvia, in Rome on Thursday, 17th
of December at the presentation of the Letters of Credence. The Pope added that “the
Church proposes that radical change is to discover and bring progress, which is guided
by the concept of integral development of the human person.” Referring to his encyclical
Caritas in Veritate the Pope said that it is necessary to restore relationship between
man and creation. Creation is the precious gift that God has given to men. Human
persons cannot escape the environmental responsibility but use it properly to end
the scandal of poverty and hunger because the degradation of the environment is a
direct threat to human survival and development, he said. Further “Our humanity wants
peace and, if possible, universal peace. It should be tender without utopia and without
manipulation. We all know that peace requires political and economic, cultural and
spiritual stability. Peace, as desired, will arise as the joint action of the individual,
who discovers his true nature in God, and leaders of civil society and religious,”
said the Pope. Speaking to the Ambassador of Bangladesh Mr. Mohammed Abdul Hannan,
Pope Benedict said that their country still faces many economic, social and environmental
challenges. Yet the significant strides in development made in recent times have
raised the hopes of its citizens and attracted the attention of the entire global
community. The Pope said: “I pray that Muslims, Hindus, Christians and all people
of goodwill in your country will bear untiring witness to the peaceful coexistence
that remains the vocation of the entire human race.” Although few in number, Bangladesh’s
Catholics too share the expectation that the collaborative efforts which have made
these gains possible will continue to animate the nation as its citizens set new goals
for the future and devise fresh ways of achieving them.