Pope Benedict XVI receives new Ambassador from the Netherlands
On Friday Pope Benedict XVI received the newly appointed Ambassador form the Netherlands
to the Holy See, Joseph Weterings. Although the number of Catholics in the Netherlands
has decreased significantly in recent decades, the Dutch Catholic Church is today
the largest religious group in the Netherlands, with an estimated 4.267 million Catholics,
over 25 percent of the population. Greeting Pope Benedict on behalf of Queen Beatrix
and the Dutch people, Ambassador Weterings said “on moral and ethical issues, the
Netherlands continues to seek dialogue with the Holy See in all openness”. Pope
Benedict had words of praise for the nation’s spirit of solidarity and in particular
the Netherlands defence and promotion of human rights including the right to religious
freedom, which - he said , “is threatened not only by legal constraints in some parts
of the world, but by an anti-religious mentality within many societies, even those
where freedom of religion enjoys the protection of law. The Pope said he was also
encouraged by the Dutch Government’s efforts to discourage drug abuse and prostitution.
He said “while your nation has long championed the freedom of individuals to make
their own choices, nevertheless, those choices by which people inflict harm on themselves
or others must be discouraged, for the good of individuals and society as a whole”.
In his greeting, Ambassador Weterings had noted that the Church in his country
is going through turbulent times and thanked Pope Benedict for ordering the May 2010
promulgation of the revision of the motu proprio Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela,
on norms for grave delicts. Pope Benedict for his part spoke of the role of the
Church within society. He said “while recognizing with humility that her own members
do not always live up to the high moral standards that she proposes, the Church cannot
do other than continue to urge all people, her own members included, to seek to do
whatever is in accordance with justice and right reason and to oppose whatever is
contrary”. Below the full text of Pope Benedict XVI’s greeting to the Dutch Ambassador
To His Excellency Joseph Weterings Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Your
Excellency, In welcoming you to the Vatican and accepting the Letters of Credence
by which you are appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom
of the Netherlands to the Holy See, I wish first of all to express my gratitude to
you for transmitting the courteous greeting of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix, and I would
ask you kindly to reciprocate and to convey, in turn, my good wishes to her, as well
as my appreciation of the cordial relations existing between the Holy See and your
country. Bilateral relations between a nation-state and the Holy See are clearly
of a different character from those between nation-states. The Holy See is not an
economic or military power. Yet as you yourself have indicated, its moral voice exerts
considerable influence around the world. Among the reasons for this is precisely the
fact that the Holy See’s moral stance is unaffected by the political or economic interests
of a nation-state or the electoral concerns of a political party. Its contribution
to international diplomacy consists largely in articulating the ethical principles
that ought to underpin the social and political order, and in drawing attention to
the need for action to remedy violations of such principles. It does so, evidently,
from the standpoint of the Christian faith, but as I observed in my recent address
to the German Parliament, Christianity has always pointed to reason and nature as
the sources of the norms on which a state of law should be built (Address to the Bundestag,
22 September 2011). Hence the diplomatic dialogue in which the Holy See engages is
conducted neither on confessional nor on pragmatic grounds but on the basis of universally
applicable principles that are as real as the physical elements of the natural environment. In
acting as a voice for the voiceless and defending the rights of the defenceless, including
the poor, the sick, the unborn, the elderly, and the members of minority groups who
suffer unjust discrimination, the Church seeks always to promote natural justice as
it is her right and duty to do. While recognizing with humility that her own members
do not always live up to the high moral standards that she proposes, the Church cannot
do other than continue to urge all people, her own members included, to seek to do
whatever is in accordance with justice and right reason and to oppose whatever is
contrary. On this basis, I have no doubt that the Holy See and the Kingdom of the
Netherlands have many areas of shared concern. Mr Ambassador, you have spoken of the
need to promote global peace through just resolution of conflicts and through opposing
the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. You underlined the need to foster
development and to promote self-reliance in emerging countries. You mentioned the
generous humanitarian response of the Dutch people when emergency aid is needed around
the world. And you spoke of the need to defend human dignity. These and many other
areas of international policy will continue to provide opportunities for fruitful
exchanges between your country and the Holy See. I am heartened also by your words
about the Dutch Government’s intention to promote freedom of religion which, as you
know, is a matter of particular concern to the Holy See at the present time. It is
threatened not only by legal constraints in some parts of the world, but by an anti-religious
mentality within many societies, even those where freedom of religion enjoys the protection
of law. It is therefore greatly to be hoped that your Government will be vigilant,
so that the freedom of religion and freedom of worship will continue to be protected
and promoted, both at home and abroad. I am likewise encouraged by the steps that
the Dutch Government has taken to discourage drug abuse and prostitution. While your
nation has long championed the freedom of individuals to make their own choices, nevertheless,
those choices by which people inflict harm on themselves or others must be discouraged,
for the good of individuals and society as a whole. Catholic social teaching, as you
know, places great emphasis on the common good, as well as the integral good of individuals,
and care is always needed to discern whether perceived rights are truly in accordance
with those natural principles of which I spoke earlier. With these sentiments,
Your Excellency, I offer my best wishes for the success of your mission, and I assure
you that the various departments of the Roman Curia are always ready to provide help
and support in the fulfilment of your duties. Upon you, your family and all the people
of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, I cordially invoke God’s abundant blessings. From
the Vatican, 21 October 2011 Listen to our report: