U.S. Ambassador to Holy See on Kerry visit, Pope’s discourse to diplomats

(Vatican Radio) The need for leaders in countries in conflict to have “the courage to go beyond the surface of a conflict:” that’s one phrase from Pope Francis’ discourse Monday to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See that U.S. Ambassador Kenneth Hackett says was “particularly powerful” for him. Ambassador Hackett, one of more than 180 diplomats attending the January 13^th event, spoke to Vatican Radio following U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s talks Tuesday with his Vatican counterpart, Archbishop Pietro Parolin.

During their hour and forty minute meeting in the Vatican, Kerry spoke with Archbishop Parolin and the Holy See’s Foreign Secretary Archbishop Dominque Mamberti on many issues and about areas in conflict, including the situation in Syria. The talks came ahead of the Geneva II meeting set to begin in Switzerland on January 22 with the aim of ending the Syrian war.

Listen to Tracey McClure's extended interview with Ambassador Hackett:

“It was a very important meeting and a very lengthy meeting,” Ambassador Hackett said. “It covered many topics, not the least of which was Syria – Geneva II – and the hopes and aspirations that will come out of that particular meeting.”

Asked why Mr. Kerry wanted to come to the Vatican for talks, Ambassador Hackett said, “because he believed that there are many areas of convergence and complementarity between where the United States foreign policy wants to head and where the Vatican heads. And particularly around issues of peace, whether it be in Syria, throughout the Middle East, in places like Southern Sudan or Central African Republic, there is a…full meeting of the minds.”

The Ambassador cites the “great respect and legitimacy” of the Holy See and “admiration around the world” for Pope Francis and expressed his hope “that his call for peace in various quarters will be heard, understood and appreciated.”

It was the first time Hackett, who took on his post as Ambassador to the Holy See in October 2013 after a 40 year career in human development, had attended the traditional papal new year’s greetings in the Vatican. It was also a first for Pope Francis. The U.S. and the Holy See this week celebrate their 30^th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

In the interview with Tracey McClure, the U.S. Ambassador says he was impressed by the Pope’s words concerning the elderly, who are often looked upon as “dispensable” or “a burden,” and the importance the Pope laid on supporting the family – the place where Pope Francis says peace is first learned - and the potential of young people.

In his discourse, Pope Francis also spoke of building a culture of peace through dialogue and encounter, the plight of Christians in the Middle East, the desperation of refugees and the scourge of human trafficking.

The Pope’s words concerning countries in conflict struck a particular chord with Hackett, who in his many years with Catholic Relief Services, traveled to regions that are today still at war.

“In my experience, all of that has been going on for decades. And all of that, the majority of it, was never well reported. The situation in Northern Nigeria: I can recall that same situation in the 70s. The war that went on in Sudan between North and South went on for forty years and before that, there was a war for twenty years. So all of these things are not starting this century. They’ve been going on for a while. At the same time, these situations are horrible and they affect people, families; they tear people apart, and now that we know about them, we have a greater responsibility to do something about them: to bring succor to people who need it, to bring peaceful transitions in political situations, and call on leaders to step up as the Holy Father called on them, to have the courage to go beyond the conflict. That’s a great challenge but it’s something I think we in this day in age should be ready for.”

Ambassador Hackett suggested that in recounting conflicts or persecution, people should also find the courage to balance the bad stories with the good ones that offer hope. As an example, he relates a recent documentary in which the Archbishop in Banugi, Central African Republic “appeared…standing next to the major Muslim imam, calling for tolerance and saying that, ‘here, I’m the Archbishop, this is the imam. We are calling for Christians and Muslims to put down your arms and live in peace and reconciliation….’ those are broad, courageous moves.”