Blessed Epiphany & Happy New Year
In Memory:
Pope Benedict XVI
1927-2022
Pope Benedict XVI and the United Nations
On April 18, 2008, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI visited the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where he met with then-Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon and the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Srgjan Kerim. The Holy Father addressed the General Assembly and the Staff of the United Nations. Photo source: UN Media
"The founding principles of the Organization – the desire for peace, the quest for justice, respect for the dignity of the person, humanitarian cooperation and assistance – express the just aspirations of the human spirit, and constitute the ideals which should underpin international relations."
- Pope Benedict XVI, 2008 Address to the UN General Assembly
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis
For the 56th World Day of Peace
1 January 2023
No one can be saved alone.
Combatting Covid-19 together, embarking together on paths of peace.
To usher in the New Year, The Holy Father, Pope Francis, delivered the address on the 56th World Day of Peace. He reflected on lessons learned from the pandemic and our ability to solve interconnected moral, social, political, and economic problems with a sense of responsibility and compassion for others.
"Only by responding generously to these situations, with an altruism inspired by God’s infinite and merciful love, will we be able to build a new world and contribute to the extension of his kingdom, which is a kingdom of love, justice and peace." - Pope Francis
Holy See Mission Welcomes
Cardinal Parolin for 2022 High Level Week
On September 24, 2022, His Eminence Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State and Head of the Delegation of the Holy See, addressed the General Assembly during the Opening of the 77th Session. This year's theme is "A Watershed Moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges."
The fundamental human rights recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are not “niche” or competing, nor are they determined by the reactionary winds of mass media and culture."
- Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 2022 Address to the UN General Assembly
On September 27, Cardinal Parolin celebrated a Mass at the Church of the Holy Family and attended a reception afterwards with Mission staff, experts, interns, family, and friends.
Holy See Mission Hosts Annual UN Prayer Service at the Opening of the 77th Session of UNGA with a Plea for Nuclear Disarmament
The 77th session of the UN General Assembly opened with the annual UN Prayer Service at the Church of the Holy Family. Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico, offered a reflection, drawing from his pastoral letter, “Living in the Light of Christ’s Peace – A Conversation Toward Nuclear Disarmament.”
Read the full article here.
Recent Holy See Statements at the UN
"Agenda item 46: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East"
(November 7, 2022) Archbishop Caccia began his remarks by reaffirming the support of the Holy See for UNRWA for providing Palestinian refugees with essential services. Read the full text here.
"Agenda item 48: Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects"
(November 7, 2022) In his remarks, Archbishop Caccia stated that UN peacekeeping operations offer a sign of hope that nations can overcome globalized indifference to promote just and lasting peace in areas plagued by violence. Read the full text here.
"Agenda item 66: Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance"
(November 1, 2022) Archbishop Caccia began his remarks by sharing the words of Pope Francis that, "Feelings of suspicion, fear, contempt, and even hatred towards other individuals or groups judged to be different on the basis of their ethnicity, nationality, or religion...too often inspire real acts of intolerance, discrimination, or exclusion." Read the full text here.
Click Here for a Comprehensive List of Statements
Life of the Mission
The Mission's work would not be possible without our incredible team. We had several colleagues join us and depart to new adventures in the past months.
Arrivals
Monsignor Giuseppe Quirighetti, Counsellor, arrived to the Mission as the head of the Peace and Security sector. He previously served at the apostolic nunciature in Australia.
The Mission also welcomed Mr. Francesco Teruggi, who returned last May as a full-time staff Attaché and negotiator in the Human Rights and Development sector, after serving as an intern in 2020.
Farewells
The Mission bid a festive farewell with thanks to Monsignor Hilary Franco, Adviser, who retired at the celebration of his 90th birthday in July 2022, after eight years of service to the Mission.
Monsignor Fredrik Hansen, the previous Deputy Permanent Observer, also departed the Mission in July after the completion of his three-year assignment here.
Thank You & Farewell to Our Interns
We are grateful to our interns from the Fall 2022 semester! And we look forward to welcoming our incoming Spring 2023 interns, who will arrive on Monday, January 9.
Our interns are integral to the work of the Holy See at the United Nations. They attend various UN meetings, conferences, and debates, and then prepare reports that, once reviewed, are sent to the Holy See’s central offices in the Vatican. Our interns also assist with the Mission’s conferences, receptions, and cultural events. There are three internship cycles each year: Fall, Spring, and Summer, and eight internship positions are available per cycle. The application period for Summer 2023 is now closed, but the Mission is currently accepting applications for the Fall 2023 session, which will run from August through December 2023.
Fall 2022 Interns
L-R (Seated): Nikki Alcantar (Philippines), Carlos Garcés (Ecuador), Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Rosario Carrillo (Honduras), Ana Ruiz (Mexico)
L-R (Standing): Benedetta Viviano (Italy), Péter Juhász (Hungary), Mária Smutelovičova (Slovakia), Ciara Hogan (United Kingdom), and Anna Whitehead (United Kingdom)
Summer 2022 Interns
L-R: Megan Gooley (USA), Angelina Soriano (Mexico), Seb Javier (Philippines), Savannah Willard (USA), Archbishop Gabriele Caccia - Permanent Observer to the UN, José Latorre (Spain), Felipe Chertouh (Brazil/France) Jerome Green (UK), and Matthew Remedios (Canada)
