By Holy See Mission
Statement of H.E. Archbishop Celestino MiglioreApostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy
See to the United Nations85th plenary meeting of the 59th
Session of the General AssemblyTribute to the memory of His Holiness Pope John
Paul II, Supreme PontiffNew York, 6 April 2005Mr. President,
Thank you for opening this morning’s session with a
special tribute to the late Pope John Paul II. My delegation deeply appreciates
your gesture and conveys to you the Holy See’s acknowledgment and appreciation
for the kind expression of your sympathy.
I
would also like to express my thanks and appreciation to the Chairs of the
regional groups and to the Permanent Representatives for the statements which
cordially echo and skillfully portray the many feats of a mighty man of peace.
At the four points of the compass, he transmitted fresh courage and hope to
those who are oppressed, the poorest and the weakest throughout the world, with
a passion for freedom and solidarity, confronting the drawbacks in different
political, economic and social systems. In this, he was guided by a respect for
the dignity of the human being, made in the image of God. He strongly believed
that it is only by keeping the transcendent in view, that we can remain truly
conscious of our place in creation.
During his first visit to
UN Headquarters in New York in 1979, John Paul II said that the Holy See
attached not only great importance to its collaboration with the United Nations
but that, after the birth of the Organisation, it had always expressed its
esteem and approval for the historic importance of this “ultimate forum” of
international life and contemporary humanity. In particular, John Paul II said
that he hoped that the UN, due to its universal character, would not cease to be
an effective place from where to evaluate, in truth and justice, all the
problems facing humanity. While visiting the UN in 1995, he suggested that the
UN could become a kind of “moral centre where all the nations of the world feel
at home and develop a shared awareness of being, as it were, a 'family of
nations.'”
At a time when efforts were made to stand at a certain
distance from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to set aside some of
the contents of this milestone along humanity’s difficult road, John Paul II,
throughout the 26 years of his pontificate, was one of its most ardent
defenders.
As with his predecessors, John Paul II often expressed
the hope that the UN and its agencies might become better adapted to their
mission. There are many reforms that he felt would be desirable so as to make
the bodies associated with the UN more efficient, so that they might serve
better the societies, economies and cultures of the world.
He felt that, as globalisation grows, there should be
a corresponding growth in sound and effective international organs capable of
guiding the world’s economy for the common good. While states standing alone
are unlikely to achieve such a goal, international organs, backed by real
political will, could effectively cooperate with states to do so.
Furthermore, the pope
dearly wished to see the UN develop effective procedures other than war to
resolve international conflicts. With regard to those that have troubled recent
history, John Paul II always advocated the application of international law,
placing the rule of law over the rule of force. If the will to work for the
common good in this way truly existed, the weakness of some international
institutions would rapidly be transformed, to the greater peace and security of
all, with the added bonus of great amounts of resources being thus available for
development, the acknowledged adjunct to a wise security policy.
Mr. President, let me finish by repeating my gratitude
for your kind expressions of condolence and for those of the distinguished
delegations who have been good enough to do likewise. Thank you.
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