ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS
BENEDICT XVI
TO H.E. MS. CHITRA NARAYANAN
NEW AMBASSADOR OF THE
REPUBLIC OF INDIA
TO THE HOLY SEE
Clementine Hall
Friday, 28 May 2009
Madam
Ambassador,
I
am pleased to welcome you today and to accept the Letters accrediting you
as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India
to the Holy See. Thanking you for the kind words which you have addressed
to me in your own name and on behalf of the Government, I would ask to
reciprocate my own respectful greetings to Her Excellency, Mrs Pratibha
Patil, President of the Republic, and to the re-elected Prime Minister,
His Excellency Mr Manmohan Singh, assuring them of my prayers for their
well-being and for that of all the people of India.
India is a land fertile with ancient wisdom. Her people, representing
many different religions and cultures, are sensitive to the need for
self-awareness, integrity and harmonious coexistence with one’s neighbour
for overall personal and social well-being. The immense variety within
your borders opens a range of possibilities for dialogue between
philosophies and religious traditions intent upon probing life’s deepest
questions. Cultivating this dialogue not only enriches your own Nation but
serves as an example to others throughout Asia and indeed throughout the
world.
Notwithstanding the financial hardships currently facing the entire
global community, India has made remarkable economic strides in recent
years. Other nations have drawn inspiration from the diligence, human
ingenuity and foresight which have contributed to your country’s growth.
Increased prosperity calls for heightened vigilance to ensure that the
poor are protected from being exploited by the unbridled mechanisms of the
economy which often tend to profit only an elite few. Hence the motive for
your Country’s ambitious rural jobs programme which was designed to help
the disadvantaged – especially the rural poor – to earn a subsistent wage
by participating in building projects and other cooperative initiatives.
Programmes such as this show that labour is never a mere commodity but a
specifically human activity. They must therefore be implemented in a way
that upholds human dignity and repudiates any temptation to favouritism,
corruption or fraud.
The
principle of subsidiarity is of particular value in this regard. A society
that allows subordinate organizations to perform their proper activities
encourages citizens to take an active part in building up the common good,
placing themselves at the service of others and committing themselves to
resolving differences justly and peacefully. Subsidiarity both presupposes
and fosters individual responsibility, enjoining all members of society to
seek the good of others as their own. While bureaucratic structures are
necessary, it must always be kept in mind that the various levels of
governance – national, regional, and local – are oriented towards the
service of citizens, as they themselves are administered by citizens.
Democratic systems of governance must be kept in check by broad social
participation. Having recently completed an important round of national
elections, India has shown the world that this key democratic process is
not only possible, but can be conducted in an atmosphere of civility and
peace. As the newly elected face the challenges ahead of them, I am
confident that the same spirit of patient cooperation will prevail,
sustaining them in their weighty responsibility of drafting laws and
deliberating social policy. May they be ready to subordinate special
interests, placing them within the wider context of the common good which
is an essential and indispensable goal of political authority (cf.
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 409).
Madam Ambassador, as Chief Shepherd of the Catholic Church, I join
religious and governmental leaders throughout the world who share a common
desire that all members of the human family enjoy the freedom to practise
religion and engage in civil life without fear of adverse repercussions on
account of their beliefs. I therefore cannot help but express my deep
concern for Christians who have suffered from outbreaks of violence in
some areas within your borders. Today I have the opportunity to express my
appreciation for your Country’s efforts to provide the afflicted with
shelter and assistance, relief and rehabilitation, as well as for the
measures taken to implement criminal investigations and fair judicial
processes to resolve these issues. I appeal to all to show respect for
human dignity by rejecting hatred and renouncing violence in all its
forms.
For
her part, the Catholic Church in your Country will continue to play a role
promoting peace, harmony and reconciliation between followers of all
religions, especially through education and formation in the virtues of
justice, forbearance and charity. Indeed, this is the inherent goal of all
genuine forms of education since – in conformity with the dignity of the
human person and the call of all men and women to live in community – they
aim at cultivating moral virtues and preparing young people to embrace
their social responsibilities with a refined sensibility for what is good,
just and noble.
Madam Ambassador, as you assume your responsibilities within the
diplomatic community accredited to the Holy See, I offer you my good
wishes for the successful fulfilment of your high mission. I assure you
that the various offices and departments of the Roman Curia will always be
ready to assist you. Upon yourself and upon the beloved people of India I
invoke abundant divine blessings.
