Pope Francis has sent a Message to the President of Panama, His Excellency, Mister Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez on the occasion of the VII Summit of the Americas which is taking place in Panama City from April 10-11, 2015.
As guests of the VII Summit of the Americas, I wish to extend to you my cordial greetings and, through you, to all the Heads of State and those who govern, as well as to all the participating delegations. At the same time, I would be happy to demonstrate my closeness and my encouragement toward the continuation of sincere dialogue and mutual collaboration which unites the strengths and overcomes the differences along the journey toward the common good. I ask the Lord that in sharing common values, we may be able to commit to collaborating at the national or regional levels to addressing the problems in concrete terms and to conveying hope.
I feel that this is in tune with the theme chosen for this Summit: Prosperity with equality: the challenge of cooperation in the Americas.
I am convinced - as I have already expressed in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium - that the unequal and unjust distribution of wealth and of resources is a source of many conflicts and violence between people, since these practices suppose that the progress of some is advanced through the necessary sacrifices of others and that, in order to live with dignity, it is necessary to fight against others (cf EG, 52, 54). Any wellbeing thus achieved is unfair at its very roots toward the dignity of persons. There are some basic necessities, such as land, work and shelter, and public services such as health, education, security and the environment from which no human being should ever be excluded.
This desire - which we all share - unfortunately is still far from becoming a reality. There are still examples of the exercise of unjust inequalities which offend the dignity of persons. The great challenge facing our world is the globalization of solidarity and of fraternity instead of the globalization of discrimination and indifference which, until it results in a fair distribution of wealth, will never resolve the evil in our society (cf EG, 202).
We cannot negate the fact that many countries have experienced strong economic development within the most recent years, however it is also true that others continue to fall prostrate as a result of poverty. Moreover, in emerging economies, the majority of populations have not benefitted from the general economic progress, to the point that major divides have often been created between the rich and the poor. The theory of trickle down and favourable relapse (cf EG, 54) has turned out to be wrong: it is not enough to hope that the poor will gather the crumbs that fall from the table of the rich. We need direct actions in favour of the most disadvantaged, attention for which, like children within a family, should be a priority for all governments. The Church has always defended the promotion of the concrete person (Centesimus annus, 46), taking care of their needs and offering them opportunities for development.
I would also like to draw your attention to the problem of immigration. The immense disparity of opportunities between some countries and others means that many people are obliged to abandon their land, their families, and to become easy prey for human traffickers and slave labour, with neither rights nor access to justice ... In some cases, the absence of cooperation between States leaves many people excluded from the law and without any possibility for asserting their rights, forcing them to find themselves between those who profit from others or to resigning themselves to becoming victims of abuse. There are situations in which it is not enough simply to safeguard the law in order to defend the fundamental rights of persons, in which , the norm, without pity and mercy would not respond to justice.
Sometimes, even within every country, scandalous and offensive differences are created, especially between indigenous populations, in rural areas and in the peripheries of large cities. Without authentic defences for these people against racism, xenophobia and intolerance, the rule of law would lose its deserved legitimacy.
Mister President, efforts to build bridges, to open communication channels, to strengthen relationships and to seek agreement are never in vain. The geographic location of Panama City, in the centre of the American continent, which makes it a place of meeting between north and south, between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, is surely a call for the good of all those involved, to create a new order of peace and justice and to promote solidarity and collaboration while respecting the rightful autonomy of every nation.
With the wish that the Church may be an instrument of peace and reconciliation between all peoples, I send you my most heartfelt and cordial greetings.
From the Vatican
April 10, 2015
Francis
Message of His Holiness, Pope Francis
To His Excellency, Mister Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez
President of Panamá
As guests of the VII Summit of the Americas, I wish to extend to you my cordial greetings and, through you, to all the Heads of State and those who govern, as well as to all the participating delegations. At the same time, I would be happy to demonstrate my closeness and my encouragement toward the continuation of sincere dialogue and mutual collaboration which unites the strengths and overcomes the differences along the journey toward the common good. I ask the Lord that in sharing common values, we may be able to commit to collaborating at the national or regional levels to addressing the problems in concrete terms and to conveying hope.
I feel that this is in tune with the theme chosen for this Summit: Prosperity with equality: the challenge of cooperation in the Americas.
I am convinced - as I have already expressed in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium - that the unequal and unjust distribution of wealth and of resources is a source of many conflicts and violence between people, since these practices suppose that the progress of some is advanced through the necessary sacrifices of others and that, in order to live with dignity, it is necessary to fight against others (cf EG, 52, 54). Any wellbeing thus achieved is unfair at its very roots toward the dignity of persons. There are some basic necessities, such as land, work and shelter, and public services such as health, education, security and the environment from which no human being should ever be excluded.
This desire - which we all share - unfortunately is still far from becoming a reality. There are still examples of the exercise of unjust inequalities which offend the dignity of persons. The great challenge facing our world is the globalization of solidarity and of fraternity instead of the globalization of discrimination and indifference which, until it results in a fair distribution of wealth, will never resolve the evil in our society (cf EG, 202).
We cannot negate the fact that many countries have experienced strong economic development within the most recent years, however it is also true that others continue to fall prostrate as a result of poverty. Moreover, in emerging economies, the majority of populations have not benefitted from the general economic progress, to the point that major divides have often been created between the rich and the poor. The theory of trickle down and favourable relapse (cf EG, 54) has turned out to be wrong: it is not enough to hope that the poor will gather the crumbs that fall from the table of the rich. We need direct actions in favour of the most disadvantaged, attention for which, like children within a family, should be a priority for all governments. The Church has always defended the promotion of the concrete person (Centesimus annus, 46), taking care of their needs and offering them opportunities for development.
I would also like to draw your attention to the problem of immigration. The immense disparity of opportunities between some countries and others means that many people are obliged to abandon their land, their families, and to become easy prey for human traffickers and slave labour, with neither rights nor access to justice ... In some cases, the absence of cooperation between States leaves many people excluded from the law and without any possibility for asserting their rights, forcing them to find themselves between those who profit from others or to resigning themselves to becoming victims of abuse. There are situations in which it is not enough simply to safeguard the law in order to defend the fundamental rights of persons, in which , the norm, without pity and mercy would not respond to justice.
Sometimes, even within every country, scandalous and offensive differences are created, especially between indigenous populations, in rural areas and in the peripheries of large cities. Without authentic defences for these people against racism, xenophobia and intolerance, the rule of law would lose its deserved legitimacy.
Mister President, efforts to build bridges, to open communication channels, to strengthen relationships and to seek agreement are never in vain. The geographic location of Panama City, in the centre of the American continent, which makes it a place of meeting between north and south, between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, is surely a call for the good of all those involved, to create a new order of peace and justice and to promote solidarity and collaboration while respecting the rightful autonomy of every nation.
With the wish that the Church may be an instrument of peace and reconciliation between all peoples, I send you my most heartfelt and cordial greetings.
From the Vatican
April 10, 2015
Francis
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