At noon today, in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience, members of the families of victims and members of the Italian State Police who have fallen in the line of duty.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Welcome! I thank the Chief of Police for the noble words he has offered in the name of all of you. I especially want to thank you, relatives of those who have lost their lives or those who have been gravely injured in the course of exercising their duties, for the witness of Christian hope that motivates you and for your attachment to the institutions and to your mission. In fact, many of you have desired to continue the work begun by your spouses, yourselves wearing the Police uniform and serving the State.
Every honest occupation contributes to the good of all and, if it is carried out with dedication and passion, fosters the growth of the person and of society by furnishing the necessary means for a free and dignified existence. Among the varied professions, yours is configured as an authentic mission and involves the acceptance and actual implementation of attitudes and values of special relevance for civic life. I am referring to the dedicated sense of duty and discipline, to your availability and your sense of sacrifice, even to the point, if necessary, of giving your life for the protection of public order, out of respect for te law, in defence of democracy and the fight against organized crime and terrorism.
Your mission requires courage in order to rescue those who are in danger and to stop the aggressor. The community is indebted to you for the opportunity to lead an ordinary life that is free from the oppression of violence and corruption.
A life that is committed on this front and focused on these ideals has high value in the eyes of the Lord, and every sacrifice offered out of love for the good of others will be seen by him as a victory. I say this particularly today to you, relatives of the victims of violence, which for those dedicated to promoting order often represents the most difficult obstacle to heinous designs, which are often hurled against you.
Anyone who courageously serves and who is dedicated to the good of the community will encounter both difficulty and the risks associated with his or her role, a very high form of self realization, for it leads you along the path of Our Lord who desired not to be served but to serve.
Those who, day after day, take up the seriousness and commitment of their own work and place themselves at the disposition of the community, especially those who place themselves in the line of danger or grave difficulty go out toward their neighbours to serve them. In doing so, they reach a level of self-realization, even the possibility of losing their lives, as Jesus did by dying on the cross.
Only by contemplating Jesus on the cross can we find the strength to forgive and to also face our own true crosses which are extensions of His, for thus does every sacrifice and every drama find in him the true meaning of redemption.
The witness of Christian values is even more eloquent in our time, which through the generosity of so many, is often not accompanied by a capability to focus such values into coherent and consistent commitments. In our time, it is easier to engage in something temporary, a partial commitment. Instead, the actions taken on by the Police recall something more solid which, although it is present through changing times, presents a constant which persists through the ages: a guarantee for all citizens of the presence of law and order, and the possibility of benefitting from the work of others.
Moreover, during recent years, the actions of the Police have provided a decisive contribution to managing the impact of the refugees who have arrived in Italy, seeing refuge from war and persecution. You are a first line both of welcome for migrants and in the work of protection against unscrupulous traffickers.
In this work - as the Chief of Police has already noted - you have distinguished yourself through your commitment to the service of humanity, yourselves motivated, even ahead of the regulations and requirements of the law, to the moral imperative of doing good, of saving as many people as possible and of not holding back any of your energies or time for the sake of such a commitment.
Dear brothers and sisters, be proud of your work and continue to serve the State, every citizen and every person in danger. In defence of the weak and of the law, you will find the truest sense of your service and you will continue to be an example to the rest of the country, which needs people who are willing to serve with selflessness and continual generosity.
May Holy Mary, our Mother and Saint Michael the Archangel, your patron, protect and assist you. I ask you please to pray for me and with all my heart, I give you my blessing.
Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
to families of victims and members of the
Italian State Police
Dear brothers and sisters,
Welcome! I thank the Chief of Police for the noble words he has offered in the name of all of you. I especially want to thank you, relatives of those who have lost their lives or those who have been gravely injured in the course of exercising their duties, for the witness of Christian hope that motivates you and for your attachment to the institutions and to your mission. In fact, many of you have desired to continue the work begun by your spouses, yourselves wearing the Police uniform and serving the State.
Every honest occupation contributes to the good of all and, if it is carried out with dedication and passion, fosters the growth of the person and of society by furnishing the necessary means for a free and dignified existence. Among the varied professions, yours is configured as an authentic mission and involves the acceptance and actual implementation of attitudes and values of special relevance for civic life. I am referring to the dedicated sense of duty and discipline, to your availability and your sense of sacrifice, even to the point, if necessary, of giving your life for the protection of public order, out of respect for te law, in defence of democracy and the fight against organized crime and terrorism.
Your mission requires courage in order to rescue those who are in danger and to stop the aggressor. The community is indebted to you for the opportunity to lead an ordinary life that is free from the oppression of violence and corruption.
A life that is committed on this front and focused on these ideals has high value in the eyes of the Lord, and every sacrifice offered out of love for the good of others will be seen by him as a victory. I say this particularly today to you, relatives of the victims of violence, which for those dedicated to promoting order often represents the most difficult obstacle to heinous designs, which are often hurled against you.
Anyone who courageously serves and who is dedicated to the good of the community will encounter both difficulty and the risks associated with his or her role, a very high form of self realization, for it leads you along the path of Our Lord who desired not to be served but to serve.
Those who, day after day, take up the seriousness and commitment of their own work and place themselves at the disposition of the community, especially those who place themselves in the line of danger or grave difficulty go out toward their neighbours to serve them. In doing so, they reach a level of self-realization, even the possibility of losing their lives, as Jesus did by dying on the cross.
Only by contemplating Jesus on the cross can we find the strength to forgive and to also face our own true crosses which are extensions of His, for thus does every sacrifice and every drama find in him the true meaning of redemption.
The witness of Christian values is even more eloquent in our time, which through the generosity of so many, is often not accompanied by a capability to focus such values into coherent and consistent commitments. In our time, it is easier to engage in something temporary, a partial commitment. Instead, the actions taken on by the Police recall something more solid which, although it is present through changing times, presents a constant which persists through the ages: a guarantee for all citizens of the presence of law and order, and the possibility of benefitting from the work of others.
Moreover, during recent years, the actions of the Police have provided a decisive contribution to managing the impact of the refugees who have arrived in Italy, seeing refuge from war and persecution. You are a first line both of welcome for migrants and in the work of protection against unscrupulous traffickers.
In this work - as the Chief of Police has already noted - you have distinguished yourself through your commitment to the service of humanity, yourselves motivated, even ahead of the regulations and requirements of the law, to the moral imperative of doing good, of saving as many people as possible and of not holding back any of your energies or time for the sake of such a commitment.
Dear brothers and sisters, be proud of your work and continue to serve the State, every citizen and every person in danger. In defence of the weak and of the law, you will find the truest sense of your service and you will continue to be an example to the rest of the country, which needs people who are willing to serve with selflessness and continual generosity.
May Holy Mary, our Mother and Saint Michael the Archangel, your patron, protect and assist you. I ask you please to pray for me and with all my heart, I give you my blessing.
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