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Apostolic nuncios are called to be men of faith focused on proclaiming the Gospel and shunning the power and corruption that can come from the luxurious trappings of their diplomatic status, Pope Francis said.<\/p>\nGood reminder from the Pope for all of us in God’s service!<\/p>\n
Apostolic nuncios are called to be men of faith focused on proclaiming the Gospel and shunning the power and corruption that can come from the luxurious trappings of their diplomatic status, Pope Francis said.<\/p>\n
The Pope met June 13 with more than 100 Vatican diplomats who serve either as nuncios \u2014 ambassadors \u2014 or as the Holy See\u2019s permanent observers at UN and other international agencies.<\/p>\n
The nuncio represents the Pope and while the nuncio, like anyone, may have \u201creservations, sympathies or antipathies,\u201d a good nuncio cannot be a \u201chypocrite\u201d and engage in back-stabbing, Pope Francis said in his prepared remarks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is irreconcilable, therefore, to be a pontifical representative while criticising the Pope behind his back, to have a blog or even unite with groups hostile to (the pope), the Curia or the Church of Rome,\u201d the text said.<\/p>\n
The Pope\u2019s words came several days after The Washington Post published an interview with Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the former nuncio to the United States who published a long document in 2018 criticising the Pope and other members of the Curia.<\/p>\n
Meeting the diplomats at the Vatican, Pope Francis said that instead of reading the \u2018\u201cshort speech\u2019 of 20 pages\u201d he had prepared, he preferred to have an open discussion with the diplomats \u201cto help you not fall asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Vatican press office said the Pope\u2019s prepared text was handed to the nuncios; his conversation with them was not broadcast.<\/p>\n
In the prepared text, Pope Francis listed a \u201cdecalogue\u201d or 10 commandments that should characterise the life of a nuncio, beginning with the principle that they must be men of God who do not allow themselves to give in to petty gossip and slander nor be \u201cdeceived by worldly values\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe nuncio who forgets to be a man of God ruins himself and others; he goes off track and also damages the Church to which he has dedicated his life,\u201d the Pope said.<\/p>\n
A papal representative, he continued, is also a man of the Church who doesn\u2019t represent himself but, rather, the Catholic Church and the Pope.<\/p>\n
Recalling Jesus\u2019 parable of the unfaithful servant who, upon his master\u2019s delayed arrival proceeds to \u201cbeat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards,\u201d the Pope warned the diplomats that they cease being men of the Church if they treat their \u201cpersonnel, the sisters and the community of the nunciature like an evil master and not like a father and shepherd\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Pope also lamented those nuncios who \u201csearch for luxury, clothes and autographed items while living among people deprived of necessities\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a counter-testimony,\u201d he said. \u201cThe greatest honour for a man of the Church is that of being a servant to all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another characteristic of a papal nuncio is apostolic zeal in proclaiming the Gospel wherever they are sent and in seeking \u201cthe salvation and sanctification of the greatest number of souls.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is dangerous to fall into timidity and the tepidity of political or diplomatic calculations, or even in the \u2018politically correct,\u2019 renouncing the proclamation\u201d of the Good News,\u201d the Pope said.<\/p>\n
Reminding the nuncios that they also must be men of charity who concern themselves with caring for the poor and the marginalised, Pope Francis said they should avoid the danger of receiving gifts in exchange for diplomatic favours.<\/p>\n
Prudence, he said, was a crucial virtue in discerning whether to accept \u201cgifts that are offered to cloud our objectivity and, in some cases, unfortunately, to buy our freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo gift of any value should ever enslave us!\u201d the Pope said. \u201cReject gifts that are too expensive and often useless or direct them to charity and remember that receiving an expensive gift never justifies its use.\u201d —CNS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n