The Holy See Is on the Global Scene to Service the International Community

Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, titular Archbishop of Lilybeum, Apostolic Nuncio to Bulgaria

First of all, I wish to thank the Bulgarian Diplomatic Review magazine for giving me the pleasant opportunity to reflect on some of the aspects of Papal Diplomacy on the occasion of the 15th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Republic of Bulgaria (December 6, 1990). I would also like to express my high regard for the varied and interesting articles the magazine publishes regularly which cover the highlights from the social, political, and diplomatic life in Sofia.

Your Eminence, what are the priorities of papal diplomacy today and in particular those of the Vatican's representation in Bulgaria?
The guiding principle, which inspires the activities of the Holy See, as regards its relations with the political authorities or when dealing with political issues, is set forth in the Gaudium et Spes (Joy and Hope) of the Second Vatican Council (1965). It maintains that the Catholic Church, by reason of her role and competence, is not identified in any way with the political community nor bound to any political system. She is at once a sign and a safeguard of the transcendent character of the human person. (n. 76,2).

Inspired by this principle highlighting the spiritual dimension of man, Pope John Paul ?? points out in his first encyclical letter Redemptor hominis (The Redeemer of Man) (1979), that the Church cannot remain insensible to whatever serves man's true welfare, any more than she can remain indifferent to what threatens it. (n. 13).

Hence the priorities of papal diplomacy, which is a real diplomacy, and yet it differs from the rest. It is specific diplomacy (sui generis), which tries to service the human person, the common good of humanity, the dialogue between nations.

Today, the focus of papal diplomacy is increasingly centring on the international rostra, human welfare and issues of global scale such as safeguarding human dignity and human rights, protecting the sacredness of life, promoting the values of the family, the problems, relating to global justice and peace, disarmament, the eradication of poverty, the struggle with pandemic diseases.

Of course, among the fundamental rights, which the Holy See upholds, a special emphasis is placed on religious freedom, which serves as a “measure” for human rights.

The ties between the Holy See and Bulgaria are millennia old, although their official diplomatic relations date back from only 15 years. After the difficult period of totalitarian rule, a friendly and constructive dialogue was established, which culminated in the historic visit of Pope John Paul ?? to the country three years ago (May 23-26, 2002). The Pope, who was received all around Bulgaria with an enormous demonstration of human warmth and affection, left, on his part, an indelible memory in the hearts of the Bulgarian people. This dialogue is revived each year with the visit of a state delegation to the grave of St. Cyril in Rome, on May 24, the Day of the Slav Alphabet and Culture. The already traditional audience with the Roman Pope is also evoked by the occasion.

The Catholic Church is the only church that acts with priests and diplomats simultaneously. How do you combine these two functions as representative of the Holy See here, in Bulgaria?
Indeed, the papal envoys function both as priests and diplomats. The apostolic nuncios have ambassadorial rank while being archbishops. They perform a double function in their countries of accreditation. Primarily they perform pastoral service, aimed at the local catholic community, develop the ties for efficient communion with the Pope, the successor of the Apostle Peter to the Roman Throne, they assist the bishops in their service, support the priests, the monks, and the nuns in their apostolic activities, immerse themselves in the culture, the customs and the religious traditions of the country.

The papal representatives have the task to develop and maintain in compliance with the norms of international law the relations between the Holy See and the state authorities. They convey the solicitude of the Roman Pope for the welfare of the respective country and maintain an intensive dialogue on topics of common interest. Exercising their diplomatic functions, they invariably preserve their own identity – the awareness they are servants of God and preachers of the Gospel.

What are the typical and most important aspects of the Vatican – Bulgaria relations today, a few months after the election of His Holiness Benedict XVI?
After the democratic changes that ensued in 1989, Bulgaria went through a significant social, political, religious and cultural transformation. The Holy See followed this process with interest and empathy. It has never concealed its moral support, especially along the road of the country's now forthcoming EU accession.

The local Catholic community has already resumed its clerical, pastoral and charitable activities in conditions of freedom and tolerance. Of primal importance was the adoption of the new Act on Denominations (State Gazette, December 29, 2002), which states the right to religion is “fundamental, absolute, subjective, personal and inviolable.” (Art. 2 (1)).

As for the future, I would say that in his first address to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See (May 12, 2005), Pope Benedict XVI clearly outlined the key directions, which should characterize the relations between the Holy See and the countries, including Bulgaria. Pope John Paul II was an unflagging Gospel missionary in the many countries that he visited; he also rendered a unique service to the cause of unity of the human family. The Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI declared continuity of that of his predecessor. He declared commitment to step up the process of unity among Christians and to build a society of justice, peace and solidarity, in charity and in mutual forgiveness. He invited Christian communities, national leaders, diplomats and all people of good will to achieve a peaceful society, to overcome the temptation of confrontation between cultures, races and worlds that are different. This will undoubtedly be the line, which the cooperation between the Holy See and the countries will follow.

How do you envision and define the development of these relations against the background of the processes of globalisation?
Globalisation is a complex phenomenon, which manifests the trend of spreading through all strata of human society and which increasingly attracts the attention of many scientists. We are not only speaking about a process of economic expansion but rather about a cultural revolution, driven by market forces, which has its roots in the rapid development of modern technology. New technologies and scientific research opened up new horizons and certainly new challenges to humanity. We need to make a judicious discrimination – to ascertain what leads to human welfare, and disclaim what could hold us up in future.

Speaking on economic globalisation, Pope John Paul II defined it as a “promising and ambiguous” phenomenon, which needs a moral leader so as not to produce negative results, stemming from the outburst of individual and group egoism. He stated that the more global the market, the more it must be balanced by a global culture of solidarity that is attentive to the needs of the weakest.

Clearly, the Holy See and its diplomacy cannot remain insensible in the face of such phenomenon, which affects humanity and its fundamental rights.

As envoy of the Holy See, to what extent do you share the so-called "new psychology" of the Church? To what extent should it participate in and determine the social and political relations in the world?
As I already noted, the real mission of the Church is not in the political, economic or social order. It is a religious one: to lead people to God. In its activities the Church cannot lose sight of this ultimate spiritual goal. Undoubtedly, as the Second Vatican Council stated in the already quoted Gaudium et Spes (Joy and Hope) (n. 42), “out of this religious mission itself come a function, a light and an energy which can serve to structure and consolidate the human community according to the divine law”. This was sensed both by Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI. The latter used to bring to the fore as a typical feature of papal diplomacy the fact that the Holy See sends its representatives to the different countries not only to protect the rights of the Church but also the rights of the people they had been assigned to. Here we are speaking of safeguarding the dignity and the rights of the individual, and of religious freedom in particular.

The Holy See is present on the global scene through its envoys not to solve the world's social and political problems but to be of service to the international community. It has no political, economic or military power at its disposal. It derives its authority from the Gospel and professes the principles of natural law.

Monsignor Justo Mullor Garcia, President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, paid a recent visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the Diplomatic Institute. He delivered a lecture in which he spoke on “From God's Rights to Human Rights". Within the context of his lecture, do you trust that with faith in God and with moral conscience, man is master of his own destiny and maker of his own history?
I believe Monsignor Mullor wanted to accentuate on the need of preserving human conscience and the guiding principles on which Papal Diplomacy rests. These principles are the primal importance of conscience, preservation of human dignity and the fundamental rights of the individual, service in the interest of people and nations, observing international law, disavowal of power, wiliness and delusion.

In the Christian consciousness, the human being, be it a man or a woman, has been created in the image and likeness of God and has not only a body but soul, reason, faculty of will and freedom. As a rational and free being, man is capable of making choices and thus becomes a master of his own destiny, and responsible for his actions before God and man. The Church asserts the primal importance of conscience and upholds the thesis that no external power or human authority has the right to interfere with man's freedom of conscience. Along with this, taking into account human nature is weak and sinful, the use of freedom by the individual is not easy, it needs cultivation. In the same trend, human conscience is not something “absolute” that stands above truth; on the contrary, it needs an attitude to the objective truth, which is universal. Therefore, conscience needs cultivation, too.

What would you wish to the diplomatic missions in Bulgaria, to the Catholic communities in the country and to all people on the eve of Christmas and the New Year?
The coming holidays, especially Christmas, are of special importance to the Christians. The Birth of Christ is an epiphany of God's grace granted to us by His Son Jesus and His love for humankind. The celebration inspires a feeling of peace, humaneness, and kindness in the believers. This is why I wish everyone a Christmas and a New Year filled with tranquillity, joy, and peace.

To the Bulgarian people in particular I wish to attain its goal and accede to the European Union on January 1, 2007 as a crown of its multiple efforts. I am convinced it will not lack the support of the diplomatic missions, accredited to Bulgaria. Finally, I wish to the local Catholic community, involved in pastoral, social and charity activities, to give an expression of their solidarity with the poor and to continue to walk on its road of service to the Bulgarian people, as the love of Christ, in Whom they believe, attests.