Arch Paglia at UN in Geneve
On Thursday June 23, 2016, H. E. the Most Rev. Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, participated at a Parallel Event entitled Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, “The Joy of Love”. The Family as a Vital Force in Society.
Organized by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See, H. E. Mr. Amr Ramadan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Mission of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mr. Andrey Nikiforov, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Mission of the Russian Federation and Dr. Francesco Belleti, Director of Center for International Family Studies, were invited as speakers, while His Excellency, Archbishop Paglia, was invited as Keynote Speaker at this event.
Hence, subsequent to H.E. the Most Rev. Ivan Jurkovic’s Welcoming Remarks, the President of the Council, Archbishop Paglia, delivered a brief lecture on Amoris Laetitia, noting, at the start, that this apostolic exhortation is the result of significant theological deliberation and reflection from His Holiness, aided as he was, by the fraternal assistance of countless bishops around the world, and throughout the celebration of the two latest consecutive synods in Rome.
After offering a brief summary of the Pope’s exhortation, Archbishop Paglia also affirmed that Amoris Latitiae, which begins with the “first pages of the Bible, puts the family at the crossroads of a new development of our planet.” Archbishop Paglia also underlined the pastoral approach of the exhortation, and its wonderful positive approach to the complex and life-giving reality of the family as created by God.
To end, the President noted that he is “convinced that the Papal document can dialogue effectively with the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2015-2030. If we want a world of greater justice and peace, that grows in care for natural resources and the environment, in initiatives for the poorer classes and populations, in peaceful coexistence and in greater solidarity, our political, religious cultural and economic institutions must work together so that the original source of relationships—the family—is recognized as such and is supported.”
Bringing to mind the very hopes and aspirations of the United Nations, Archbishop Paglia affirmed that the “history of humanity, … shows that only beginning with [the family]… can we imagine and give substance to the dream that resides in the depths of our humanity—the dream that all peoples can become one family. This dream is the reason we have the United Nations”.
For such reasons, affirmed Archbishop Paglia, with “Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis has provided one more tessera for the mosaic that realizes this dream of all peoples of the earth—each with their own identity—to become one family and live in peace.”