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ADDRESS OF PAUL VI
TO THE AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN
TO THE HOLY SEE*

Thursday, 18 September 1969

 

Mister Ambassador,

We accept with sincere pleasure the Letters accrediting Your Excellency as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Pakistan to the Holy See. In the performance of your important duties. We promise you Our understanding and Our collaboration.

We also assure Your Excellency, and all your fellow citizens of every faith, that We shall constantly persevere in Our efforts to establish the dignity of the human person, and to promote the continual spiritual, moral, intellectual and physical elevation of mankind. For the support offered towards these lofty aims, We are cordially grateful.

The Catholic Church, in fact, teaches that «Faith needs to prove its fruitfulness by penetrating the believer’s entire life, including its worldly dimensions, and by activating him towards justice and love, especially regarding the needy» (Gaudium et spes, N. 21). She also recognizes that “in the first place among” those who acknowledge the Creator “there are the Moslems, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, Who on the last day will judge mankind” (Lumen gentium, N. 16). Hence the Church strives, through this common belief, to foster concord and peace among individuals, families, nations, and races, by the observance of social and international justice for the fruit of justice is peace.

Through your good offices, We send Our deferential greetings to His Excellency the President of Pakistan, and Our good wishes to the people of your Nation. Upon all, in pledge of divine favours of prosperity and peace, We invoke the blessings of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.


*AAS 61 (1969), p.664-665.

Insegnamenti di Paolo VI, vol. VII, p.628-629.

L’Attività della Santa Sede 1969, p.409-410.

L'Osservatore Romano n.48 p.8 19.9.1969, p.1.

ORa n.40 p.2.

 



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