The Secretary of State, at the sidelines of a conference at the Augustinianum, expresses concern over the “systematic violation of international law”: bombings on civilians and killings of humanitarian workers are actions against humanitarian law. The words written by Francis in the Angelus are an appeal to “stop”. On the health of the Pontiff: rest now, office work continues.
By: Isabella H. de Carvalho – Vatican News
Publication Date:
“We are very concerned about the systematic violation of international law”. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, expresses on behalf of the Holy See the apprehension over the “resumption” or “continuation” of many conflicts in the world, starting from those of recent days in the Gaza Strip also denounced by Francis in the Angelus text yesterday.
Following the Pope’s words, today there was a response from the Embassy of Israel to the Holy See through the X account, stating that they act in accordance with international law. Parolin – on the sidelines of this afternoon’s event at the Augustinianum with the title “Vatican Longevity Summit: challenging the clock of time”, sponsored by the Pontifical Academy for Life – responding to questions from journalists, emphasizes that the Pope’s appeal is a “call to stop, to find paths of dialogue and peace”. “Recently – the cardinal reports – we have spoken with the Red Cross and they too are very, very, very much in difficulty. Bombings on civilians, the killing of humanitarian workers, are all actions that go exactly against humanitarian law and today there is no respect for humanitarian law. It is one of the great limitations of this season: there is no longer respect for humanitarian law.”
The Pope’s Health
Asked about the health of Pope Francis, following his discharge from the Gemelli Polyclinic after a 38-day hospitalization, the cardinal explains that the Pontiff “will now need convalescence” and “to rest peacefully”. Premature, according to the Secretary of State, to predict how the Pope’s agenda will be organized and the schedule of various audiences and celebrations. “Office work will continue,” he explains, “for the moment only the most important situations will be submitted to the Pope, issues that require decisions from him, also to not overburden him too much. Then, as he recovers, we will return to normal scheduling.”
Intervention at the Summit
In his intervention at the summit, the cardinal emphasized that “longevity is one of the great challenges of our time” because it is a matter not only medical but also one that “touches society as a whole, involving economy, culture, ethics, and spirituality”. “We live in an era where limits and fragilities tend to be denied, as if old age were a problem to hide,” Parolin explained. “But life is a gift and retains its value at every stage of existence,” he added, “we cannot fall into the illusion of progress that follows biological immortality, forgetting that true fulfillment is found not in the quantity of years but in the quality of relationships, in the love given and received, in the deep sense of being part of a community.” For this reason, the cardinal urged that “scientific and technological research” be oriented “towards the integral good of the person” and “in service of human dignity and universal fraternity”. “Longevity cannot become a privilege reserved for a few, nor a new form of social inequality,” he reiterated, also citing Pope Francis’ words on this topic. Finally, Parolin emphasized the importance of relationships between young and old to bring about “intergenerational solidarity” and avoid a “culture of individualism.”
