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Skriven 2007-02-13 06:49:20 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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                               VIS-Press releases

COSTA RICA: PROMOTE JUSTICE AND SOLIDARITY

VATICAN CITY, FEB 10, 2007 (VIS) - This morning, Benedict XVI received the
Letters of Credence of Luis Paris Chaverri, the new ambassador of Costa Rica to
the Holy See.

In opening his address to the diplomat, the Pope mentioned "the strong
religious imprint" of Costa Rica, which "reflects the faith of the people
following more than five centuries since the start of evangelization."

The Holy Father indicated how the various ecclesial communities "cooperate in
such vital fields as education, aiding the disadvantaged, healthcare, and the
promotion of people in their condition of citizens and children of God." Costa
Rican bishops are concerned over "growing levels of poverty, public insecurity
and domestic violence, as well as intense immigration from neighboring
countries. Faced with such situations, at times conflictive, and in order to
defend the common good, they seek to collaborate in initiatives that favor
understanding and conciliation, and lead to the promotion of justice and
solidarity, fomenting ... national dialogue between the leaders of public
life."

"Social improvements are not achieved by applying only the necessary technical
measures, but also by promoting reforms that uphold an ethical view of the
person, of the family and of society. To this end, moral values such as
honesty, austerity and responsibility must be cultivated for the common good.
In this way it will be possible to prevent the individual and collective forms
of selfishness and corruption, ... that prevent all forms of progress."

Benedict XVI praised government initiatives "to promote peace and human rights
in the world," as well as the country's "traditional proximity to the positions
held by the Holy See in various international organizations on important
questions such as the defense of human life and the promotion of marriage and
the family.

"All Costa Ricans," he added, "must be protagonists and architects of the
country's progress," cooperating to create "a political stability that enables
everyone to participate in public life." In this context, the Holy Father
recalled that "the moral teachings of the Church offer values and guidelines
which, when taken into consideration - especially by those who work in the
service of the nation - are a great help in providing an adequate response to
the needs and aspirations of citizens."

The Pope then went on to refer to "the painful and widespread problem of
poverty," which has "serious consequences in the field of education, health and
housing, and represents a pressing challenge for governments and heads of
public administration."

This problem "requires a greater awareness, enabling the current situation to
be faced in all its dimensions, cooperating in a real commitment for the common
good. As in other areas, the poor lack basic essentials and have no access to
the indispensable resources that would enable their promotion and integral
development, This affects, above all, immigrants seeking a better standard of
living. Faced with such a situation, the Church ... seeks to encourage and
favor initiatives aimed at overcoming situations of marginalization."
CD/LETTERS OF CREDENCE/COSTA RICA:PARISVIS 070212 (510)

SUMMARY

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