For the first time in a century and a half, the Vatican has a Pope and a Secretary of State who have not come from the Holy See’s diplomatic service.
From the moment he took office in the third Loggia of the Apostolic Palace, Cardinal Bertone defined himself as “a Secretary of the Church more than of State.”
In actual fact, Benedict XVI’s geopolitics has specific traits which have made it possible to move dialogue forward, after it had remained frozen for some time, as in the case of the confrontation between the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches.
In his Audience with Joseph Weterings, the Netherlands’ new ambassador to the Holy See, Benedict XVI drew out the framework of his diplomatic approach: forget about personal interests, the Church’s strength is in it’s faith in Christ. The most authoritative voice when it comes to defending Christians, is the Pope’s, despite the fact that many of the faith’s minorities (as is the case of Egyptian Copts) are not in full communion with Rome.
A total of 179 countries across the world are in diplomatic relation with the Vatican and China, the biggest country not to have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, is not one of them.
That means there are sixteen states, most of which are in Asia that have large Muslim communities or have Islamic majorities. Nine of these countries do not have a Holy See envoy (Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Bhutan, China, North Korea, the Maldives, Oman, Tuvalu and Vietnam). There are, however, some Apostolic delegates in office (papal representatives to local Catholic Communities rather than to local governments) in another seven countries: three in Africa (the Comoros, Mauritania and Somalia) and four in Asia (Brunei, Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar).
The Holy See does have some contact with these countries. It has started formal negotiations with Vietnam, with the aim of establishing full diplomatic relations.
Diplomacy is the art of hope.
And Vatican diplomats know this hope has a name, because it is priestly diplomacy. Holy See diplomacy was born out of history; that is, the Holy See has had an international legal identity right from the beginning. It can therefore carry out all activities typically carried out by international legal figures, which are basically the States. It can also send and receive ambassadors.
The diplomatic service is an instrument the Holy See needs as the Catholic Church’s central governing entity, in order to carry out its mission. The Vatican tries to get involved where there are difficulties or crises in the world: situations that are concerning or worrying for the entire international community.
Benedict XVI is deeply concerned for the defence and promotion of human dignity, a dignity based of people’s transcendent dimension. In terms of this, the Holy See adopts a vision of the human being as a whole, and does not see them merely in their physical, material or economic dimension, but in their entirety.
And it is on this entirety that the Holy See insists. So the subject of the defence of human dignity, the defence of a human being’s rights, starts with their right to life, from conception till natural death, as well as the defence of their freedom. The other aspect is that of educating people in peace; peace intended as a series of conditions that allow humans to develop as people and as children of God, as well as to create peaceful and meaningful relations with other people around them.
According to Ratzinger, the Church’s international authority is based on one thing: the unarmed force of principles that are rooted in it’s faith in Christ. Free, that is, of personal interests linked to winning electoral consensus or of the subjection of poor States to wealthy ones, resulting from money.
The Holy See’s influence in the world goes higher than this; it flies on the wings of the Gospel’s message and Christian values which have faded wherever humanity, especially its weakest sections, has put its foot down.
That is how the Church lived and continues to live its mission, even though some betray it out of weakness. Vatican Radio stressed that the Pope “with his strength and usual transparency,” chose to start his speech to the new Dutch ambassador to the Vatican, by placing emphasis on a point which is always highlighted on such occasions.
“The Holy See is not an economic or military power.” And its contribution to international diplomacy mostly involves the articulation of certain ethical principles which should be the basis of social and political order and focusing attention once again on the need to intervene when said principles are violated. Thus, the diplomatic dialogue in which the Holy See engages is not of a confessional type nor does it have pragmatic ends. It is rather based on universally applicable principles that are as real as the physical elements that exist in our natural environment. The voice of the Church, and , in particular of the Holy See, represents those who cannot make themselves heard because they are defenceless, poor, sick, old, part of a minority, or simply because they have not yet been born.
The Church is constantly looking to promote natural justice as it is its right to do so and as it should do. And so, as the Pope unreservedly pointed out: “Although it humbly recognises that its own members are not always up to the high moral standards it requires, all that the Church can do is continue to urge everyone, even its own members, to try to do all that is in accordance with justice and correct reason and to oppose what its not.”
Benedict XVI sees diplomacy as the art of hope, as if to say that all it takes is a tiny sign, a tiny gesture and humans could see some important outcomes. The art of hope means there is a possibility of resolving difficulties and conflicts peacefully. There are numerous examples and cases that have proven that are proof of the efforts of diplomacy.
The results do not always meet expectations, but hope helps papal diplomacy to continue, even when no immediate results can be seen.
The Holy See is also committed to long term diplomacy. Holy See diplomacy is priestly work and priests are sustained by divine grace.
At the beginning of each year, the Pope addresses ambassadors to the Holy See.
It is the time of year when the role of the Catholic Church on the “geopolitical” world stage becomes evident.
There are currently countries where Christians become martyrs.
Benedict XVI receives their cry for help.