In Luxembourg, “a country with open doors”, one of the three official seats of the European institutions, Pope Francis addressed the whole continent, scarred by war and forgetful of its history. To achieve peace and heal this “dangerous syndrome”, it is necessary to engage in “honest negotiations” and “honourable compromises” that “undermine nothing and instead can build security and peace for all”, avoiding “useless massacres” that have an immense human cost, because “war is always a defeat”, Francis said in his address to the authorities. Protecting “human dignity, serving the common good, dialogue and international cooperation” make a State great, Francis wrote in the Book of Honour.
“Having wealth includes responsibility”,
welcoming all those who knock at our door is a duty, as is being custodians and not tyrants of creation. “With its particular history, and its equally particular geographical location, with just under half of its inhabitants coming from other parts of Europe and the wider world, may Luxembourg be a help and an example in pointing the way forward in welcoming and integrating migrants and refugees. You are indeed a model of this”, Francis said.
“Please, have more children!”,
was the Pope’s entreaty to a country with one of the world’s highest GDPs.
“Unfortunately – the Pope denounced in his first speech in Luxembourg – we are seeing the re-emergence, even on the European continent, of rifts and enmities that, instead of being resolved on the basis of mutual goodwill, negotiation and diplomatic efforts, are resulting in open hostilities, leading to destruction and death.”
“It seems that the human heart does not always remember the past and periodically goes astray and returns to the tragic path of war”,
was Francis’ cry of alarm. The Holy Father remarked that “to heal this dangerous syndrome, which causes nations to become seriously ill, increases conflicts and risks throwing them into exploits that bring with them immense human costs and further useless massacres, we need to raise our gaze upwards. We also need the daily lives of peoples and their leaders to be motivated by noble and profound spiritual values. It is these values that will prevent reason from succumbing to foolishness and our lapsing into making the same mistakes of the past, mistakes made even worse by the greater technological power that human beings now possess.”
This Country, which “has drawn upon its history – for history is a teacher of life –has distinguished itself in its commitment to building a united and fraternal Europe,
in which each country, be it large or small, might have its own role, and where the divisions, quarrels and wars that have been caused by exaggerated forms of nationalism and pernicious ideologies may finally be left behind. Indeed, ideologies are always the enemy of democracy”, thus the Pope described Luxembourg: “at the crossroads of Europe’s most significant historical events.”
“The solid democratic structure of your country, which cherishes the dignity of the human person and the defence of fundamental freedoms, has been essential in allowing Luxembourg to play such a significant role in the continental context”,
Pope Francis’ tribute: “It is not the size of the territory nor the number of inhabitants that serve as indispensable conditions for a State to play an important part on the international stage, or for it to become an economic and financial nerve centre. Instead, it is the patient creation of wise institutions and laws, which, by regulating the lives of citizens according to the criteria of fairness and respect for the rule of law, place the person and the common good at the centre, preventing and counteracting the dangers of discrimination and exclusion.”
Drawing on the legacy of John Paul II, who visited the country 40 years ago, the Pope renewed his call “for the establishment of fraternal relations between peoples, so that all may become participants and protagonists in an organized process of integral development.
The Church’s social doctrine highlights the characteristics of such progress and the ways for achieving it.”
“For development to be authentic and integral, we must not plunder or degrade our common home. Likewise, we must not abandon peoples or social groups on the margins,”
Francis reiterated on the basis of two core principles of Church social teaching: care for creation and fraternity. “Let us not forget that having wealth includes responsibility”, the Pope underlined, asking for “constant vigilance so that the most disadvantaged nations will not be neglected, and that they be helped to rise from their impoverished conditions. This is one way to ensure a decrease in the number of those forced to emigrate, often in inhumane and dangerous conditions.” Addressing the Catholic community convened in Notre Dame Cathedral, the Pope exhorted the faithful to remain true to their centuries-old spirit of welcoming others, “and to continue to make your country a friendly home for those who knock at your door seeking help and hospitality.” “The Church is damaged by those sad Christians”, “please do not lose the ability to forgive”, were the Pope’s extemporaneous closing remarks.
