Pope says Vatican's diplomats must be prayerful advocates of doctrine

Published: 2006-06-02

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The priests who represent the Vatican as diplomats around the world must be men of prayer, open to the riches found in other cultures and firm advocates of Catholic doctrine, Pope Benedict XVI said. The pope met June 2 with students and staff members of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, marking the 300th anniversary of training Vatican diplomats in its current location near Rome's Pantheon. "Only if you are faithful to your vocation can you render a valid service to the Apostolic See," the pope told the students, all of whom are priests. The pope thanked the men for their willingness to exercise their priesthood in the diplomatic corps because by representing the Vatican in nations around the world they allow the pope to demonstrate his personal concern for all peoples. In order to serve well, he said, the priest-diplomats must have a serious background in theology, but also a deep knowledge of and adherence to "the perennial doctrine of the church" and the policy directives of the Vatican.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .