Pope urges nations to protect religious freedom, family, environment

Published: 2007-06-01

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI urged nations to protect religious freedom, the environment and the family in a speech to five new ambassadors to the Vatican. The pope welcomed the diplomats from Sudan, Burundi, Pakistan, Estonia and Iceland June 1 as they presented him with their credentials. While Catholics are a minority in the countries the ambassadors represent, the pope said the church promotes a "spirit of fraternal collaboration" among all people and is "anxious to pay witness to the Gospel." People must never be discriminated against or marginalized because of their beliefs or religious traditions, he said, emphasizing that the freedom of religion is one of humanity's "essential rights" that needs to be protected. True religious beliefs "cannot be a source of division or violence," he said. On the contrary, they are "the foundation of a conscience that (regards) all people (as) brothers and sisters to protect and help thrive," said the pope. The pope appealed to nations to not exploit the resources of poorer countries "with impunity" and asked that poorer countries be able to "have their share of world growth."

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