Pope compares U.N. workers to family, where strong protect weak

Published: 2008-04-18

UNITED NATIONS (CNS) -- Reflecting the organization's mission, U.N. workers form a kind of family in which the strong protect the weak, Pope Benedict XVI said. Addressing the staff of the United Nations April 18 following his address to the General Assembly, the pope said they laid the foundation for the organization's mandate of monitoring how well various governments protect their own citizens. Expressing appreciation for their work, he said U.N. personnel represent a "microcosm of the whole world, in which each individual makes an indispensable contribution from the perspective of his or her particular cultural and religious heritage." In his introduction, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said U.N. staff members are "driven by their own brand of faith, but one which unites them with one another." The pope's visit, said Ban, lifted their spirits and faith. The pope noted the similarity between the United Nations and Vatican City State: Both are surrounded by large cities, and both strive to fulfill a "worldwide mission to promote peace and justice."

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