Pubblichiamo di seguito il messaggio inviato ieri dal Santo Padre Benedetto XVI, a firma del Cardinale Tarcisio Bertone, Segretario di Stato, per l’incontro di preghiera in occasione dell’apertura della LXIII Sessione dell’Assemblea Generale dell’ONU:

HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI SENDS CORDIAL GREETINGS TO ALL TAKING PART IN THE PRAYER SERVICE HELD ON THE EVE OF THE SIXTY-THIRD SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY. HE JOINS THE MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY AND U.N. OFFICIALS PRESENT IN IMPLORING FROM ALMIGHTY GOD THE GUIDANCE AND STRENGTH NEEDED TO CARRY OUT THE URGENT TASKS FACING THE UNITED NATIONS IN THE COMING MONTHS, INCLUDING THE CONTINUING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS, THE NEPAD PROGRAM AND OTHER INITIATIVES AIMED AT ENSURING THAT THE WHOLE HUMAN FAMILY SHARES IN THE BENEFITS OF GLOBALIZATION. RECALLING WITH GRATITUDE HIS VISIT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY LAST APRIL ON THE OCCASION OF THE SIXTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, HIS HOLINESS RENEWS HIS APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL LEADERS TO REAPPROPRIATE THE LOFTY MORAL VISION AND THE TRANSCENDENT PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE EMBODIED IN THE UNITED NATIONS’ FOUNDING DOCUMENTS. WITH THESE SENTIMENTS THE HOLY FATHER INVOKES UPON ALL IN ATTENDANCE AN ABUNDANCE OF DIVINE BLESSINGS, TRUSTING THAT THESE MOMENTS OF REFLECTION AND PRAYER WILL STRENGTHEN THEM IN THEIR COMMITMENT TO UPHOLDING THE DIGNITY OF EACH HUMAN PERSON AND BUILDING A WORLD OF EVER GREATER SOLIDARITY, FREEDOM AND PEACE.

CARDINAL TARCISIO BERTONE
SECRETARY OF STATE

[01440-02.01] [Original text: English]

[B0579-XX.01]