Vatican City, Dec 3, 2010 / 16:05 pm
Pope Benedict welcomed the new ambassador of Costa Rica to the Holy See, praising the diplomat's country for its pro-life policies. The Pontiff also stressed the importance of Costa Rica working to “safeguard” the institution of marriage as defined between “one man and one woman.”
The Pope received the Letters of Credence of new ambassador Fernando F. Sanchez Campos on Dec. 3. He affirmed the diplomat's country as "a people who centuries ago welcomed the evangelical seed” which sprouted into “countless educational, healthcare and humanitarian initiatives.”
“Thus the children of your land well know that in Christ the Son of God man can always find the strength to combat poverty, domestic violence, unemployment and corruption, seeking social justice, the common good, and the integral progress of human beings,” he said. “No one must feel themselves to be detached from the attainment of these exalted goals.”
In this context, the Pope urged public authorities to work as “a moral force” that supports “each individual's freedom and sense of responsibility.”