New York City, N.Y., Jul 16, 2011 / 18:52 pm
The Vatican congratulated South Sudan, the world's newest country, for its admission to the United Nations on July 14.
In a statement greeting representatives of the new country, the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations said that Pope Benedict XVI “invoked the Almighty’s abundant blessings on the people and the government of the new nation and wished that is may advance in the path of peace freedom and development.”
“The path from civil war to democracy needs to be well disciplined and based on justice and truth,” the Vatican's permanent U.N. mission said in its remarks to the South Sudanese. The Vatican delegation was led by Archbishop Francis Chullikatt.
If these values prevail, they said, “the long journey that has cost the lives of people, long sufferings, poverty and humiliations can become a walk of peace, liberty and development.”