Vatican City, May 30, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Pope John Paul received students of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy -where future Vatican diplomats are formed - and said that the Holy See's representatives around the world must combine a spirit of dialogue and a deep fidelity to Jesus.
“May difficulties never hinder your generous commitment to Christ and His Church.”
The Pope noted that from the day they received the Holy Spirit, the Apostles “began to travel the world announcing the Good News. Since then, this announcement has never ceased to sound out among men: Christ, only-begotten of God is the Savior of man, of all men.”
“By maintaining contact with the Pope,” said John Paul II, “pontifical representatives are called to represent him before the ecclesial communities of the countries in which they work, before national governments and international organizations.”