Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and other Holy See leaders have shared their well wishes for US President-elect Donald Trump following his election victory this week, conveying their hopes for wise leadership on both domestic and international affairs. Source: CNA.
“We wish him great wisdom, because this is the main virtue of rulers according to the Bible,” Cardinal Parolin said at an event in Rome.
“I believe that, above all, he has to work to be the president of the whole country and so overcome the polarisation that has occurred, which can be very, very clearly felt at the moment.”
In addition to working toward unity among people within the US, Cardinal Parolin also expressed his hope for Mr Trump to “be an element of détente and pacification in the current conflicts that are bleeding the world”.
“Let’s hope, let’s hope. I believe that not even he has a magic wand,” he said.
“To end wars, a lot of humility is needed, a lot of willingness is needed. It really is necessary to seek the general interests of humanity rather than concentrate on particular interests.”
While Pope Francis and Donald Trump have not seen eye to eye on issues including migrants or the environment, The Vatican’s Undersecretary for the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Fr Antonio Spadaro, SJ, told Italian journalists on Wednesday that the Vatican intends to “seek dialogue” with the US leader.
“Catholics don’t have homogenous party affiliations or political convictions in the United States or anywhere else,” he said. “It’s held the compass of values steady, but without taking sides, precisely to avoid a spurious mixing of religion with politics.”
“The perspective of the Holy See is always broad, international, recognising that the United States has an important role in avoiding [so] that the conflicts currently under way in the world, from martyred Ukraine to martyred Palestine, don’t get worse,” Fr Spadaro said. “It’s necessary to find solutions.”
FULL STORY
From the Vatican: wishing ‘great wisdom’ for President-elect Trump (By Kristina Millare, CNA)
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Cardinal Parolin offers best wishes to Trump on election victory (Vatican News)
