CNS STORY: Pope visits Secretariat of State, source of daily 'pile of documents'

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CNS Story:

POPE-STAFF May-23-2005 (430 words) xxxi

Pope visits Secretariat of State, source of daily 'pile of documents'

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI visited the source of what he said was a daily "pile of documents" -- the Vatican Secretariat of State.

The pope met May 21 with top officials of the secretariat in the office library, located across the courtyard from his office and apartment in the Apostolic Palace.

"I came without any words written down, but with a heart full of deep gratitude and with the intention of learning," Pope Benedict said, according to a transcript released later by the Vatican press office.

The Vatican Secretariat of State coordinates the daily work of the entire Roman Curia, as well as overseeing relations with more than 170 governments and dozens of international agencies. Even in countries where the Vatican does not have an ambassador, it has a representative to the local church who keeps the Secretariat of State informed about the life of the church.

From the papers sent to his office every day, Pope Benedict said he could see the variety of tasks handled by the secretariat and the competence with which the work is performed.

The pope said he was impressed by "the fact that such a small number of people does such a great work for the universal church."

"To the competency and professionalism of the work done here, a special aspect is added, a special type of professionalism: love for Christ, for the church and for souls," he said.

"All of our work, with all of its ramifications, serves to ensure that his Gospel and, therefore, the joy of redemption can reach the world," the pope said.

Welcoming the pope, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, said, "We try to perform our work with the methodic diligence of bees, like those represented on the crest of the Barberini pope, Urban VIII.

"On his crest, there are only three bees," he said. In a similar way, the size of the secretariat staff is small, but busy.

Cardinal Sodano told the pope that Mahatma Gandhi once said that among living beings three main attitudes are found: "In the sea, there are the fish, who are silent; on the earth, there are the animals who cry and human beings who speak; and in the heavens, there are the birds, who sing.

"We in the secretariat try to be silent when it is time, and to speak when it is time, but we always try to sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God for the honor given to us in working for his holy church," the cardinal said.

END

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