Blessing of the Office of the Permanent Mission, October 7, 1995

BLESSING OF THE OFFICE OF THE PERMANENT MISSION

Pope John Paul II

Visit to the United Nations and the United States Given on October 7 1995

My dear Brothers and Sisters,

1. As the Third Millennium approaches, we are given an opportunity to reflect on the Lord's power and presence in our lives and in our world. Nearly two thousand years ago Jesus Christ ushered in the Kingdom of God here on earth, and in our own time he continues to draw men and women to the light of his truth. Just as he commanded his Church in her earliest days to "make disciples of all the nations" (Mt 28:19), so he calls the faithful today, Bishops, priests, Religious and laity alike, to be instruments of evangelization for the salvation of the entire human family.

2. It is ultimately for this reason that, over thirty years ago, Pope Paul VI initiated the formal participation of the Holy See in the United Nations Organization, offering the cooperation of the Church's spiritual and humanitarian expertise to the men and women of good will who work for the advancement of peace and justice in the international community. In this capacity, the Holy See continues to remind the nations that their focal point must always be the integral good of the human person.

3. With the intention of expanding this activity beyond the strictly diplomatic parameters of the Holy See's Mission to the United Nations Organization, the Path to Peace Foundation was established in 1991. Since then, the Foundation has borne much fruit in spreading the message by which the Catholic Church, through the ministry of the Successor of Peter and the activities of the Holy See, strives to "guide our feet into the way of peace" (Lk 1:79)

Every year, the Path to Peace Foundation pays tribute to a single individual for his or her outstanding service to the cause of world peace, and acknowledges those often unsung heroes in many fields, whose sole purpose and desire is to be present where needs are greatest. It likewise recognizes men and women who give of their time, talents and resources in order to provide the means to sustain and expand the Church's evangelical mission of making Christ known to the ends of the earth.

4. This newly acquired facility is a testimony to the support and commitment of so many people both to the Holy See's Mission and to the Path to Peace Foundation in their joint work for world peace. To all of you, benefactors and volunteers, I express my heartfelt gratitude. As we dedicate this building to the cause of Christ, let us rededicate ourselves to his service, working and praying always for the salvation of the whole human family.

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