Sinjura President,
Onorevoli membri tal-Gvern u Awtoritajiet Ċivili,
Illustri membri tal-Korp Diplomatiku,
Għeżież ħbieb,
Hu ta’ ferħ kbir għalija li ninsab fil-Korea, l-art “tal-għodwa kalma” fejn qed nagħmel esperjenza mhux biss tal-ġmiel naturali tal-pajjiż, imma fuq kollox, tal-ġmiel ta’ niesu u tar-rikkezza storika u kulturali tiegħu.
Tul il-mixja tas-snin, dan il-wirt nazzjonali għadda mill-prova tal-vjolenza, tal-persekuzzjoni u tal-gwerra. Iżda minkejja dawn il-provi, is-sħana tal-jum u l-oskurità tal-lejl dejjem ċedew posthom għall-kalma ta’ filgħodu, cioè għal dik it-tama dejjiema ta’ ġustizzja, paċi u għaqda. X’don kbir hija t-tama! Ma nistgħux naqtgħu qalbna fl-isforzi li nagħmlu biex nilħqu dawn l-għanijiet li mhumiex biss ta’ benefiċċju għall-poplu Korean imma għar-reġjun sħiħ u għad-dinja kollha.
Nixtieq nirringrazzja lill-President, is-Sinjura Park Guen-Hye, għall-merħba kordjali. Insellem lilek u lill-illustri membri tal-gvern. Irrid nirringrazzja wkoll lill-membri tal-korp diplomatiku u lil kull min hawn preżenti li, bil-ħidma tiegħu ta’ kontribut fit-tħejjija għal din iż-żjara tiegħi. Jien grat ħafna lejn l-ospitalità tagħkom, għax mill-ewwel għenitni nħossni ta’ ġewwa fostkom.
Iż-żjara tiegħi fil-Korea qed issir fl-okkażjoni tas-VI Jum taż-Żgħażagħ Ażjatiċi, li qed tiġbor flimkien żgħażagħ Kattoliċi minn madwar dan il-kontinet enormi, għal ċelebrazzjoni ferrieħa ta’ fidi komuni. Matul iż-żjara tiegħi, jien se niddikjara beati xi Koreani li mietu martri għall-fidi Nisranija: Paul Ji-chung u l-123 sħabu. Dawn iż-żewġ ċelebrazzjonijiet huma kumplimentari għal xulxin. Il-kultura Koreana tifhem tajjeb ħafna d-dinjità u l-għaqal tal-antenati u tonora l-irwol tal-anzjani fis-soċjetà. Aħna l-Kattoliċi nonoraw lill-antenati tagħna li sofrew il-martirju għall-fidi, għax kienu lesti li jagħtu ħajjithom għal dik il-verità li emmnu fiha u li fuqha għamlu ħilithom biex jibnu ħajjithom. Huma jgħallmuna ngħixu kompletamnent għal Alla u għall-ġid tal-proxxmu.
Poplu kbir u għaqli ma jikkuntentax biss billi jħobb it-tradizzjonijiet antiki, imma jagħti valur anki liż-żgħażagħ billi jfittex li jittrażmettilhom il-wirt tal-passat u japplikah għaż-żmien preżenti. Kull darba li ż-żgħażagħ jinġabru flimkien, tkun opportunità prezzjuża offruta lilna biex noqgħodu nisimgħu it-tamiet tagħhom u l-preokkupazzjonijiet tagħhom. Aħna msejħin ukoll biex nittrażmettu l-valuri tagħna lill-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri u x’tip ta’ soċjetà qed inħejju biex nagħtuhom. F’dal-kuntest, għalija hu importanti ħafna li nirriflettu dwar il-ħtieġa li liż-żgħażagħ tagħna ngħaddulhom ir-rigal tal-paċi.
Hawn fil-Korea, dan l-appell għandu tifsira speċjali ħafna, għax hija art li għal żmien twil batiet minħabba n-nuqqas ta’ paċi. Nesprimi l-apprezzament tiegħi għall-isforzi favur ir-rikonċiljazzjoni u l-istabbiltà fil-peniżola Koreana u ninkoraġġixxi dawn l-isforzi, li huma l-unika triq ċerta li twassal għal paċi dejjiema. It-tftittxija għall-paċi min-naħa tal-Korea hija kawża għal qalbna ħafna għax tinfluwenza l-istabbiltà taż-żona u tad-dinja kollha, li hi għajjiena mill-gwerrer.
It-tfittxija għall-paċi tirrappreżenta sfida għal kull wieħed u waħda minna, partikolarment għal dawk fostkom li għandhom id-dmir li jfittxu l-ġid komuni tal-familja umana bix-xogħol paċenzjuż tad-diplomazija. Din hija sfida bla tmiem: li nwaqqgħu l-ħitan tad-diffidenza u tal-mibegħeda billi mmexxu ‘l quddiem kultura ta’ rikonċiljazzjoni u solidarjetà. Infatti, id-diplomazija, li hija arti tal-possibbli, hi mibnija fuq il-konvinzjoni soda u perseveranti li l-paċi tista’ tintlaħaq permezz tad-djalogu u s-smigħ attent u diskret, aktar milli bl-akkużi reċiproċi, bil-kritika inutli u bil-wirjiet ta’ forza.
Il-paċi mhix sempliċiment assenza ta’ gwerra, imma opra tal-ġustizzja (Iżaija 32,17). U l-ġustizzja, bħala virtù, hija appell għall-paċenzja tenaċi: ma titlobx li l-inġustizzji tal-passat jintesew, imma li jkunu superati bil-maħfra, bit-tolleranza u bil-koperazzjoni. Tesiġi r-rieda tad-dixxerniment u li jintlaħqu miri ta’ vantaġġ reċiproku billi tibni pedamenti ta’ rispett reċiproku, ta’ komprensjoni u ta’ rikonċiljazzjoni. Nawgura li lkoll kemm aħna nkunu nistgħu niddedikaw ruħna għal-bini tal-paċi, għat-talb għall-paċi u li nżidu l-impenn tagħna biex dan inwettquh.
Għeżież ħbieb, l-isforzi tagħkom bħala mexxejja politiċi u ċivili, fl-aħħar milll-aħħar, għandhom l-għan li jibnu dinja aħjar, aktar paċifika, aktar ġusta u prosperuża għal uliedna. L-esperjenza tgħallimna li fid-dinja dejjem aktar globaliżżata, il-mod kif nifhmu l-ġid komuni, il-progress u l-iżvilupp, definittivament m’għandux ikun biss l-aspett ekonomiku imma wkoll dak uman. Bħall-biċċa l-kbira tan-nazzjonijiet żvuiluppati, il-Korea qed tħabbat wiċċha ma’ problemi soċjali, firdiet politiċi, diżugwaljanzi ekonomiċi u preokkupazzjoni dwar l-immaniġjar responsabbli tal-ambjent. Kemm hu importanti li kull membru tas-soċjetà jkun jista’ jsemma’ leħnu u jkun mismugħ u li jkun hemm spirtu ta’ komunikazzjoni miftuħa, ta’ djalogu u ta’ koperazzjoni!
Daqstant ieħor huwa importanti li tingħata attenzjoni speċjali lill-foqra, li min hu vulnerabbli u lil min m’għandux vuċi, mhux biss billi jintlaqgħu l-ħtiġijiet immedjati tagħhom imma wkoll biex immexxuhom ‘il quddiem fl-iżvilupp uman u spiritwali tagħhom. Jien mimli tama li d-demokrazija Koreana se tkompli u se tissaħħaħ u li dan in-nazzjon juri li hu minn ta’ quddiem fil-globaliżżazzjoni tas-solidarjetà partikolarment meħtieġa llum il-ġurnata: dik is-solidarjetà li għandha bħala għan l-iżvilupp integrali ta’ kull membru tal-familja umana.
Fit-tieni żjara tiegħu fil-Korea, ħamsa u għoxrin sena ilu, San Ġwanni Pawlu II kien wera l-konvinjoni tiegħu li «l-futur tal-Korea jiddependi mill-preżenza fost il-poplu ta’ bosta rġiel u nisa għaqlin, mimlijin virtù u profondament spiritwali» (8 ta’ Otturbu 1989). B’eku għal dak il-kliem, illum niżgurakom mix-xewqa tal-komunità Kattolika Koreana li tkompli tieħu sehem sħiħ fil-ħajja tan-nazzjon. Il-Knisja tixtieq tikkontribwixxi fl-edukazzjoni taż-żgħar u ż-żgħażagħ, biex jisseddaq spirtu ta’ solidarjetà lejn il-foqra u ta’ min hu nieqes minn kollox u trid tagħti kontribut fil-formazzjoni tal-ġenerazzjonijiet żgħażagħ biex ikunu ċittadini lesti li joffru l-għaqal u l-viżjoni li wirtu mingħand l-antenati tagħhom u mwielda mill-fidi tagħhom, biex ikunu jistgħu jaffrontaw il-kwistjonijiet politiċi u soċjali kbar tan-nazzjon.
Sinjura President, Sinjuri, nirringrazzjakom mill-ġdid għall-merħba li tajtuni u għall-ospitalità tagħkom. Il-Mulej ibierek lilkom u lill-maħbub poplu Korean. B’mod speċjali l-Mulej nitolbu jbierek lill-anzjani u liż-żgħażagħ li bil-preservazzjoni tal-fakra u bil-kuraġġ li jqiegħdu fiha, huma l-akbar teżor tagħna u t-tama tagħna għall-futur.
Miġjub għall-Malti mit-Taljan minn Joe Huber
Għall-ewwel darba tul il-pontifikat tiegħu, il-Papa Franġisku għamel id-diskors kollu bl-Inġliż. Hawn taħt issib it-test oriġinali kif moqri mill-Papa.
Madam President,
Honorable Government and Authorities,
Distinguished Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Dear Friends,
It is a great joy for me to come to Korea, the land of the morning calm, and to experience not only the natural beauty of this country, but above all the beauty of its people and its rich history and culture. This national legacy has been tested through the years by violence, persecution and war. But despite these trials, the heat of the day and the dark of the night have always given way to the morning calm, that is, to an undiminished hope for justice, peace and unity. What a gift hope is! We cannot become discouraged in our pursuit of these goals which are for the good not only of the Korean people, but of the entire region and the whole world.
I wish to thank President Park Geun-hye for her warm welcome. I greet her and the distinguished members of the government. I would like to acknowledge also the members of the diplomatic corps, and all those present who by their many efforts have assisted in preparing for my visit. I am most grateful for your hospitality, which has immediately made me feel at home among you.
My visit to Korea is occasioned by the Sixth Asian Youth Day, which brings together young Catholics from throughout this vast continent in a joyful celebration of their common faith. In the course of my visit I will also beatify a number of Koreans who died as martyrs for the Christian faith: Paul Yun Ji-chung and his 123 companions. These two celebrations complement one another. Korean culture understands well the inherent dignity and wisdom of our elders and honors their place in society. We Catholics honor our elders who were martyred for the faith because they were willing to give their lives for the truth which they had come to believe and by which they sought to live their lives. They teach us how to live fully for God and for the good of one another.
A wise and great people do not only cherish their ancestral traditions; they also treasure their young, seeking to pass on the legacy of the past and to apply it to the challenges of the present. Whenever young people gather together, as on the present occasion, it is a precious opportunity for all of us to listen to their hopes and concerns. We are also challenged to reflect on how well we are transmitting our values to the next generation, and on the kind of world and society we are preparing to hand on to them. In this context, I think it is especially important for us to reflect on the need to give our young people the gift of peace.
This appeal has all the more resonance here in Korea, a land which has long suffered because of a lack of peace. I can only express my appreciation for the efforts being made in favor of reconciliation and stability on the Korean peninsula, and to encourage those efforts, for they are the only sure path to lasting peace. Korea’s quest for peace is a cause close to our hearts, for it affects the stability of the entire area and indeed of our whole war-weary world.
The quest for peace also represents a challenge for each of us, and in a particular way for those of you dedicated to the pursuit of the common good of the human family through the patient work of diplomacy. It is the perennial challenge of breaking down the walls of distrust and hatred by promoting a culture of reconciliation and solidarity. For diplomacy, as the art of the possible, is based on the firm and persevering conviction that peace can be won through quiet listening and dialogue, rather than by mutual recriminations, fruitless criticisms and displays of force.
Peace is not simply the absence of war, but “the work of justice” (cf. Is 32:17). And justice, as a virtue, calls for the discipline of forbearance; it demands that we not forget past injustices but overcome them through forgiveness, tolerance and cooperation. It demands the willingness to discern and attain mutually beneficial goals, building foundations of mutual respect, understanding and reconciliation. May all of us dedicate these days to peace, to praying for it and deepening our resolve to achieve it.
Dear friends, your efforts as political and civic leaders are directed to the goal of building a better, more peaceful, just and prosperous world for our children. Experience teaches us that in an increasingly globalized world, our understanding of the common good, of progress and development, must ultimately be in human and not merely economic terms. Like most of our developed nations, Korea struggles with important social issues, political divisions, economic inequities, and concerns about the responsible stewardship of the natural environment. How important it is that the voice of every member of society be heard, and that a spirit of open communication, dialogue and cooperation be fostered. It is likewise important that special concern be shown for the poor, the vulnerable and those who have no voice, not only by meeting their immediate needs but also by assisting them in their human and cultural advancement. It is my hope that Korean democracy will continue to be strengthened and that this nation will prove to be a leader also in the globalization of solidarity which is so necessary today: one which looks to the integral development of every member of our human family.
In his second visit to Korea, twenty-five years ago, Saint John Paul II stated his conviction that “the future of Korea will depend on the presence among its people of many wise, virtuous and deeply spiritual men and women” (8 October 1989). In echoing his words today, I assure you of the continued desire of Korea’s Catholic community to participate fully in the life of the nation. The Church wishes to contribute to the education of the young, the growth of a spirit of solidarity with the poor and disadvantaged, and the formation of new generations of citizens ready to bring the wisdom and vision inherited from their forebears and born of their faith to the great political and social questions facing the nation.
Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you once more for your welcome and hospitality. May God bless you and all the beloved Korean people. In a special way, may he bless the elderly and the young people, who, by preserving memory and inspiring courage, are our greatest treasure and our hope for the future.