On the occasion of the G7 summit held in Borgo Egnazia, in the municipality of Fasano in Puglia, from Thursday 13 to Saturday 15 June, and at which Pope Francis will also speak, the Bishops of the Catholic Church of Puglia wrote an open letter to the Leaders of the countries of the Group, Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, United States of America. Here is the text of the message.
«We need Hope, be bold!»
Aware of the historical significance of this event which sees you as guests in our land, we wish to extend our welcome together with that of all the ecclesial communities of Puglia. We are happy to know that you are together with our dear Pontiff, Pope Francis, whom we greet with the joy and love of children. This is also why it is a historic event.
We would like to give you two images on the eve of the meeting of which you are the protagonists in this beautiful land of Puglia: that of the olive tree and that of the dry stone walls of our countryside.
The first, chosen by the Italian Government, speaks of the strength and centuries-old roots of a nature that has always constituted the richness of this part of Italy. The second tells of the patient and industrious interaction of humans with what the environment has been able to give for the growth and sustenance of each one.
Two symbolic and effective images which, beyond any rhetoric, provoke deep inside and help to grasp the beauty and history of a people, the Apulian one, who have been able to make this land a welcoming space to live in the harmony of brotherhood, open to cultures and peoples.
As Pastors of the Catholic Church, we grasp the importance of your meeting as an opportunity to mark a new step that improves the existence of all humanity.
To you, who are responsible for the lives of many, we ask with heartfelt strength the courage not to retreat in the face of the challenges of the moment which see Peace and Sustainable Growth as the essential coordinates of a paradigm shift, which we all feel the need for.
This land of Puglia of ours, with its thousand-year-old civil and religious culture, has always expressed the vocation of being a bridge between the peoples of the Mediterranean, an “ark of Peace and not an arch of war”, a space of welcome and inclusion and not an inaccessible and inhospitable.
The problems of our people are the hardships of humanity. Our young people miss the future that we adults have stolen from them. Have everyone’s good at heart, knowing how to go beyond the boundaries of the present and party interests.
We need Hope, be bold!
Open doors to social justice, to real and effective stewardship of creation, to the protection of humanity, knowing how to guarantee universal access to all essential services for a life that is dignified for everyone. Be bold in seeking and promoting Peace for all. The scents of the earth, the flavor of the foods you will taste, the beauty of the sky and the open gaze over the sea will brighten your days and give impetus to your hearts.
In our celebrations there is no shortage of prayer for the civil authorities of every order and degree. In these days we will pray particularly for you and for the good of all humanity.
The Bishops of the Catholic Church of Puglia
