Pope to policemen: Peace does not happen overnight

By Joseph Tulloch

On Saturday morning, Pope Francis met with members of the Inspectorate of Public Security, the group of police officers charged with maintaining order in St Peter’s Square.

These policemen, who are employed by the Italian state, are distinct from the Vatican Gendarmerie and the Pontifical Swiss Guard, which normally operate within the Vatican’s walls but not in St Peter's Square itself. 

Courage, tact, and attention

Pope Francis began his address by giving thanks to the officers for their “faithful and patient work”, which, he said, guarantees visitors “the opportunity to experience moments of faith and prayer … in a serene atmosphere of order and security.”

"Yours", the Pope said, is a job requiring “courage, tact, steady nerves, attention and understanding.”

He also thanked the police officers for helping visitors to the Vatican with “requests for information" and "small unforeseen incidents”, as well as aiding “those who turn to you to express a discomfort, or because they feel marginalised and seek a little understanding and empathy.”

Policing the dark side of human nature

In his address to the police officers, Pope Francis also offered a number of reflections on the deeper purpose of policing. 

"St John XXIII," he noted, once said that "the task entrusted to law enforcement officers is a burdensome one, which requires great moral qualities and, above all, dedication and self-sacrifice, for the achievement of the common good. This is why he called you 'good servants of the human community and builders of peace in society.'"

“These,” the Pope said, “are words laden with meaning that well express both the expectations we have of you – which are sometimes very demanding – and the ideals that inspire you.”

“And yet,” Pope Francis stressed, “it is so. The common good and peace in society are not things that just happen overnight or naturally blossom on their own. The dark side of our human nature, limited and wounded by sin, entails the need for there to be people who, when faced with evil, do not stand by and watch, but take the responsibility of intervening, to protect the victims and bring the transgressors back to order".