Cardinal Parolin: Global problems require dialogue

By Salvatore Cernuzio

“Certainly, the major global problems of today can only be addressed if we are united, if we adopt a common approach; otherwise, we risk worsening these issues instead of solving them.”

Cardinal Pietro Parolin made this comment on Friday morning as he referred to the tensions destabilising Europe, with its political instability and internal divisions, and he reaffirmed the principle of unity embodied in “human fraternity” that Pope Francis has championed since the beginning of his pontificate.

The Vatican Secretary of State was at Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University to deliver a speech in an event titled “A Legacy of Friendship, Dialogue, and Peace,” dedicated to the monumental figure of Matteo Ricci, the Jesuit who brought the Gospel to the heart of China.

In a conversation with journalists on the sidelines of the conference, Cardinal Parolin focused on Father Ricci’s legacy and how the missionary’s cultural groundwork has facilitated—and continues to facilitate—the dialogue that the Holy See has pursued with Beijing, most notably through the Provisional Agreement on the appointment of bishops, which was extended for another four years in October.

Matteo Ricci’s lesson for dialogue with China

“Matteo Ricci has always been a guiding figure in our process of dialogue with China,” said the Cardinal, “not only for his moral stature but especially for his role as a bridge between Western and Chinese cultures, and for his immense effort to inculturate the faith.

"He demonstrated—using a phrase we employ today but which, in essence, was already present in his time—that there is no contradiction between being authentically Chinese and good citizens and being Christians. The Gospel enriches Chinese culture from within."

"Therefore,” Cardinal Parolin emphasized, “this great teaching of Matteo Ricci continues to inspire us today.”

"Patience and courage" were the two "fundamental attitudes" that the Secretary of State identified as guidelines for continuing their engagement with China.

Small signs of progress not to be underestimated

During a break at the conference, he commented, "There has also been some progress."

For example, he recalled that the provisional agreement with China has been renewed for four years and that Chinese Bishops were present at the Synod and stay for the entire duration.

"It was a wonderful experience of encounter and sharing," he reflected, noting "there are these small signs that we must not underestimate in their importance, which move in the direction of greater understanding and cooperation, taking into account the specific characteristics of the reality in China."

Dialogue between the U.S. and China

When a journalist suggested that the current U.S. administration, under President Donald Trump, appears reluctant to establish a dialogue with China, unlike Italy and especially the Holy See, Cardinal Parolin clarified: “We try to be guided by certain principles and follow our path; it’s difficult to say what others should do...”

However, the Cardinal reiterated, “For us, the principle of dialogue remains fundamental. Last night, we spoke about Cardinal Silvestrini’s work for peace and dialogue, emphasizing that the only way to prevent and resolve conflicts is through direct communication. For us, this is not merely a tactical issue but a matter of substance.”

Building Bridges for Peace

As he has done recently, the Cardinal reiterated the intention to "build bridges," to find solutions to ongoing conflicts.

"Here too," he stated, "we need to be very humble and very patient. We must understand that there are no magical solutions; it takes a lot of goodwill and readiness to reach out to others. If these are the underlying attitudes, we can truly build bridges and not walls."

Certainly, Cardinal Parolin said, there is the hope for collaboration in this regard with the Trump administration but also "with any other government."

"We hope," noted the Cardinal, "that with all governments, there can be synergy and cooperation, precisely because we are convinced that today's problems are global and require global responses. And these responses," he insisted, "can only come from pooling resources together."

The legacy of Cardinal Silvestrini

Cardinal Parolin’s remarks were in reference to the presentation held the previous evening at Rome's 'Roma Tre' University on the book “Cardinal Silvestrini: Dialogue and Peace in the Spirit of Helsinki,” published by the Vatican Publishing House (LEV). 

In his address, the Secretary of State highlighted Cardinal Silvestrini’s work—one of the most significant figures in Vatican diplomacy who passed away in 2019 at the age of 95—connecting it to the current world situation, which Pope Francis often describes as a “piecemeal World War III.”

“Today, we must hope against hope, as Cardinal Silvestrini did,” Cardinal Parolin stated. “The Holy See’s representative to the OSCE shared with me the difficulties of operating within the organization because it is entirely paralyzed. Not only is it impossible to discuss peace at the OSCE, but it’s no longer even possible to communicate with one another.”

Taking action to restore trust

Dialogue is, and will always be, the Holy See’s proposal, the only path forward “when there is at least a minimum of trust between parties,” the Cardinal affirmed. “I have seen this firsthand regarding the war in Ukraine: there is no mutual trust. We are all called to do something.”

Silvestrini, despite facing similar war-torn scenarios, Cardinal Parolin recalled, always maintained “great trust in people,” adding he could “perceive the good that a superficial eye would not see."

"This is a lesson that is just as necessary today.”

COP29: Encouraging greater contributions from nations

Cardinal Parolin also emphasized dialogue in relation to the proceedings of COP29, the climate summit currently underway in Baku, which he recently attended as a representative of the Pope and the Holy See.

“There is a shared awareness of the urgency of addressing climate change, but much more reluctance to take concrete action to implement solutions,” he remarked on the sidelines of the event at Roma Tre.

“The major theme of this conference," the Vatican Secretary of State noted, "will be managing a fund for mitigation, to address the damages and losses caused by climate change. This fund was established at the previous conference in Dubai, but funding remains scarce. Nations must be motivated to contribute more substantially.”

Even today at the Gregorian, Cardinal Parolin explained that the Holy See always participates in the high-level segment of the COP conferences "because, as you know, the Pope deeply cares about the issue of climate change—he has written two documents on these topics...

"We," he continued, "bring not so much the technical aspect but, above all, the moral perspective on the issue, because climate change is an ethical and moral issue, not just a technical one. Additionally, we bring proposals on education, because to address climate change, education is necessary, and on changing lifestyles, which is difficult because none of us like to make sacrifices."

Deborah Castellano Lubov contributed to this report