Thoughts on UN Address

I was happy to be able to both watch this address and to follow the text in print - Pope Benedict XVI is not a "sound bite" speaker. We must carefully listen to and also read his words for ourselves, rather than relying on digest versions of the address.

I enjoyed this portion of the remarks:

"My presence at this Assembly is a sign of esteem for the United Nations, and it is intended to express the hope that the Organization will increasingly serve as a sign of unity between States and an instrument of service to the entire human family. It also demonstrates the willingness of the Catholic Church to offer her proper contribution to building international relations in a way that allows every person and every people to feel they can make a difference."

As a mom, I tend to look for portions of these texts that apply to my own little corner of the world. In keeping with the theme of his visit, "Christ Our Hope", the Holy Father continues to challenge me personally to look at how his words pertain to my own life. We are custodians of our environment, we are the guardians of caring for the rights of all of our brothers and sisters, and each of us can make a difference.