VATICAN CITY (ITALPRESS) – “I wish first to express my appreciation for the work you carry out, which requires competence, transparency and confidentiality. It is responsible for constantly monitoring the dangers that might face the life of the nation, in order to contribute above all to the protection of peace. This is a challenging work, which also for its confidentiality often runs the risk of being instrumentalized, but which is of great importance to grasp in advance any dangerous scenarios for the life of society“. Pope Leo XIV said so, receiving members of the Republic’s Security Information System in audience.
“In the course of these hundred years so many things have changed, skills and tools have been very refined, as they have increased and diversified the challenges that our societies are called to face. In this regard, I would like to urge you to do your work, as well as with professionalism, even with an ethical look that takes into account at least two essential aspects: respect for the dignity of the human person and the ethics of communication – the Pontiff continued –. First of all, respect for the dignity of the human person. Security must never lose sight of this fundamental dimension and never fail to respect the dignity and rights of each person. In certain difficult circumstances, when the common good to pursue seems more necessary than anything else, you can run the risk of forgetting this ethical need and, therefore, it is not always easy to find a balance. As the European Commission said for democracy through law, security agencies often need to gather information about individuals and, therefore, strongly affect individual rights.”
“It is necessary then that there are limits established, according to the criterion of the dignity of the person, and that you remain vigilant on the temptations to which a work as yours exposes you. Make sure that your actions are always proportional to the common good to be pursued and that the protection of national security always and in any case guarantee the rights of persons, their private and family life, freedom of conscience and information, the right to the right process – continued Leo XIV –. In this sense, the activities of the Services must be governed by the laws, duly promulgated and published, that they are subject to the control and supervision of the judiciary and that the balance sheets are subject to public and transparent controls. The second aspect concerns the ethics of communication. The world of communications has changed considerably in recent decades and, today, the digital revolution is something that is simply part of our life and our way of exchange information and to relate to us. Moreover, the advent of new and more advanced technologies offers us more possibilities but, at the same time, exposes us to constant dangers. The massive and continuous exchange of information calls for critical vigilance on some vital issues: the distinction between truth and fake news, the undue exposure of private life, the manipulation of the most fragile, the logic of blackmail, the incitement to hatred and violence.”
“It is necessary to ensure that confidential information is not used to intimidate, manipulate, blackmail, discredit the service of politicians, journalists or other civil society actors. All this also applies to the ecclesial framework. In fact, in several countries the Church is the victim of intelligence services that act for purposes not good by oppressing freedom. These risks must always be evaluated and demand a high moral stature in those who prepare to carry out a job like yours and in those who carry out it for a long time – the Pope concluded. I am well aware of the delicate role and responsibility you are called to. In this regard, I would also like to recall those colleagues who have lost their lives on delicate missions, carried out in difficult contexts. Their dedication is perhaps not given to the titles of the newspapers, but is alive in the people who helped and in the crises that helped solve. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude for the efforts of the Italian Intelligence Services also in ensuring the security of the Holy See and the State of Vatican City. And here I would like to express a word of gratitude for the collaboration with Gendarmeria, with the Vatican, the Holy See, in many services, where really this ability and possibility of serving others is made reality thanks to good collaboration with you. I encourage you to carry out your work by always aiming for the common good, learning to judge with judgment and balance the different situations that arise before you and remaining firmly anchored to those legal and ethical principles that put above all the dignity of the human person.”.
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
