Lenten campaign 2026
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Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope's Secretary of State since 2013 and a career diplomat formed in some of the Church’s most sensitive negotiations, voiced sharp concern this weekend over violence in Iran, global power politics surrounding Greenland, and ongoing instability in Venezuela.
The cardinal, who previously served as the papal representative in Venezuela and as the Holy See’s lead negotiator with Vietnam and China, spoke to journalists on Saturday on the sidelines of a Mass in Rome.
He began with Greenland, a territory increasingly caught in the crosscurrents of global power struggles. Asked about rising geopolitical tensions surrounding the Arctic, Cardinal Parolin returned to a principle that once defined the postwar world: multilateralism.
Solutions imposed by force, he said, are “unacceptable” and risk dragging nations toward “a war within international politics.”
His words echoed longstanding Catholic social teaching, which insists that cooperation among nations is not idealism but necessity — especially in a world where environmental vulnerability and strategic ambition collide.
How is it possible?
From the icy North, Parolin’s focus shifted to the Middle East, where his tone grew unmistakably grave. Addressing the unrest in Iran, he spoke of an “endless tragedy,” lamenting the killing of protesters by their own government.
“I ask myself how it is possible to rage against one’s own people,” he said, voicing disbelief at the scale of loss. His concern was not framed in ideological terms but humanitarian ones, rooted in the Church’s defense of human dignity.
Cardinal Parolin expressed hope that a peaceful solution might still emerge — a hope that, while fragile, remains central to the Vatican’s diplomatic posture.
Still committed
The Cardinal’s final and lengthiest reflection turned to Venezuela, where political deadlock and economic hardship continue to erode daily life. Undoubtedly recalling his own long efforts, Cardinal Parolin noted the Holy See’s sustained work to prevent bloodshed, including attempts to broker dialogue with President Nicolás Maduro and other regime representatives. Those efforts, he acknowledged, failed. Still, he insisted the Vatican has not abandoned its commitment to Venezuela’s people.
What he hopes for now is a transition from uncertainty toward stability, democratization, and economic recovery. “The economic situation is truly very precarious,” Cardinal Parolin said, underscoring the human cost behind political paralysis.
Taken together, these remarks from the Pope's right-hand man reveal a Vatican diplomacy attentive to geography yet focused on people. Whether addressing Arctic tensions, state violence against civilians, or a nation struggling to recover its democracy, his message remains consistent: Peace is not secured by dominance, but by dialogue, education, and moral restraint. In a fractured global landscape, that stance may seem countercultural — but for the Church, it remains non-negotiable.
