A symbol of true friendship

Pax et bonum It gives me great pleasure to greet His Excellency Ambassador Fredrik Vahlquist in this “Franciscan” way as he receives the rank of Knight of the Grand Cross of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Sylvester. He often concludes his messages with these Latin words, and I have read them many times at the end of the emails we have exchanged over the years. They provide a welcome and noble sign of the “Franciscanism” which accompanies us today: this honour which is presented here by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça is in fact bestowed by the Pontiff who considers St. Francis as more than just a name. In composing these remarks, I looked to our electronic correspondence for some meaningful insights with which to mark this occasion. But as I am sure we all recognize, the “vast sea” of emails is too large and ...