ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS PIUS XII
TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PRESS
FROM AMERICA, GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE*

Thursday, 8 June 1944

You are most welcome; and you will send Our heartiest greetings to your home-lands.

You have a vocation that is immensely important, really noble, but heavy with responsibility. If We were to have a message for you, it would be found in those words which We spoke to the world back in 1940 on the eve of Christmas. If a man is sincerely interested in making sure of the spiritual and moral foundations for the future collaboration between nations, he will direct his efforts towards safeguarding and defending the natural ideal of Truth, Justice, Courtesy and Good-will, and even more, the sublime and supernatural ideal of brotherly love which Christ gave to the world.

We would add in particular for you today: let the ultimate, guiding purpose of your writing be Peace. War may be and should be only a means to peace. And write in favour of a peace that can be stamped with approval by every well-meaning individual and by all peoples, a peace that will ensure to one and all those conditions that are necessary for them to live in a manner befitting the dignity of their human nature.

To those among you who are children of the Catholic Church and to their loved ones at home We impart with deep affection, as a pledge of the love and grace of Jesus Christ, the Apostolic Benediction.

You are most welcome; and you will send Our heartiest greetings to your home-lands. You have a vocation that is immensely important, really noble, but heavy with responsibility. If We were to have a message for you, it would be found in those words which We spoke to the world back in 1940 on the eve of Christmas. If a man is sincerely interested in making sure of the spiritual and moral foundations for the future collaboration between nations, he will direct his efforts towards safeguarding and defending the natural ideal of Truth, Justice, Courtesy and Good-will, and even more, the sublime and supernatural ideal of brotherly love which Christ gave to the world. We would add in particular for you today: let the ultimate, guiding purpose of your writing be Peace. War may be and should be only a means to peace. And write in favour of a peace that can be stamped with approval by every well-meaning individual and by all peoples, a peace that will ensure to one and all those conditions that are necessary for them to live in a manner befitting the dignity of their human nature. To those among you who are children of the Catholic Church and to their loved ones at home We impart with deep affection, as a pledge of the love and grace of Jesus Christ, the Apostolic Benediction.

Il y a presque exactement sept ans — c'etait le 13 juillet 1937 – Légat de notre vénéré Prédécesseur Pie XI, Nous proclamions du haut de la chaire de Notre-Dame de Paris son amour pour la Fille ainee de l'Eglise, Notre propre amour pour la France. Appelé a Notre tour à devenir le Vicaire du Christ. Notre amour s'est fait plus grand et plus profond encore. Et, parce que la « douce France » est devenue la douloureuse, la meurtrie, Notre amour pour elle s'est fait plus tendre que jamais. Nous parlions alors de sa vocation providentielle »; Nous la rappelons aujourd'hui avec les memes sentiments. Et Nous avons au cceur la conviction que Dieu, continuant de se servir du noble peuple francais dans l'accomplissement de ses desseins, ramenera les regards et la confiance du monde vers une France toujours plus glorieuse et plus prospère.

Et vous, que votre profession si pleine de responsabilités, si pleine de grandeur, constitue les messagers de cette vocation, portez à la France l'assurance renouvelée de Notre amour, de Nos vœeux, de Nos espérances: répétez-lui le mot d'ordre que Nous lui donnions sous les voûtes de Notre-Dame: « Orate, Fratres; amate, Fratres; vigilate, Fratres! Priez, mes Frères; mes Frères, aimez: veillez, mes Frères! » C'est dans cette pensée que du fond de Notre cœur paternel, Nous appelons sur vous, sur tous ceux qui vous sont chers, sur votre bien-aimée patrie, les plus exquises et les plus abondantes bénédictions du Ciel.

*Discorsi e Radiomessaggi di Sua Santità Pio XII, VI,
Quinto anno di Pontificato, 2 marzo 1944 - 1° marzo 1945, pp. 33-34
Tipografia Poliglotta Vaticana