Pietro Parolin

Styles of Pietro Parolin
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Archbishop

Pietro Parolin (born 17 January 1955) is an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as the Holy See's representative in Venezuela since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 17 August 2009. Previously, he had served from 2002 as Undersecretary for Relations with States, the highest position in the Holy See's diplomatic service after those of Cardinal Secretary of State and Secretary for Relations with States.

Early life

Parolin was born in Schiavon, Vicenza. After he was ordained on 27 April 1980, he took up graduate studies in canon law and diplomacy. He entered the Holy See's diplomatic service in 1986 at the age of 31, and has served the Holy See as a diplomat for 20 years, in the nunciatures of Nigeria and Mexico, and in Rome as country director for Spain, Andorra, Italy, San Marino. He speaks Italian, English, French, and Spanish.

Undersecretary of State for Relations with States

Parolin has also been at the forefront of Vatican efforts to approve and implement the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Addressing the International Atomic Energy Agency on 18 September 2006, at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Msgr. Parolin referred to this treaty as "the basis to pursue nuclear disarmament and an important element for further development of nuclear energy applications for peaceful purposes." He said: "Since this treaty is the only multilateral legal instrument currently available, intended to bring about a nuclear weapons-free world, it must not be allowed to be weakened. Humanity deserves no less than the full cooperation of all states in this important matter."

Concerning recent developments in international negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, the Vatican official reaffirmed "that the present difficulties can and must be overcome through diplomatic channels, making use of all the means that diplomacy has at its disposal and considers necessary to eliminate all the elements which objectively impede mutual trust."

Vietnam has one of Asia's largest Catholic populations, with more than 6 million followers.

On 17 August 2009 Pope Benedict XVI appointed Msgr. Parolin to his new position as apostolic nuncio to Venezuela.

Vietnam talks

Talks between the government and Vatican have been held since 1990. In the latest round of talks a high-level Vatican delegation has spent the week in Vietnam meeting with top Hanoi officials in the hope of laying the groundwork for formal diplomatic relations. Msgr. Parolin held talks with the Vietnamese government in February 2009 where they agreed that, "Vice Minister Quoc Cuong emphasised Vietnam’s consistent policy on the freedom of belief as well as the achievements and current situation on religious affairs in Vietnam in recent years. Vice Minister Cuong expressed his wish for the Holy See’s active contribution to the life of the Catholic community in Vietnam, the strengthening of solidarity between religions and of the entire Vietnamese population, and the strong cohesion of the Catholic Church in Vietnam with the nation through practical contributions to national construction. During the meeting, the two sides held in-depth and comprehensive discussions on bilateral relations, including issues related to the Catholic Church in Vietnam. The two sides also acknowledged the encouraging development in the relations between Vietnam and the Holy See since 1990. The two sides agreed that the first meeting of the Joint Working Group was a new and important step forward in their bilateral relations and greater efforts should be made to further promote bilateral ties.

The two sides agreed to hold the second meeting of the Joint Working Group. The time and venue of meeting will be agreed upon in due course." [1]

Nuncio

On 17 August 2009 Pope Benedict XVI appointed Msgr Parolin Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela and Titular Archbishop of Aquipendium. [2] and on 12 September 2009, with Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone and William Cardinal Levada as co-consecrators, conferred episcopal ordination on him and on two other recently appointed apostolic nuncios Gabriele Giordano Caccia and Franco Coppola. Parolin's assignment was expected to be difficult, since conflicts between the State and the Church in Venezuela were on the rise as President Hugo Chavez attempted to advance his socialist revolution.

Nuncio to Venezuela

In 2010 President Chavez ordered a review of relations with the Holy See. The Venezuelan Episcopal Conference warned this week about growing political polarisation ahead of key legislative elections in September. Chavez has described local Catholic leaders as "troglodytes". In a televised speech on 14 July 2010, President Chavez said he was asking his foreign minister to examine a decades-old agreement with the Holy See. The accord granted privileges to the Catholic Church that other denominations did not enjoy, he said. He also challenged the Pope's authority, saying he was the Vatican's head of state but not Christ's emissary on Earth. "Christ does not need an ambassador. Christ is in the people and in those of us who fight for justice and freedom for the humble," he said. On 12 July, the Venezuelan bishops' conference expressed concern that "ideological and political polarisation" was creating a hostile environment ahead of the legislative elections on 26 September.^[1]

References

External links

• Pope sends top diplomat to deal with Chavez, by John L Allen, Jr on Aug. 18, 2009, ncronline.org.