Vatican National Day looking beyond consumption

11 giugno 2015

2 min di lettura

(AGI) Rho, Milan, June 11 - The Vatican National Day 2015 wascelebrated at Milan Expo on Thursday by a visit to the pavilionof the Holy See, with a performance by the Esagramma symphonyorchestra - a project combining disabled and professionalmusicians - with official speeches delivered before more than60 ambassadors to the Holy See. Among dignitaries attendingwere Giovanni Angelo Becciu, acting Secretary of State of theHoly See, Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the PontificalCouncil for Culture who is in charge of the pavilion, AngeloBagnasco, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference and theArchbishop of Milan, Angelo Scola. They began their Expo tourat the Holy See pavilion the branding for which is taken fromthe Gospel: Not by Bread Alone. At God's Table with Mankind'."The life of mankind is composed of many elements and thecreation of an individual involves a number of factors whichdepend on nutrition. After confronting this urgent essential,many aspects remain to build an individual's humanity. Man doesnot live on bread alone, and essentials go beyond nutrition. Weare wrong when we give priority to nourishing our bodies,"explained cardinal Bagnasco. Cardinal Ravasi underlined thatthe Holy See is participating in the Expo as a 'thorn in ourside', evoking the 'illegitimate' slant Expo has taken onfocusing on the 'productive and material component of food andof the necessity for consumption'. Ravasi highlighted that hehopes that Italy, and other countries alike, will startfocusing on other issues as well. The president of thePontifical Council for Culture underlined the 'inconsistencyof an unbalanced global table, with crowds waiting for crumbswhile others have surplus food and issues with excess eating'."If over two billion people are suffering from malnutrition,many with chronic hunger, the causes must be sought, especiallyin the unwillingness of sharing. It is, therefore, necessary toshake our consciences and allow everyone on the planet tobenefit from the fruits of the land." The Archbishop of Milanunderlined the Church's commitment in Expo, by saying that "theHoly See did not use this theme as a pretext to proposesomething else. Scola reiterated interest in what happens afterthe Expo saying, "We want it to leave a permanent legacy. Weare committed to making the Church and Christian communitiespromote a change of mindset with regards to the planet.".