” ““Card. Sodano has been the Secretary of State next to two Popes for nearly sixteen years”, added mgr. Parolin, at “a remarkably long” and “particularly complicated and troubled time” which also saw “the end of the cold war, the two Gulf Wars and the wars in the Balkans, the outbreak of international terrorism after September 11, the tiresome and incomplete search for a new world order that may be able to rule globalisation”. Through the 12 speeches contained in the book, card. Sodano meant to express “the meaning of the presence of the Holy See in the international community”: “The meaning highlighted mgr. Parolin is man. The centrality of the human being, as a consequence, is the inspiring principle of the diplomatic action of the Holy See”. In other words, “the Holy See places the serving of the dignity of man at the first place in all of the international political and juridical activity. All must be looked at from such a perspective: religious freedom and freedom of conscience, the right to life, from conception to natural death, the body of the political, social and economic personal rights, the right of the States to fair international relations, taking care of the common good of the citizens and promoting peace in the world”.
