Cardinal Pietro Parolin defended the sanctity of life “from conception to natural death” before the United Nations General Assembly, denounced the persecution of Christians, and warned against technology that could ultimately displace human responsibility.
The Secretary of State spoke on 26 September during the general debate of the 81st session of the General Assembly, heading the Holy See’s delegation. His address coincided with Pope Leo XIV’s trip to France, where the dignity of the person was one of the central themes of the Pontiff’s interventions, including his speech at UNESCO.
Addressing the representatives of States, Parolin spoke about life, religious freedom, the persecution of Christians, artificial intelligence, rearmament and ongoing wars. He also made specific references to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.
“From conception to natural death”
Parolin began with the dignity of the person. In a world that risks reducing the human being to a “consumer, data point or instrument,” he recalled that the human person must remain the measure of progress.
Human dignity, he affirmed, is not granted by the State nor does it depend on economic productivity or technological capabilities. It belongs to every human being because each one has been “willed and loved by God.”
“From this derives the sanctity of life, from conception to natural death,” the Secretary of State stated, recalling the duty of every society that aspires to be considered civilized to protect it.
Parolin returned to this issue when addressing fundamental rights. Among those requiring special protection, he expressly mentioned the unborn, along with the elderly, persons with disabilities, the sick, refugees, migrants, the unemployed, the marginalized, and those suffering extreme poverty, violence or war.
“The first of human rights”
The Secretary of State also devoted a significant portion of his intervention to religious freedom. Citing Benedict XVI, he recalled that it is “the first of human rights,” because it concerns a constitutive dimension of the human person: the relationship with the Creator.
“Without the possibility of seeking and adhering to the truth about God according to the dictates of conscience, the other freedoms remain incomplete,” he noted.
Parolin then spoke of persecuted Christians. He recalled that in many parts of the world they continue to suffer discrimination and violence because of their faith, with churches attacked, communities displaced, and the faithful killed or imprisoned.
The Holy See, he explained, is not thereby claiming a privilege for Christians, but considers that defending the freedom of one community also strengthens the freedom of others.
“Silence in the face of such suffering would be a betrayal of the Church’s mission,” he warned.
Artificial intelligence cannot decide who dies
Artificial intelligence occupied another extensive section of the address. Parolin focused especially on lethal autonomous weapons and the risk that responsibility for a death could ultimately be diluted behind an algorithm.
The Holy See insists that it must always be possible to determine who designed, authorized and used a system and who is accountable for the decisions taken.
“The decision to use lethal force cannot be delegated to opaque or automated processes,” Parolin recalled, citing Magnifica Humanitas.
Speed and efficiency cannot become the decisive criteria when a life is at stake. The use of lethal force, he maintained, must remain under “effective, conscious and responsible” human control.
The “illusion” that force confers power
Parolin was especially critical of the deterioration of international relations. He denounced the loss of trust among States and a politics increasingly based on mutual threats and on “the illusion that force generates power.”
In response to this dynamic, he called for the recovery of three principles: “peace, justice and truth.”
The Secretary of State also defended the view that disarmament cannot be considered a secondary ideal. He acknowledged the legitimate right of peoples to defend themselves, but warned that this cannot degenerate “into a race toward massive rearmament.”
He also questioned a conception of security based primarily on deterrence and military superiority. A stability sustained permanently by the threat of destruction, he indicated, can hardly be confused with genuine peace.
Ukraine: “The weapons must fall silent”
Regarding Ukraine, Parolin recalled that after more than four years of war the death toll continues to rise and called for an end to hostilities to make way for diplomacy.
“Peace cannot be postponed; the weapons must fall silent and the bombings must cease,” he stated.
The Holy See supported initiatives aimed at achieving an “immediate, complete and effective” ceasefire.
The cardinal also insisted on the protection of civilians and recalled that international humanitarian law cannot be applied or ignored according to military convenience. The destruction of hospitals, homes, energy infrastructure and other facilities essential to the population constitutes a grave violation of its norms.
Gaza, the West Bank and Christians in the Middle East
The Holy See reiterated its condemnation of violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. Parolin specifically mentioned the escalation of hostilities, home demolitions and movement restrictions that are causing the displacement of communities.
On Gaza, he spoke of a grave humanitarian crisis marked by widespread destruction, mass displacement and persistent shortages. The Vatican called on the international community to work toward a two-state solution that would achieve a just and lasting peace.
There was also a specific reference to Christians in the Middle East. Speaking about Lebanon, Parolin called for their presence to be protected not merely as the vestige of a historical community, but because Christians are called to continue being “an active force for peace, spirituality and culture” in the region where Christianity was born.
Venezuela: “Full restoration of democratic order”
Parolin was particularly clear in his remarks on Venezuela. The Holy See encouraged efforts directed toward the “full restoration of democratic order” through peaceful and inclusive means that respect the country’s sovereignty.
He also called for a process of national reconciliation based on dialogue, the pursuit of the common good and “full respect for human rights and civil liberties.”
The Vatican likewise expressed concern over the situation of detainees and the suffering of their families. Parolin also mentioned the need for a rapid economic recovery for the benefit of a population that continues to endure “extremely difficult” living conditions.
Nicaragua and Cuba
The situation in Nicaragua received brief mention in the address. The Holy See, Parolin said, continues to follow it “with particular concern” and maintains its call for “respectful and constructive” dialogue with the authorities “for the good of the people and of the Church in Nicaragua.”
Regarding Cuba, the Vatican urged the United States and the Cuban authorities to engage in “sincere and effective” dialogue that avoids decisions capable of increasing the people’s suffering.
The Secretary of State also reviewed the crises in Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique. He also warned of the advance of jihadist groups from the Sahel toward the countries of the Gulf of Guinea and cautioned that the response cannot be limited to the military sphere.
“When language is emptied of content”
In the final part of his intervention, Parolin openly acknowledged that “multilateralism is in crisis” and advocated for a reform of the United Nations, but warned that the problem cannot be solved merely by changing structures and procedures. There is also a crisis of convictions and values that makes it difficult to reach agreements on the common good.
“When language is emptied of content or deliberately distorted, dialogue becomes impossible,” he stated.
Parolin called for a UN less conditioned by ideological divisions and recalled that no State, however powerful, can address on its own problems such as wars, the proliferation of weapons, poverty or technological challenges.
The Secretary of State concluded by urging the parties involved in ongoing conflicts to enter into “sincere negotiations” to end the wars. “War only brings death and destruction, while peace brings development and prosperity,” he concluded.