Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the name of the Cardinal Secretary of State, I am honoured to welcome you here to this seminar on the commitment and contribution of lay people in the international community for a more just, peaceful and humane world.  This gathering is a fitting way to celebrate the outstanding contribution of Giuseppe Toniolo to imbuing the society of his day with values inspired by his deep faith in Jesus Christ.  On the eve of Toniolo's beatification, for which we give profound thanks to Almighty God, we renew our commitment to follow his example by encouraging the involvement of Christian lay men and women in proclaiming the Kingdom of God in today's world.

At a time when, to a greater or lesser extent, every corner of the globe is suffering the consequences of the financial crisis of recent years, we see all too clearly the need to emphasize continually the priority of the human person over the mechanisms of the market.  "L'uomo come fine", "man as the goal", is the key to a Gospel-centered ordering of society, and it can serve as an inspiration to all who are committed to promoting peace, development, and human rights throughout the world.  In today's globalized world, we can learn much from Toniolo's prophetic openness to surrounding nations, in marked contrast to the strongly nationalist movements that characterized the Europe of his day. 

It remains only for me to assure you of the Cardinal's prayers and good wishes for the fruitfulness of your deliberations, sentiments with which I readily associate myself.  Thanks are due particularly to the Pontifical Councils for Justice and Peace and for the Laity who are jointly sponsoring this event.  Indeed to everyone here present, I say thank you, and Buon Lavoro!