Fr Lombardi SJ: farewell letter to Holy See press corps

(Vatican Radio) The former Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, has sent a farewell letter to the Holy See press corps. Fr. Lombardi’s term as Director of the Press Office ended with the month of July. In the letter, Fr. Lombardi thanks the journalists for their assistance and professional support during his time in the post, saying, “[You] helped me and encouraged me in the job, day in and day out – in the days of trial and the days of joy.”

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Fr. Lombardi also looked back on his decade of service.

“Together, we followed the ministry of two great Popes, we lived through very significant moments in the history of the Church – and, let us say it, of the human family, as well – trying to make sense of those moments and to help others understand their significance.”

Below, please find Vatican Radio’s translation of Fr. Lombardi’s letter

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Dear colleagues,

As I complete my service in the Press Office of the Holy See, I offer my sincere thanks to everyone who extended me such kind expressions of appreciation and affection. I am very grateful. At the same time I wish to greet all my colleagues and co-workers, who have kept me company all along this ten years’ journey.

Together, we followed the ministry of two great Popes, we lived through very significant moments in the history of the Church – and, let us say it, of the human family, as well – trying to make sense of those moments and to help others understand their significance. I thank the Popes who called me to serve them so closely – Benedict and Francis – and   also all those, who helped me and encouraged me in the job, day in and day out – in the days of trial and the days of joy. I believe I may count almost all of you among the number of these last. It has been my good fortune, never to have had the impression of not being welcomed or respected by anyone. It was a good assignment, a challenging assignment.

Now it is for me to hear the well-known words of Jesus to his disciples: “So you also, when you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do’.”(Luke 17, 10) I shall be listening for new indications from the one who represents the Lord to me.

Once again, if I may, I express my esteem for the communications field and the work done in it, for the great opportunities for service to others and therefor for the great responsibilities it entails. I hope that all of you shall pursue your work with commitment and enthusiasm, and that the Lord be shall be with us all as we go our ways – and of course a special word to offer best wishes to Greg Burke and Paloma García Ovejero, who certainly will do a fine job with the task to which they are called.

Vatican City, 24 July, 2016
Federico Lombardi S.I.