Holy See at OAS: Respect the dignity and culture of indigenous peoples

By Davide Dionisi

“The encounter between Europe and the peoples of the Americas, brought about by the arrival of Europeans in these lands, opened new horizons of knowledge, cultural exchange, and mutual enrichment”, Monsignor Juan Antonio Cruz Serrano, Permanent Observer to the Organization of American States (OAS), said on Tuesday, 20 October, during an extraordinary session of the Permanent Council dedicated to the theme: “The Encounter of Two Worlds”. At the same time, he said, that encounter “was accompanied by suffering and injustices inflicted upon indigenous peoples, whose dignity and culture were not always respected”.

Building a different future

“Acknowledging these lights and shadows”, Monsignor Serrano continued, “does not mean remaining a prisoner of the past, but rather learning from it to build a different future”. He cited Pope Leo XIV, who noted that “dialogue and encounter allow us to understand other ways of perceiving the world and to appreciate the unique and original qualities inherent in every culture”.

The call of Our Lady of Guadalupe

For the Permanent Observer, “the greatest symbol of this encounter is found in Our Lady of Guadalupe, as we draw ever closer to the 500th anniversary of her apparitions. In her appearance, she embodies the meeting of the two worlds that we commemorate today. Her image remains a source of unity and encounter”

The theme of “The Encounter of Two Worlds” invites us “to ask ourselves what kind of encounters we wish to foster today among the peoples of this hemisphere”, he emphasized.

Transforming diversity into a resource

“Today’s world is increasingly interconnected, thanks to technological advancements and new possibilities for communication”, Monsignor Serrano continued, noting that “paradoxically, this multiplication of contacts does not always translate into deeper human relationships”.

He then recalled the encyclical Magnifica humanitas, in which Leo XIV points toward a bright possibility: “That of building together—transforming diversity into a resource and making listening and dialogue the common ground upon which justice and fraternity can flourish.”

Recognizing the dignity of every person

Finally, he offered an encouragement “to continue working toward a new encounter among the peoples of the Americas: an encounter that, while learning from the past, is founded upon the recognition of the dignity of every person and the responsibility to protect those most in need—just as was done by exemplary missionaries such as Saint Peter Claver, and the Dominicans Bartolomé de las Casas and Francisco de Vitoria”.

“By following the luminous example and teachings of these figures”, he concluded, “we can understand that a true encounter does not consist merely in bringing peoples together or establishing relations, but in recognizing in the other someone whose dignity deserves to be respected and defended”.