(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis warned African bishops against new and unscrupulous forms of “colonization” such as the pursuit of success, riches, and power at all costs; but also fundamentalism and the distorted use of religion, and new ideologies that destroy the identity of persons and families. He was speaking to representatives of the Symposium of Episcopal…
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(Vatican Radio) The Holy See delegation to the United Nations said on Friday “religions and faith-based organizations are partners for sustainable development, and will be potent agents of the achievement of the post-2015 sustainable development goals, as they have been for the MDGs and, indeed, in the history of humanity.” Speaking at a special event…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday (February 7th) urged business leaders to prioritize human dignity, and suggested three ways to do this: Firstly, by moving beyond emergencies to the real priorities, secondly, by being witnesses of charity and thirdly, by acting as custodians and not masters of our planet.
His remarks came in a video message that was broadcast to a gathering of 500 international political and business representatives who were in the Italian city of Milan to discuss the theme: Feeding our planet, Energy for Life. This is the theme chosen for the upcoming International Exhibition Expo 2015 that opens in the northern Italian city in May.
Listen to this report by Susy Hodges:
Referring to his speech at the World Food and Agricultural Organization last November, Pope Francis said the first concern for all of us when considering the issue of agriculture and food production is the human person and all those who are suffering hunger. Once again he deplored the paradox of our modern society where there is enough food for everybody on our planet but not all its inhabitants have access to this food and at the same time the excessive consumption and waste of food and the use of it for other means is there before our eyes. The Pope noted that there are few other issues like hunger that are so likely to be manipulated by governments and the authorities for their own political ends. In order to overcome the temptation of sophisms, he said, “the nominalization of thought which glides over but never touches the reality, I am suggesting three concrete approaches.”
Moving beyond emergencies to the priorities
Pope Francis said instead of going for provisional emergency proposals we must act decisively to “resolve the structural causes of poverty,” remembering that “the root of all evils is inequality.” If we really want to solve these problems and not lose ourselves in sophisms we need to tackle the root causes. And to do this, the Pope stressed, there are urgent choices to make: a rejection of the total autonomy of the markets and of financial speculation.
Be witnesses of charity
Turning to politics which are so often denigrated, Pope Francis asked: what are the starting points for a healthy economic policy and the principle on which political decisions should be based. The answer, he continued, is “the dignity of the human person and the common good.” He urged his audience to be courageous in supporting and upholding this principle in the world of politics to help make the earth’s treasures more accessible for everybody.
Custodians and not masters of the earth
Pope Francis said “our planet is a mother for all of us,” it asks for respect and not violence, or worse still, the arrogance of masters. We must hand it on to our children, cared for and improved, because it’s a loan they make to us. And it’s not just Christians who should adopt this approach for safeguarding our earth, it’s the responsibility of everyone, he said. But in order to do that, pointed out the Pope, we need to take care of ourselves and not be afraid of goodness, or rather tenderness. We need “to safeguard the earth not only with goodness but also with tenderness.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis warned African bishops against new and unscrupulous forms of “colonization” such as the pursuit of success, riches, and power at all costs; but also fundamentalism and the distorted use of religion, and new ideologies that destroy the identity of persons and families. He was speaking to representatives of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).
Listen to our report:
Pope Francis told them it is the young people who are the future of Africa, and they need the witness of their pastors. He said the most effective way to overcome the temptation to give in to harmful lifestyles is by investing in education.
“Education will also help to overcome a widespread mentality of injustice and violence, as well as ethnic divisions,” Pope Francis said. “The greatest need is for a model of education which teaches the young to think critically and encourages growth in moral values.”
Pope Francis also warned against a breakdown of the family in Africa, and said the Church is called to evaluate and encourage every initiative to strengthen the family, “which is the real source of all forms of fraternity and the foundation and primary way of peace.”
The Holy Father also praised the work of missionaries and church personnel in helping the elderly and suffering on the continent, giving special mention to those who have given aid in the recent Ebola crisis in west Africa.
Pope Francis praised SECAM for attempting to provide “a common response to the new challenges facing the continent”, allowing the Church to “speak with one voice and to witness to her vocation as a sign and instrument of salvation, peace, dialogue and reconciliation.”
He said to fulfil this mission, it is important that SECAM remain faithful to its identity as “a vibrant experience of communion and of service to the poorest of the poor.”
The full text of Pope Francis’ speech is below the video report
Dear Brother Bishops,
I am pleased to meet with you, the representatives of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, and to encourage your work. SECAM was conceived and developed to be at the service of the local churches in Africa. It seeks to provide a common response to the new challenges facing the continent, allowing the Church to speak with one voice and to witness to her vocation as a sign and instrument of salvation, peace, dialogue and reconciliation. To fulfil this mission, it is important that SECAM remain faithful to its identity as a vibrant experience of communion and of service to the poorest of the poor.
To this end, pastors must remain free from worldly and political concerns, that they continually strengthen the bonds of fraternal communion with the Successor of Peter (through cooperation with the Apostolic Nunciatures), and through easy and direct communication with other Church bodies. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain the simple ecclesial experiences available to all, as well as streamlined pastoral structures. Experience teaches that large bureaucratic structures approach problems in the abstract and risk distancing the Church from people. For this, it is important to be concrete: The concrete can touch reality.
Above all, it is the youth who need your witness: Young people look to us. In Africa, the future is in the hands of the young, who need to be protected from new and unscrupulous forms of “colonization” such as the pursuit of success, riches, and power at all costs; but also fundamentalism and the distorted use of religion, and new ideologies that destroy the identity of persons and families. The most effective way to overcome the temptation to give in to harmful lifestyles is by investing in education. Education will also help to overcome a widespread mentality of injustice and violence, as well as ethnic divisions. The greatest need is for a model of education which teaches the young to think critically and encourages growth in moral values (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 64). An important component in this educational process is the pastoral care of students: in Catholic or public schools there is a need to unite academic studies with the explicit proclamation of the Gospel (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 132-134).
There are various reasons why we are seeing, also in Africa, a trend towards the breakdown of the family. In response, the Church is called to evaluate and encourage every initiative to strengthen the family, which is the real source of all forms of fraternity and the foundation and primary way of peace (cf. JOHN PAUL II, Message for the XXVII World Day of Peace, 1 January 1994). More recently, many priests, men and women religious as well as members of the lay faithful have admirably taken responsibility for the care of families, with a special concern for the elderly, the sick and the handicapped. Even in the most distant and remote regions, your local Churches have proclaimed the Gospel of Life and, following the example of the Good Samaritan, have come to the help of those most in need. A magnificent witness to charity has been given in response to the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus, which has struck many communities, parishes and hospitals. Many African missionaries have generously given their lives by remaining close to those suffering from this disease. This path must be followed with renewed apostolic zeal! As followers of Christ, we cannot fail to be concerned for the welfare of the weakest; we must also draw the attention of society and the civil authorities to their plight.
Dear brothers, I express my appreciation for the invaluable contribution made by so many priests, men and women religious and lay faithful to the proclamation of the Gospel and the social advancement of your people. SECAM is also a means of promoting respect for the law, so as to ensure that the ills of corruption and fatalism may be healed, and to encourage the efforts of Christians in society as a whole, always in view of the common good. The great work of evangelization consists in striving to make the Gospel permeate every aspect of our lives so that we, in turn, can bring it to others. For this reason, it must always be borne in mind that evangelization implies conversion, that is, interior renewal. The process of purification, which is inherent in evangelization, means accepting the call of Christ to “repent and believe the Good News” (cf. Mk 1:15). As a result of this conversion to salvation, not only individuals but the entire ecclesial community is transformed, and becomes an ever greater and more vital expression of faith and charity.
May the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit sustain your pastoral efforts. May the Virgin Mary protect you and intercede for you and for the entire continent of Africa. To each of you, I give my Apostolic Blessing. Please pray for me.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Big cities are “fertile grounds” of evangelization that allows the Church to become a “leaven of Christian life” for citizens.
This was the reflection given by Pope Francis during today’s address to the participants of the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. The Pontifical Council reflected on the theme: “Encountering God in the heart of the city: scenes of the evangelization for the third millennium.”
Listen to Junno Arocho’s report:
The Holy Father began his address by saying that the assembly’s theme follows the path of his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, and concentrates on the challenges of evangelizing urban cultures. However, he also noted that often times, big cities present both opportunities and risks for the Church.
“They can be magnificent spaces of freedom and human fulfillment, but also terrible spaces of dehumanization and unhappiness,” the Pope said.
The Pope said that the Church is called to reach out to those individuals who are usually forgotten and abandoned by others. The lay faithful in particular, he noted, are called to “break the wall of anonymity and indifference” and to show that God is never absent from man’s heart.
“By becoming joyful announcers of the Gospel to their fellow citizens, the lay faithful discovers that there are many hearts that the Holy Spirit has already prepared to receive their witness, their closeness and their attention,” he said.
Saying that big cities are a “fertile ground of apostolate”, the Pope stressed that the laity are called to live a “humble leadership” and become a “leaven of Christian life for the whole city.”
Concluding his address, Pope Francis encouraged the members of the Pontifical Council for the Laity to continue their work in announcing the liberating message of the love of God in its strength, beauty and simplicity.
(from Vatican Radio)…