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06 Sep ANGELUS

Posted at 19:40h in by

APPEAL

 

[…] Faced with the tragedy of tens of thousands of refugees who flee death from war and hunger, and who have begun a journey moved by hope for survival, the Gospel calls us to be “neighbours” of the smallest and the abandoned, and to give them concrete hope. It’s not enough to say, “Take heart. Be patient”…. Christian hope has a fighting spirit, with the tenacity of one who goes toward a sure goal.

 

Therefore, as the Jubilee of Mercy approaches, I make an appeal to parishes, religious communities, monasteries and shrines throughout Europe, that they express the Gospel in a concrete way and host a refugee family. A concrete gesture in preparation for the Holy Year of Mercy. May every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every shrine of Europe welcome one family, beginning with my Diocese of Rome. 

 

I address my brother bishops of Europe, true pastors, that in their dioceses they endorse my appeal, remembering that Mercy is the second name of Love: “What you have done for the least of my brothers, that you have done for me” (cf. Mt 25:46).

 

In the coming days, the two parishes of the Vatican will also welcome two families of refugees.

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30 Aug ANGELUS

Posted at 19:38h in by

After the Angelus:

 

[…] In recent days many migrants have lost their lives in their dreadful voyages. For all of these brothers and sisters, I pray and invite prayer. In particular, I join Cardinal Schönborn — who is present here today — and the entire Church of Austria in prayer for the 71 victims, including four children, found in a lorry on the motorway between Budapest and Vienna. Let us entrust each one of them to the mercy of God; and let us ask him to help us to cooperate effectively to prevent these crimes, which offend the entire human family. Let us pray in silence for all migrants who are suffering and for those who have lost their lives.[…]

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17 Jul MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE ON THE OCCASION OF THE MEETING “A DAY OF REFLECTION – UNITED WITH GOD, WE HEAR A CRY”

Posted at 19:31h in by

[…] You come from different situations and in various ways you experience the repercussions of mining activities, whether they are conducted by large industrial companies, small enterprises or informal operators. You have chosen to gather in Rome on this day of reflection that recalls a passage from the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (cf. nn. 187-190), to echo the cry of the many people, families and communities who suffer directly and indirectly as a result of the consequences, too often negative, of mining activities. A cry for the lands lost; a cry for the extraction of riches from the soil which paradoxically has not produced wealth for the local populations, who remain poor; a cry of pain in reaction to violence, threats and corruption; a cry of indignation and for help for the violations of human rights, blatantly or discreetly trampled with regard to the health of populations, working conditions, and at times the slavery and human trafficking which feed the tragic phenomenon of prostitution; a cry of sadness and impotence for the pollution of the water, air and land; a cry of incomprehension for the lack of inclusive and supportive processes from civil, local and national authorities, which have the fundamental duty to promote the common good.[…]

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11 Jul HOLY MASS: HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER

Posted at 19:29h in by

[…] 2. The second moment: the flight to Egypt. They had to leave, to go into exile. Not only was there no room for them, no family nearby, but their lives were also in danger. They had to depart to a foreign land. They were persecuted migrants, on account of the envy and greed of the King. There too she might well have asked: “What happened to all those things promised by the angel?”. […]

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09 Jul PARTICIPATION AT THE SECOND WORLD MEETING OF POPULAR MOVEMENTS: ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER

Posted at 19:27h in by

[…] As members of popular movements, you carry out your work inspired by fraternal love, which you show in opposing social injustice. When we look into the eyes of the suffering, when we see the faces of the endangered campesino, the poor laborer, the downtrodden native, the homeless family, the persecuted migrant, the unemployed young person, the exploited child, the mother who lost her child in a shootout because the barrio was occupied by drug dealers, the father who lost his daughter to enslavement…. when we think of all those names and faces, our hearts break because of so much sorrow and pain. And we are deeply moved, all of us…. We are moved because “we have seen and heard” not a cold statistic but the pain of a suffering humanity, our own pain, our own flesh. This is something quite different than abstract theorizing or eloquent indignation. It moves us; it makes us attentive to others in an effort to move forward together. That emotion which turns into community action is not something which can be understood by reason alone: it has a surplus of meaning which only peoples understand, and it gives a special feel to genuine popular movements. […]

 

[…] It must be acknowledged that none of the grave problems of humanity can be resolved without interaction between states and peoples at the international level. Every significant action carried out in one part of the planet has universal, ecological, social and cultural repercussions. Even crime and violence have become globalized. Consequently, no government can act independently of a common responsibility. If we truly desire positive change, we have to humbly accept our interdependence, that is to say, our healthy interdependence. Interaction, however, is not the same as imposition; it is not the subordination of some to serve the interests of others. Colonialism, both old and new, which reduces poor countries to mere providers of raw material and cheap labor, engenders violence, poverty, forced migrations and all the evils which go hand in hand with these, precisely because, by placing the periphery at the service of the center, it denies those countries the right to an integral development. That is inequality, brothers and sisters, and inequality generates a violence which no police, military, or intelligence resources can control. […]

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08 Jul MEETING WITH CIVIL AUTHORITIES: ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER

Posted at 19:26h in by

[…] A nation which seeks the common good cannot be closed in on itself; societies are strengthened by networks of relationships. The current problem of immigration makes this clear. […]Instead of raising walls, we need to be building bridges. Building bridges instead of raising walls. All these issues, thorny as they may be, can find shared solutions; solutions which are reasonable, equitable and lasting. And in any event, they should never be a cause for aggressivity, resentment or enmity; these only worsen situations and stand in the way of their resolution. […]

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07 Jul MEETING WITH POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND CIVIC LEADERS ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER

Posted at 19:23h in by

[…] Migration, overcrowded cities, consumerism, crises in the family, unemployment and pockets of poverty: all these factors create uncertainty and tensions which threaten social harmony. Laws and regulations, as well as social planning, need to aim at inclusion, create opportunities for dialogue and encounter, while leaving behind all forms of repression, excessive control or loss of freedom as painful past memories. Hoping in a better future calls for offering real opportunities to people, especially young people, creating employment, and ensuring an economic growth which is shared by all (rather than simply existing on paper, in macroeconomic statistics), and promoting a sustainable development capable of generating a solid and cohesive social fabric. If there is no solidarity then all this will be impossible to implement. I referred to young people and I referred to the lack of employment. This is alarming on a worldwide level. European countries, who were at the forefront years ago, are now suffering in terms of youth: among those who are under twenty-five years of age there is forty, fifty percent unemployment. Without solidarity there can be no solution. I told the Salesians: “Don Bosco founded you in order to educate others; today emergency education is needed for the young who are out of work!” Why? Emergency training is needed to prepare young people to work, even if only limited opportunities exist, so that they can have the dignity of being able to take bread home. To such unemployed young persons who we call the “neither nor” – neither study nor work – what possibilities are left? Addictions, sadness, depression, suicide (and comprehensive statistics are never published concerning juvenile suicide), or getting involved in social projects which at least offer an ideal? In a special way and with a spirit of solidarity, today we are called to care for this third sector of exclusion in a culture of waste. The first sector is made up of children, either because they are not loved (and there are developed countries that have an almost zero percent birth rate) or they are so unwanted that they are killed before being born. Secondly come the elderly, who are abandoned, not cared for, and forgotten as the legacy of wisdom and memory of their people. They are discarded. And now it is the turn of young people. Which other group is left? Those who promote selfishness, those who serve the god of mammon, who is at the center of a system that is crushing us all. […]

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22 Jun VISIT TO THE WALDENSIAN TEMPLE: ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER

Posted at 19:22h in by

[…] Encouraged by this progress, we are called to continue to journey together. An area in which ample opportunities are open for cooperation among Waldensians and Catholics is that of evangelization. Knowing that the Lord preceded us and always precedes us in love (cf. 1 Jn 4:10), let us go together to meet today’s men and women, who at times seem so distracted and indifferent, to pass on to them the heart of the Gospel, or “the beauty of the saving love of God made manifest in Jesus Christ who died and rose from the dead” (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, n. 36). Another area in which we can work ever more united is that of service to the humanity that is suffering, to the poor, to the sick, to migrants. Thank you for what you said about migrants. From the liberating work of grace, in each one of us derives the need to witness to the merciful face of God who takes care of everyone and, in particular, of those who are most in need. The choice of the poor, of the least, of those whom society excludes, brings us closer to the very heart of God, who became poor so that by his poverty we might become rich (cf. 2 Cor 8-9), and, as a result, become closer to one another. The differences on important anthropological and ethical issues, which continue to exist between Catholics and Waldensians, do not prevent us from finding forms of cooperation in these and other fields. When we walk together, the Lord helps us to experience that communion which comes before all conflict.[…]

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21 Jun WORKSHOP “MODERN SLAVERY AND CLIMATE CHANGE: THE COMMITMENT OF THE CITIES” STATEMENT OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS

Posted at 19:35h in by

[…] On the other hand, why this invitation — which seems to me to have been a very fruitful idea of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, of Bishop Sánchez Sorondo — inviting the mayors of cities both large and not-so-large, why invite them here to talk about this? Because one of the most notable things when the environment, when creation isn’t looked after, is the unfettered growth of cities. It is a worldwide phenomenon. It is as if the heads, the big cities, made themselves large, but each time with greater areas of poverty and misery, where the people suffer the effects of environmental neglect. The phenomenon of migration is included in this sense. Why do people come to the big cities, to the poverty belts of big cities — the shanty towns, slums and favelas? Why do they do this? It is simply because the rural world doesn’t offer them opportunities. One point that is made in the Encyclical — and with all due respect, but it must be denounced — is the idolatry of technocracy. Technocracy leads to the destruction of jobs, it creates unemployment. The phenomena of unemployment are widespread and people are forced to emigrate, seeking new horizons. The high number of unemployed people is alarming. I don’t have the statistics at hand, but in a few European countries, especially among young people, youth unemployment — of those aged 25 years and under — is higher than 40 percent and in some cases even 50 percent. Between 40, 47 — I’m thinking of other countries — and 50 [percent]. I am thinking of other serious statistics given by heads of state, directly by heads of state. Projecting into the future, this makes us see a ghost, in other words, an unemployed body of youth which, today, is offered what horizon and what future? What is left for these young people: addiction, boredom, not knowing what to do with one’s life — a very hard life without meaning, youth suicide — the statistics on suicide among young people have not been published in their entirety — or searching for an ideal life under other horizons, even in guerilla projects. […]

 

[…] What happens when all these phenomena of excessive technicization, without caring for the environment, in addition to natural phenomena, affect migration? Unemployment and then human trafficking. Illegal work, without contracts, working “under the table” is occurring more and more frequently. How it has increased! Illegal work is truly pervasive, and this means that people don’t earn enough to live. This can lead to criminal behaviour all the problems that occur in large cities due to these migrations caused by excessive technicization. I refer in particular to the agricultural environment and also to human trafficking in the mining industry. Slavery in mines is a major issue. It involves the use of certain elements in the treatment of minerals — arsenic, cyanide which cause diseases in the population. There is a very great responsibility in this. It all bounces back, it all turns around, everything has a rebound affect against the person himself. It can include human trafficking for purposes of slave labour or prostitution — sources of work to enable survival today.

 

This is why I am pleased that you have reflected on these phenomena — I have mentioned merely a few — impacting the large cities. Finally, I would say that this requires the involvement of the United Nations. I have high hope that the Paris summit this November will lead to a basic and fundamental agreement. I am very hopeful. However, the United Nations must take greater interest in this phenomenon, especially in human trafficking caused by environmental issues, this exploitation of people. […]

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21 Jun MEETING WITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE: ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER

Posted at 19:18h in by

[…] And I pass on to answer Luigi’s question: he spoke about a project for sharing, for connecting, for building. We must go ahead with our plans for building, and this life doesn’t disappoint. If you get involved there, in a plan for building, helping — let’s think of street children, of migrants, of so many in need, but not only to feed them for one day, two days, but to promote them with education, with unity in the joy of the Oratories and so many things, but things that build. Then that sense of mistrust in life recedes, it goes away. What must I do for this? Don’t retire too early. Do. Do. And I’ll say another thing: go against the tide. Go against the tide. For you young people, who are living this economic situation, which is also cultural, hedonistic, consumerist, with values like “soap bubbles”, there is no moving forward with such values. Do constructive things, even if small, but which unite us, which bring us together with our ideals: this is the best antidote against this mistrust of life, against this culture that only offers you pleasure: to have a good time, to have money and not think about other things. […]