Pope Francis reflects on dignity of work, laments culture of waste

May 25, 2015

Decrying the culture of waste, Pope Francis received members of the Italian Christian Workers Associations in audience on May 23 and said that work is dignified when it is free, creative, participatory, and marked by solidarity.

The Pontiff called for “a prompt and vigorous response against this global economic system where the center of human life is an idol, the god of money. That is what truly commands!”

He continued:

And this god of money destroys and causes the culture of waste: one discards babies because they are not conceived, or they are exploited or killed before birth. The elderly are discarded, because they do not have decent care, do not have medicine, or receive miserable pensions. And now, we even discard young people. Think, in this land so generous, think about that 40% of young people aged 25 years and under who do not have work, are waste material, but are also the sacrifice which this society, worldly and selfish, is offering to the god of money, which is the center of our world economic system.

After reflecting on the conditions under which labor is dignified, the Pope called members of the workers’ associations show “constant fidelity to Jesus Christ and to the Word of God” and to “study and apply the social doctrine of the Church when confronted with the new challenges of the contemporary world.”

 

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Further information:

• Udienza alle ACLI (Associazioni Cristiane Lavoratori Italiani) (Holy See Press Office)
• Pope Francis: Labour must be free, creative, participatory, and mutually-supportive (Vatican Radio)
• Audience to ACLI members - 2015.05.23 (Vatican YouTube)