杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

The interview with Il Sole 24 Ore revolves largely around socio-economic issues, with a strong focus on the common good. Without denying the importance of individual effort, 杏MAP导航 Francis emphasizes that a community can only grow as a whole people; 鈥渟ocial life,鈥� he says, 鈥渋s not constituted by the sum of individualities, but by the growth of a people.鈥�

Real growth in the community

He says that real growth can occur in a community when we 鈥渕ake room to welcome everyone鈥檚 collaboration.鈥� Real growth, he continues, is result 鈥渙f relationships sustained by tenderness and mercy,鈥� rather than an exclusive focus on success that can lead to 鈥渆xclusions and waste.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis takes the opportunity to clarify what he means by waste: 鈥淚t is not simply a phenomenon recognized as the action of exploitation and oppression, but a truly new phenomenon.鈥� The action of exclusion doesn鈥檛 simply deprive people of power or wealth, but actually rejects them, throws them out, casts them out of society.鈥�

A person-friendly ethics

This, he says, is why we need a 鈥減erson-friendly ethics,鈥� which he says can become a 鈥渟trong stimulus for conversion.鈥� This kind of 鈥減erson-friendly ethics鈥� can help bridge the gap between profit driven, and non-profit enterprises.

The Holy Father explains that behind every economic activity lies a human person, and insists that the human person must be at the centre of how we think of the economy. 鈥淚t is work that gives dignity to man, not money.鈥� He identifies a focus on money and profit as a consequence of an economic system 鈥渢hat is no longer capable of creating jobs.鈥�

The human person at the centre

This economic system, the 杏MAP导航 says, has made an idol of money; but it can be opposed by a system that puts people and family at the centre. He explains that an innovative focus on the greater good, the good of the community as a whole, is ultimately better for companies than an exclusive focus on profit.

In fact, a healthy overall economy, 杏MAP导航 Francis says, 鈥渋s never disconnected from the meaning of what is produced; and economic activity is always also an ethical fact. He points to the teaching of 杏MAP导航 Leo XIII that free trade is not sufficient of itself to ensure justice; and says that what Leo said of individual contracts is also true of international trade. Quoting Bd Paul VI, 杏MAP导航 Francis says, 鈥淔ree trade can be called just only when it conforms to the demands of social justice.鈥�

Work and the dignity of the person

Asked about the feeling, experienced by many people, that work is a burden, 鈥渁n unbearable routine,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis says that everyone realizes that it is better to have a job than to not work. Working, he says, 鈥渋s good because it is linked to the dignity of the person, to his ability to take responsibility for himself and others.鈥� He also describes 鈥渢he high spiritual meaning鈥� of work, by which, he says, 鈥渨e give continuity to creation by respecting it and taking care of it.鈥�

Environment

杏MAP导航 Francis also speaks on a number of other issues in his interview. He calls on Companies to pay more attention to 鈥淲orking to build the common good鈥�. Noting that most Companies provide professional and technical training, he suggests they do the same with regard to values. 鈥淲e have reached the limits of what we call our common home鈥�, he says, to the point that we are planning to colonize new planets. 鈥淗umanity is no longer the custodian of the earth but a tyrant exploiter.鈥� That is why, whenever we talk about the environment, we are really talking about humanity: 鈥淓nvironmental degradation and human degradation go hand in hand,鈥� says the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淓cological consciousness needs new ways of living that build a harmonious future, promote integral development, and reduce inequality.鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis cites his Encyclical Laudato sì, when he confirms that, in order to guarantee resources for future generations, we need to 鈥渓imit the use of non-renewable resources, moderate consumption, reuse and to recycle.鈥�

Migrants

杏MAP导航 Francis acknowledges the challenge posed by migrants, especially to those who living in affluent countries: 鈥淵et there is no peaceful future for humanity except in the acceptance of diversity, solidarity, in thinking of humanity as one family.鈥� he states. Hope is what unites those who leave their homes with those who welcome them. Hope is what drives us to 鈥渟hare the journey of life,鈥� he says, encouraging us not to be afraid 鈥渢o share hope.鈥� We need to stop talking about numbers, and start talking about people.

Europe

鈥淓urope needs hope and a future,鈥� says 杏MAP导航 Francis. 鈥淲e never stop being witnesses of hope, we widen our horizons without consuming ourselves in the preoccupation of the present.鈥� Returning to the issue of migration, the 杏MAP导航 recalls the importance of migrants being 鈥渞espectful of the culture and laws of their host country鈥� so as to favor integration and overcome fear and worry. 鈥淚 also entrust these responsibilities to the prudence of governments,鈥� he says, 鈥渟o that they may find common ways to give dignified welcome to our many brothers and sisters who call for help.鈥�

Peace

The interview concludes with 杏MAP导航 Francis referencing his Message for the World Day of Peace this year in which he outlines what he calls 鈥渇our milestones for action: welcome, protect, promote and integrate.鈥� It is always important that our projects and proposals be inspired by 鈥渃ompassion, vision and courage,鈥� he says, 鈥渟o as to seize every opportunity to advance the construction of peace.鈥� This is the only way to ensure that 鈥渢he necessary realism of international politics does not surrender itself to disinterest and the globalization of indifference.鈥�