“The idea is imposed that the poor are a burden …

From Rome

In his message for the V World Day of the Poor published this Monday by the Vatican, Pope Francis made a detailed analysis of poverty, its causes and possible solutions, particularly in these difficult times of the pandemic which have greatly affected it. aggravated. But he also attacked individualism, qualifying him as “an accomplice of the generation of poverty”, stressing that poverty “is not the fruit of fate but a consequence of selfishness” and for the to fight it is “decisive to give life to the processes of development in which they are valued the capacities of all”.

“It seems that we are imposing on the idea that the poor are not only responsible for their condition, but that they constitute an intolerable burden for an economic system which puts the interests of certain privileged categories at the center”, a writes the Pope in the message to the Day of the Poor to be held on November 14. And to add: “We are thus witnessing the creation of ever new traps of misery and exclusion, produced by unscrupulous economic and financial actors, lacking in humanitarian sense and social responsibility. Last year, moreover, another scourge was added which subsequently produced poorer people: the pandemic ”.

Francisco spoke of the consequences of the pandemic, which, he said, “continues to knock on the doors of millions of people and, when it does not bring suffering and death, it is in any case a carrier of poverty. The poor have grown disproportionately and, sadly, will continue to grow in the months to come. Some countries, because of the pandemic, are suffering very serious consequences, so that the most vulnerable people are deprived of basic necessities ”. Close examination, according to Francisco, “demands that the most appropriate solutions be found to combat the virus around the world, without targeting partisan interests. In particular, there is an urgent need to provide concrete answers to those who suffer from unemployment, which dramatically affects many parents, women and young people. The social solidarity and the generosity of which many people are capable, thank God, as well as long-term human promotion projects, make and will make a very important contribution at this stage, ”he added.

Francisco incorporated into the text two questions that many people ask about poverty, “How is it possible to give a tangible solution to the millions of poor who often find nothing but indifference” (…) and What a path justice is needed to cover what social inequalities have been overcome? ”

And he replied: the poor “often teach us solidarity and sharing.” This is why “a different approach to poverty is necessary. It is a challenge that governments and global institutions must face with a forward-looking social model capable of responding to the new forms of poverty that affect the world and that will decisively mark the coming decades. If the poor are marginalized, as if they were responsible for their condition, then the very concept of democracy is in crisis and any social policy becomes a failure, ”he stressed.

“The poor are not people ‘outside’ the community, but brothers and sisters with whom to share their suffering in order to relieve their discomfort and marginalization, to restore their lost dignity and ensure the necessary social inclusion (…) He This is not to ease our conscience by giving alms, but rather to contrast the culture of indifference and injustice with which we treat the poor (…) Almsgiving is occasional, while sharing is lasting. The first risks gratifying the one who executes it and humiliating the one who receives it; the second strengthens solidarity and lays the foundations necessary to achieve justice ”.

“It is decisive”, underlined the Pontiff, “that the sensitivity to understand the needs of the poor be increased, because living conditions are constantly changing. In fact, today, in the most economically developed regions of the world, people are less willing than in the past to face poverty ”.

Finally, Francis challenged Catholics and the whole world because “we cannot wait for them to knock on our door, it is urgent that we go to meet them in their homes, in hospitals and in retirement homes, in the streets and in the dark. corners where they sometimes hide, in shelters and reception centers… It is important to understand what they feel, what they perceive and what desires they have in their hearts (…) because “it is not acts not to lighten our conscience by giving alms, but rather to oppose the culture of indifference and injustice with which we treat the poor “

François has often referred to the poorest populations in the world demanding more justice for them. And on Sunday, on the occasion of the celebration of the World Day against child labor – a consequence of poverty – the Pope called for the elimination of child labor, which he called “the slavery of that time. “and to which more than 150 million children are subjected. the world, according to the World Labor Organization (ILO). “It is not possible to turn a blind eye to the exploitation of children, deprived of the right to play, to study and to dream,” he said.