Pope Francis meets with representatives of the Dialop Transversal dialogue project, an initiative that invites socialists and Christians to work for a common ethic, and invites them to build a better future for our polarized world.
By Salvatore Cernuzio
The poor, the unemployed, the homeless, the immigrants or the exploited, as well as all those who have been killed by past dictatorships and transformed into waste by today’s “throwaway culture”: the level of civilization of a society is measured by how well they are cared for, the Pope said.
Pope Francis reiterated the central role of vulnerable people as well as the urgency of fighting the triple “scourge” of corruption, abuse of power and anarchy, both in politics and in society, in its speech on Wednesday to representatives of the DIALOP transversal dialogue project. .
It is a project of dialogue between socialists/Marxists, communists and Christians aiming to formulate a common social ethics which can be proposed as a new narrative for a Europe in search of its identity, with an integral ecology between social doctrine of the Church and Marxist social criticism at its core.
The initiative was born in 2014 after a meeting between Pope Francis, Alexis Tsipras, then president of the Syriza party and later Greek prime minister after 2015, Walter Baier, president of the Party of the European Left, and Franz Kronreif of the Focolare movement (both present at the hearing).
“Don’t stop dreaming”
Pope Francis received this morning, in the Paul VI room, before the General Audience, 15 members – 7 from the left and 8 Catholics from different European countries – of this association.
He shared with them his pain for a world that today appears “divided by wars and polarizations” and, on the other hand, his encouragement to look to the future and try to imagine a “better world” .
“We, Argentinians, say: do not be offended, do not back down. And this is the invitation that I also extend to you: do not back down, do not give up, do not stop dreaming of a better world. “
Liberty, equality, dignity, fraternity
“It is in fact in the imagination that intelligence, intuition, experience and historical memory meet to create, risk and risk,” the Pope emphasized.
He recalled how, over the centuries, “it is the great dreams of freedom and equality, dignity and fraternity, reflection of the dream of God, which have produced progress and progress”.
In this sense, the Pope indicated three attitudes so that DIALOP can realize its commitment: the courage to break the mold, attention to the weak and the promotion of a culture based on the rule of law.
Reverse
Having the courage to break the mold means “opening up, in dialogue, to new paths”.
“In an era marked at different levels by conflicts and disagreements, let us not lose sight of what can still be done to reverse the trend,” he said.
“Against rigid approaches that divide, let us cultivate confrontation and open-hearted listening, without excluding anyone, at the political, social and religious levels, so that the contribution of everyone can, in their concrete particularity, be positively accepted in the processes. of change in which our future is engaged,” urged Pope Francis.
Criticism of finance and market mechanisms
The Pope then called for constant attention to the weak, because the measure of a civilization is measured by how it treats those on the margins of society.
In spontaneous remarks, the pope recalled the history of the recent past. “Let us not forget that great dictatorships – think Nazism – rejected the vulnerable and killed them,” he said.
He urged world leaders to implement policies that are “truly in the service of humanity,” saying society “cannot allow itself to be dictated by financial and market mechanisms.”
“Solidarity, in addition to being a moral virtue, is a requirement of justice, which requires correcting distortions and purifying the intentions of unjust systems, as well as radical changes of perspective in the sharing of challenges and resources between men and between peoples”, declared the Pope. said.
And he defined “social poets” as those who devote themselves to this field, because “poetry is creativity”, and it is a question here of “putting creativity at the service of society, so that it becomes more human and fraternal.
Fight against corruption and illegality
Finally, Pope Francis has encouraged a culture based on the rule of law.
“Fight the scourge of corruption, abuse of power and illegality,” he said, because “it is only in honesty, in deeds, that healthy relationships can be established and that we can cooperate with confidence and efficiency in building a better future.”
This is why he expressed his gratitude for the “courage” to work “for a more just and more peaceful world” and the recommendation that “the Gospel of Jesus Christ can always inspire and enlighten your research and your actions” .
During the audience, the DIALOP group presented to the Pope the results of the work of the last ten years, also carried out with the support of the Dicastery for Catholic Culture and Education.
“Beyond religious and ideological borders, Christians and Marxists, as well as people of good will,” explains the association in a note, “recognize themselves today united in their commitment to the end of armed conflicts in the world and the security of the people. the most fundamental human rights, in order to guarantee social balance and peace for humanity.
