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VATICAN CITY “There are tears and human pains»Are the tears of things and human affairs touch the mind or the heart? Pope Francis chooses the verses of Virgil, the moving words of Aeneas fleeing the destruction of Troy, to express the pain of the world in times of the pandemic: “If everything is connected, it is difficult to think that this global disaster is not related to our way of thinking about reality, pretending to be absolute masters of their own life and of everything that exists. I don’t mean to say it’s some kind of divine punishment. Nor would it suffice to say that the damage done to nature in the end requires accounting for our abuses. It is reality itself that moans and rebels“. The encyclical«All brothers“, Signed on Saturday in Assisi, is defined by the pontiff himself as a” social encyclical “- the title quotes Banns of Saint Francis to invoke an “open brotherhood” and “universal”, “a love that transcends the barriers of geography and space” – and asks everyone for a radical change, of course, in the face of the many “shadows of a world closed ”and the crisis that has shown the selfishness and inequities of our time. Because “no one saves himself” and the time has come to “dream as one humanity” in which we are “all brothers”. Francisco had said it since March 27, the memorable prayer in an empty St. Peter’s Square, in the rain, in the silence marked only by the sound of distant sirens: “We realized that we were in the same boat.” And now explain: “Just as I was writing this letter, the Covid-19 pandemic unexpectedly broke out, exposing our false assurances.. Beyond the various responses given by different countries, the inability to act together became evident. Despite being hyper-connected, there has been a fragmentation that has made it difficult to solve the problems that affect us all. If anyone thinks that it was simply a matter of making what we were already doing work better, or that the only message is that we need to improve existing systems and rules, they are denying reality.“It is not about returning to” normality “, if normality was what it was before Covid. We must change in heart and in deeds: from reforming the UN to be truly a “family of nations” to the need for a “better policy” and an economy that is not subject to the interests of finance“Of” global governance “to face the tragedy of migration and poverty and put an end to the” third world war fought in pieces “, the too many conflicts. As a parallel to the dialogue between Saint Francis and Sultan Malik al-Kāmil, in 1219, it is notable that the pontiff cites the dialogue with a high Muslim authority among the main sources of inspiration for the encyclical: “I was especially encouraged by Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, with whom I met in Abu Dhabi to remember that God “created all human beings equal in rights, duties and dignity, and called them to live together as brothers to each other” … This encyclical compiles and develops great themes exposed in that Document We Signed Together “, or the” Document on Human Brotherhood “signed on February 4, 2019 in Abu Dhabi.
Saint Francis “did not wage dialectical war by imposing doctrines, but rather communicated the love of God.” As first chapter, “The shadows of a closed world” the encyclical lists the multiple failures of the present: the manipulation and deformation of concepts such as democracy, freedom, justice; the loss of the sense of the social and of history; selfishness and disinterest for the common good; the predominance of a market logic based on profit and a culture of disposal; unemployment, racism, poverty; the inequality of rights and its aberrations such as slavery, trafficking, women subjected and then forced to abort, trafficking in organs ”. They are global problems that require global action, against a “culture of walls” that becomes “fertile ground for the mafias.” The antidote to all these viruses is the evangelical example of the Good Samaritan, Francis writes in second chapter, “A stranger on the road”: we are all called to be close to each other, to build bridges instead of walls. In third chapter, “To think and generate an open world”, it is said that “individualism does not make us freer, more equal, more brothers” and “the mere sum of individual interests is incapable of generating a better world for humanity as a whole” nor protect us from evils: “Radical individualism is the most difficult virus to defeat.” Inequality affects people and entire countries, Francisco recalls the need to think about “an ethics of international relations” and repeats what he wrote in praised‘: “The right to private property can only be considered as a secondary natural right derived from the principle of the universal destiny of created goods, and this has very concrete consequences, which must be reflected in the functioning of society.” In fourth chapter, “A heart open to everyone”, the Pope sums up his reflections on the theme of migration: avoiding unnecessary migration and, at the same time, respecting the right to seek a better life elsewhere. With their “lacerated lives” fleeing wars, persecutions, natural disasters, unscrupulous traffickers, uprooted from their communities of origin, migrants must be welcomed, protected, promoted and integrated. In receiving countries, the appropriate balance will be between the protection of citizens’ rights and the guarantee of reception and assistance to migrants. Francisco points out some “indispensable answers” for those fleeing “serious humanitarian crises”: increase and simplify the granting of visas; open humanitarian corridors; guarantee housing, security and essential services; offer employment and training opportunities, promote family reunification, protect minors, guarantee religious freedom and promote social integration. The concept of “full citizenship” is also invited to establish in society, renouncing the discriminatory use of the term “minorities”. But above all, we need global governance, an international collaboration for migration that sets in motion long-term projects, beyond individual emergencies. Thus the countries will be able to think as “a human family”.
In fifth chapter The topic of “best politics” is addressed, which represents one of the most precious forms of charity because it is put at the service of the common good and knows the importance of people, understood as an open category, available for discussion and dialogue . It is the “popularism” indicated by Francisco, which contrasts with that “populism” that ignores the legitimacy of the notion of “people”. and attracts consensus to exploit it at its service, fostering selfishness to increase its popularity: “Make possible the development of a world community, capable of realizing fraternity from peoples and nations that live social friendship, the best politics, at the service of the true common good. Unfortunately, however, today’s politics often take forms that make the path to a different world difficult. “The text of the encyclical summarizes the many interventions made by Francis in recent years, the Pope warns above all against nationalisms and populisms: “Contempt for the weak can be hidden in populist forms, which use them demagogically for their own ends, or in liberal forms at the service of the economic interests of the powerful. In both cases, it is difficult to think of an open world where there is room for everyone, which includes the weakest and respects different cultures. Francis distinguishes between “popular” and “populist”. There are popular leaders “capable of interpreting the feelings of a people, their cultural dynamics and the great tendencies of a society”, but their service “degenerates into a crazy populism when it is transformed into someone’s ability to attract consensus to politically exploit culture. of the people. ”The“ best policy ”is also that it protects work, an“ indispensable dimension of social life. ”A policy focused on human dignity and not subject to financing because“ the market alone does not solve everything ”: “massacres” caused by financial speculation proved it. Pope calls for UN reform: Given the prevalence of the economic dimension that overrides the power of the single State, in fact, the task of the United Nations will be to give content to the concept of “family of nations” working for the common good, the eradication of poverty and protection of human rights: the UN should promote the force of law over the law of force, favoring multilateral agreements that better protect even the weakest states. the sixth chapter, «Dialogue and social friendship», focuses on life as the «art of meeting» with everyone, even with the peripheries of the world and with native peoples, because «something can be learned from everyone and no one is useless». The Pope recalls the “miracle of goodness”, an attitude to recover “a star in the dark” and a “liberation from the cruelty, anxiety and distracted urgency” of the present. In seventh chapter, “Paths of a new encounter”, the Pope writes that peace is linked to truth, justice and mercy. Peace is “proactive”, in a society everyone should feel “at home”, and it is a “job” in which everyone should do their part. Linked to peace is forgiveness, which does not mean impunity, but justice and memory: forgiving, says Francisco, does not mean forgetting, but rather renouncing the destructive force of evil and the desire for revenge. Never forget “horrors” like the Shoah, the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the ethnic persecutions and massacres. They must always be remembered, again, so as not to anesthetize us and keep the flame of collective consciousness alive. It is equally important to remember the good of those who have chosen forgiveness and brotherhood. This is how Francisco repeats: “No more wars, a failure of humanity!” And it reiterates that the death penalty is inadmissible and must be abolished throughout the world. In theeighth chapter, “Religions at the service of brotherhood in the world”, the Pope reiterates that violence is not based on religious convictions, but on their deformations. A path of peace between religions is possible and, therefore, it is necessary to guarantee religious freedom, “a fundamental human right for all believers.” The Church does not relegate its mission to the private sector, “it is not on the fringes of society”, it does not get involved in politics but does not renounce the political dimension of existence “. The text ends with the memory of Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu, Mahatma Gandhi and Blessed Charles de Foucauld, a model of all that it means to identify with the little ones to become “the universal brother”. At the end there are two prayers: one “to the Creator” and the other “ecumenical Christian” so that in the hearts of men there is a “spirit of brothers”.
October 4, 2020 (change October 4, 2020 | 14:34)
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