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Fraternity and social friendship are the paths indicated by the Pontiff to build a better, more just and peaceful world, with the commitment of all: people and institutions. He emphatically reaffirmed the no to war and the globalization of indifference.
Vatican News
What are the great ideals but also the concrete paths for those who want to build a more just and fraternal world in their daily relationships, in social life, in politics and in institutions? This is the question to which “Fratelli tutti” seeks to answer, mainly: the Pope defines it as a “Social Encyclical” (6) that takes its title from the “Warnings” of Saint Francis of Assisi, who used these words ” reaching out to all the brothers and sisters and offering them a lifestyle with a flavor of the Gospel ”(1). The encyclical aims to promote a worldwide aspiration to fraternity and social friendship. In the background, the Covid-19 pandemic that – reveals Francisco – “it exploded unexpectedly when I was writing this letter.” But the global health emergency has shown that “no one is saved alone” and that the time has really come to “dream as one humanity”, in which we are “all brothers” . (7-8).
In the first of eight chapters, entitled “The shadows of a closed world”, the document focuses on the multiple distortions of the contemporary era: the manipulation and distortion of concepts such as democracy, freedom, justice; selfishness and disinterest for the common good; the prevalence of the market logic based on the culture of profit and disposition; unemployment, racism, poverty; inequality of rights and its aberrations such as slavery, human trafficking, women subjugated and then forced to abort, organ trafficking (10-24). They are global problems that require global action, the Pope emphasizes, also pointing a finger at a “culture of walls” that favors the proliferation of mafias, fueled by fear and loneliness (27-28).
However, to many shadows, the Encyclical responds with a luminous example, that of the Good Samaritan, to whom the second chapter is dedicated, “A stranger on the way”. In it, the Pope points out that, in a sick society that turns its back on pain and is “illiterate” in caring for the most fragile and vulnerable (64-65), we are all called to be close to each other ( 81), overcoming prejudices and personal interests. In fact, we are all co-responsible for building a society that knows how to include, integrate and educate those who suffer (77). Love builds bridges and we “are made for love” (88), the Pope adds, urging Christians especially to recognize Christ in the face of all excluded (85). The principle of the capacity to love according to “a universal dimension” (83) is also taken up in the third chapter, “Thinking and creating an open world”: in it, Francis urges each of us to “let ourselves” to find ourselves in others. “an addition to being” (88), opening ourselves to the next according to the dynamism of charity that makes us tend towards “universal communion” (95). After all – the Encyclical recalls – the spiritual stature of human life is measured by love that leads us to seek the best for the life of the other (92-93). The sense of solidarity and fraternity is born in families that must be protected and respected in their “primary and essential educational mission” (114).
The right to live with dignity cannot be denied to anyone, says the Pope, and as rights have no borders, no one can be excluded, no matter where they were born (121). From this point of view, the Pope also recalls that it is necessary to think about an “ethics of international relations” (126), because each country is also from abroad and the goods of the territory cannot be denied to those who need it and come from. another place. Therefore, the natural right to private property will be secondary to the principle of the universal destiny of created goods (120). The Encyclical also places special emphasis on the issue of external debt: while maintaining the principle that all legitimately incurred debt must be paid, it is hoped that this will not jeopardize the growth and livelihoods of the poorest countries (126) .
On the other hand, the second chapter and the entire fourth are dedicated in part to the issue of migration, “A heart open to the whole world”: With their “torn lives” (37), 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 protecting citizens’ rights and guaranteeing reception and assistance to migrants (38-40). Specifically, the Pope points out some “essential responses” especially for those fleeing “serious humanitarian crises”: increase and simplify the granting of visas; opening of humanitarian corridors; provide accommodation, security and essential services; offer the possibility of work and training; promote family reunification; protect minors; Guarantee religious freedom. What is needed above all, “says the document, is legislation (governance) global strategy for migration that initiates long-term projects, beyond individual emergencies, in the name of solidarity development for all peoples (129-132).
The theme of the fifth chapter is “The best politics”, that is, the one that represents one of the most precious forms of charity because it is at the service of the common good (180) and knows the importance of people, understood as an open category, available to the public. confrontation and dialogue (160). This is the popularism pointed out by Francisco, which is opposed to “populism” that ignores the legitimacy of the notion of “people”, attracting consensus to use it at the service of his personal project (159). But the best policy is also one that protects work, an “indispensable dimension of social life” and seeks to ensure that everyone has the possibility of developing their own capacities (162). The true strategy against poverty, affirms the Encyclical, does not simply seek to contain the needy, but to promote them from a perspective of solidarity and subsidiarity (187). The task of politics, moreover, is to find a solution to everything that violates fundamental human rights, such as social exclusion; organ, human tissue, arms and drug trafficking; sexual exploitation; slave labor; terrorism and organized crime. The Pope’s call was strong to permanently eliminate human trafficking, the “shame of humanity” and hunger, because it is “criminal” because food is “an inalienable right” (188-189).
The policy that is needed, Francisco further emphasizes, is one focused on human dignity and that is not subject to financing because “the market alone does not solve everything”: the “damage” caused by financial speculation has been shown (168) . Therefore, popular movements acquire special relevance: true “torrents of moral energy” must be involved in society, in a coordinated way. In this way – says the Pope – one can go from a policy “for” the poor to a policy “with” and “of” the poor (169). Another desire present in the Encyclical refers to the reform of the UN: in view of the predominance of the economic dimension, in fact, the task of the United Nations will be to give a real concretion to the concept of “family of nations”, working for the good common, the eradication of poverty and protection of human rights. By tirelessly resorting to “negotiation, mediators and arbitration” – the pontifical document states – the UN must promote the validity of the law on the law of force (173-175).
From the sixth chapter, “Dialogue and social friendship”, also arises the concept of life as “the art of meeting” with everyone, also with the peripheries of the world and with native peoples, because “everyone can learn something, no one is useless, no one is superfluous. ”(215) In particular, then, the Pope’s reference to the“ miracle of goodness ”, an attitude to be recovered because it is“ a star in the darkness ”and a“ liberation from cruelty, from the anguish that does not allow us to think of others, of the distracted urgency “that will prevail in contemporary times (222-224). He reflects on the value and promotion of peace, the seventh chapter, entitled” Paths of a new encounter “, in the one in which the Pope emphasizes that peace is “proactive” and aims to form a society based on service to others and the search for reconciliation and mutual development. Peace is an “art” in which everyone must do their part and whose task never ends (227-232). Linked to peace is forgiveness: there is to love everyone without exception – says the Encyclical – but to love an oppressor means helping him to change and not letting him continue to oppress others (241-242). Forgiving does not mean impunity, but justice and memory, because forgiving does not mean forgetting, but rather renouncing the destructive force of evil and revenge. Let us never forget “horrors” such as the Shoah, the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ethnic persecutions and massacres – urges the Pope – must always be remembered, again, so as not to lull us to sleep and keep alive the flame of collective consciousness. It is also important to remember the good. (246-252).
Part of the seventh chapter then focuses on war: “a constant threat”, representing “the denial of all rights”, “the failure of politics and humanity”, “the shameful surrender to the forces of evil”. Furthermore, due to the nuclear, chemical and biological weapons that affect many innocent civilians, today we can no longer think, as in the past, of a possible “just war”, but we must energetically reaffirm “Never again war! total elimination of weapons. Nuclear weapons are “a moral and humanitarian imperative”, instead – suggests the Pope – with the money from weapons, a Global Fund should be created to end hunger once and for all (255- 262) Francis expresses an equally clear position on capital punishment: it is unacceptable and must be abolished throughout the world. “The murderer does not lose his personal dignity – writes the Pope – and God himself constitutes his guarantor” (263-269 At the same time, the need to respect “the sacredness of life” (283) is reaffirmed where “parts of humanity seem sacrificial”, such as the unborn, the poor, the disabled, the elderly (18).
In the eighth and last chapter, the Pontiff addresses “Religions at the service of brotherhood in the world” and reiterates that terrorism is not due to religion, but to the misinterpretation of religious texts, as well as to the policies of hunger, poverty, injustice and oppression (282-283). Therefore, a path of peace between religions is possible; therefore, it is necessary to guarantee religious freedom, a fundamental human right for all believers (279). One reflection, in particular, the Encyclical makes on the role of the Church: it does not relegate its mission to the private sphere and, although it does not engage in politics, it does not renounce the political dimension of existence, attention to the common good and concern for the human development. integral, according to the evangelical principles (276-278).
Finally, Francis cites the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Common Coexistence”, signed by himself on February 4, 2019 in Abu Dhabi, together with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyib . : From this milestone in interreligious dialogue, the Pontiff takes up the call that, in the name of human fraternity, dialogue be adopted as a path, common collaboration as conduct and mutual knowledge as a method and criterion (285).
Vatican News Service – IP – SP
