Reflecting on the 50th Italian Catholic Social Week theme “At the Heart of Democracy,” Pope Francis said to the 900 participants, “Let’s be honest – it is evident that democracy is not in good health in today’s world. This concerns and worries us because the wellbeing of mankind is at stake, and nothing human can be alien to us.”
The Holy Father’s observations here reflect a sad and dangerous fact that elements of fascism, populism, plutocracy, militarism, and indifference to human rights are gaining hold in many countries, and thus, wounding the heart of democracy.
Pope Francis with heartfelt concern asked that we reflect on the “crisis of democracy as a wounded heart.” He explained that, “Every time someone is marginalized, the whole social body suffers. The throwaway culture creates a city where there is no place for the poor, the unborn, people who are vulnerable, the sick, children, women, young people and the elderly. This is what the throwaway culture is like. Power becomes self-referential – this is a bad illness – incapable of listening and serving people.”
The Holy Father emphasized we need to stretch our faith beyond just the personal realm, and thus into the mess of the political sphere where faith in the God peace and justice is mostly not welcomed.
The pope said, “As Catholics, we cannot be satisfied with a marginal or private faith. This means not so much being listened to but, above all, having the courage to make proposals for justice and peace in the public debate.”
The first challenge here that comes to my mind is “What public debate?” It seems in our secondary schools and universities there is precious little public debate occurring on issues of justice and peace.
And in the halls of congresses and parliaments – where vicious self-serving partisanship often dominates the agenda – vigorous healthy debates on the justice and peace issues concerning war-making, war preparation, arms proliferation, nuclear weapons, looming artificial intelligence (AI) dangers, environmental degradation, climate change, global warming, hunger, famine, starvation, poverty, homelessness, unemployment/underemployment, migrants and refugees, racism, warehousing neglected elderly, and aborting unborn babies is not happening. The silence on all of these life and death issues is deafening!
And to all of this silence, to all this absence of social justice and peace, the Gospel, Catholic social teaching, and the leader of the Catholic Church call us to get out of our comfort zones and tirelessly speak and act on behalf – and with – those who have been silenced by our “culture of indifference”, our “throwaway culture.”
“We have something to say but not to defend privileges,” says Pope Francis. “No. We must be a voice; a voice that denounces and proposes in an often voiceless society where too many have no voice.”
Pope Francis encourages us to remember, “Each person has value; each person is important. Democracy always requires the transition from partisanship to participation, from ‘cheering’ to dialogue. Only when our economic and social system no longer produces even a single victim, a single person cast aside, will we be able to celebrate the feast of universal fraternity.
“A truly human and fraternal society will be capable of ensuring in an efficient and stable way that each of its members is accompanied at every stage of life. Not only by providing for their basic needs, but by enabling them to give the best of themselves, even though their performance may be less than optimum, their pace slow or their efficiency limited.
“Everyone should feel part of a community project; no one should feel useless.”
Allow yourself to be inspired and delighted by listening to the Holy Father’s address.
Tony Magliano is an internationally syndicated Catholic social justice and peace columnist. He is available to speak at diocesan or parish gatherings. Tony can be reached at tmag6@comcast.net.
