Solidarity has been in the heart, mind and words of Pope Francis. The word has been abused and misinterpreted. It goes beyond sporadic acts of charity, done out of remorse or compassion. Real solidarity has deep roots in the hearts of people, accompanied by a genuine commitment to the common good.
The pandemic and the ensuing social and economic crises have made everyone aware that individualism, accompanied most of the time with a sense of greed and pride, do not lead us anywhere. Add this to the list of human tragedies around us reflecting inequalities, poverty, hunger, immigration, social deprivation, addictions and marginality. Pope Francis’ call is for action guided by our principles and values, and for those who are believers, guided by our faith.
Self-centredness without limitations is a great threat to the community. Capitalism has evolved with an unscrupulous drive of uncontrolled urban development accompanied by the exploitation of outsiders, destroying the spirit of good neighbourliness and community. Inequalities and marginalisation are offshoots of a depersonalisation process taking place over time. The concept of ‘profit to the producer and social issues to the state’, is a misguided principle as it establishes costly and artificial divisions in roles in society which are unnecessary if we are guided by the spirit of solidarity.
Solidarity is a mindset, part of a cultural shift; it is the ability to renounce something and adopt a simple lifestyle to dedicate oneself to others; it is a conscious act based on a personal determination to commit oneself to the community. As Pope Francis said in a 2017 Ted Conference, it is a “default attitude in political, economic and scientific choices” that starts with the good for the community rather than the self.
Solidarity is based on the principle of subsidiarity, by listening to what others have to say; listening not only to banks and global pharmaceutical companies but first and foremost, to the “wisdom of the humble”; to ordinary people. Solidarity demands togetherness, reflecting on St Paul’s words in Corinthians 12:22, that the limbs in the human body that seem to be the weakest and least important, are in reality the most necessary. Solidarity complements diversity within a community. Pope Francis describes it as the “antibodies” that protect the community from the danger of individualism and selfishness.
Solidarity views society intergenerationally, as a matter of justice, since the world we are living in does not belong only to our generation. Everyone has a role to play in this renewal by the act of accompaniment, especially with those who are suffering physically and psychologically.
Pope Francis encourages us to “dream big, seeking the ideals of justice and social love that are born from hope”. Let us stop looking at the past, while acknowledging the futility of nostalgia, and think ahead towards the future. Globalisation takes a different form by turning into a globalisation of solidarity that energises renewal with the aim of building a better world for future generations.
Education has an important role in establishing solidarity as a social value that can change attitudes towards the outsider by giving us the opportunity to act with a genuine sense of hospitality towards the weakest and the most vulnerable, knowing that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:14-26).