‘Everything is deeply connected’

In his message for an event entitled ‘Economy of Francesco’ to be held in Assisi, Italy, from March 26 to 28, 2020, Pope Francis said: “In my encyclical letter Laudato Si’, I emphasised that, today more than ever, everything is deeply connected and that the safeguarding of the environment cannot be divorced from ensuring justice for the poor and finding answers to the structural problems of the global economy.

“We need to correct models of growth incapable of guaranteeing respect for the environment, openness to life, concern for the family, social equality, the dignity of workers and the rights of future generations.

“Sadly, few have heard the appeal to acknowledge the gravity of the problems and, even more, to set in place a new economic model, the fruit of a culture of communion based on fraternity and equality.”

‘Church is feminine’

On May 10, when he addressed some 850 superiors general of women religious who had just concluded their plenary assembly which takes place every three years, Pope Francis said that “the Church is feminine”. The Pope said that the Bible uses feminine expressions and words to refer to the Church, so much so that the Church is described as Jesus’s bride.

The Pope once again addressed the scandal of the abuse of nuns by priests in different countries of the world. “It is a serious problem,” he said, and he went on to mention the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience to which religious can be particularly subjected.

He stressed that sisters “must not become the servants of a cleric”. He said that sisters must “must carry out their mission in the dimension of service” but emphasised that service is not servitude.

Muslims and Christians working together

In a message on the occasion of the beginning of Ramadan, the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue said: “We (Muslims and Christians) are encouraged, therefore, to continue advancing the culture of dialogue as a means of cooperation and as a method of growing in knowledge of one another.

“In order to respect diversity, dialogue must seek to promote every person’s right to life, to physical integrity, and to fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of conscience, of thought, of expression and of religion. This includes the freedom to live according to one’s beliefs in both the private and public spheres.

“In this way, Christians and Muslims – as brothers and sisters – can work together for the common good.”

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)