Tuesday 26 November 2013

Do new brooms sweep better ? (snippets from Francis I)

I don't usually meddle in religion.  For the simple reason that it is not a matter of reasoning, but a matter of belief, and consequently people tend to pull each other's hair.
But this morning I read something in Der Spiegel that caused me to change that.  Being of German origin myself, I am slightly ashamed that the 'German Pope' might soon only be known for raiding the Vatican's clothing archives so that he could wear fancy hats.












 This new one seems to be VERY different. And not only with respect to his hats.


He published something he wrote (I have no idea what they call a papal 'address to the nation').
Here is the link to the Evangelii Gaudium in English:   LINK

As a complete and heretical aside, I could see him as a third in this picture:


Here are four snippets that might (or not) tempt you to read the papal publication:

[... economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills. How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points?]

[I do exhort all the communities to an “ever watchful scrutiny of the signs of the times”.This is in fact a grave responsibility, since certain present realities, unless effectively dealt with, are capable of setting off processes of dehumanization which would then be hard to reverse.]

[my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving]

[Today’s economic mechanisms promote inordinate consumption, yet it is evident that unbridled consumerism combined with inequality proves doubly damaging to the social fabric]

Try to remember that last one during this 'holiday season' ;-)

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