This is an era that is characterised by ambiguity. Technology and innovation have disrupted society, with people having to adjust to new jobs and gadgets to be able to navigate their everyday life.

A minute section of society has accumulated an amount of wealth never previously attained in history, while a large section of society is making ends meet on a daily basis. The traditional classifications of upper, middle and lower class have been completely wiped out as the former middle class tries hard to survive in an ever changing social context of population movement from one continent to another, civil strife and pseudo-religious terrorism. We have never been more aware of the significance of poverty in the Western world as much as we are today. And poverty has crept through the traditional social classes.

Pope Francis reiterates that the Catholic Church retains its preferential option for the poor, and as St John Paul writes in his encyclical Centesimus Annus, “this option is not limited to material poverty, since it is well known that there are many other forms of poverty, especially in modern society – not only economic but cultural and spiritual” (57).

The US chapter of Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, together with Fordham University’s International Political Economy and Development programme, recently organised a conference in New York on Pope Francis’ call for escaping poverty. Speakers from all over the world expanded on the theme, examining the relationship between economic development, poverty and civil strife.

There are many forms of poverty, especially in modern society – not only economic but cultural and spiritual

Fordham created an innovative global poverty index based on the  indicators of poverty identified by Pope Francis in his 2015 address to the UN General As­sem­bly. These consist of the basic material needs of water, food, housing and employment and the primary indicators of spiritual wellbeing, education, gender equity, and religious freedom. The Fordham Francis Index (FFI) registers the success of a country in safeguarding human dignity of its citizens based on criteria that are not only material.

Effective ways need to be found to eliminate the different forms of poverty. The Church has a pivotal role to play in making governments aware of their responsibility to­wards their citizens. Economic growth and progress is only one side of the story, and it is only effective if it improves people’s quality of life, socially, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually.

It is significant that the new office established by Pope Francis to promote social teaching and which merge the responsibilities of various offices, including the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, is called the dicastery for “promoting Integral Human Development”. Development goes beyond economic progress but it has to ensure appropriate assistance to the vulnerable.

At the New York convention, emphasis was made on the theme that development is not only something to aspire for, but it is a human right, but like all rights it also implies a duty. It is a duty to help others accomplish their own development.

The meaning of solidarity in Catholic social thinking encompasses the wider meaning of assisting the vulnerable to become dignified agents of their own destiny. It is also the duty of governments to establish the necessary conditions for each citizen to be fulfilled in a human, integrated way. This is not only in education, health and the creation of job opportunities, but also in providing human space and freedom on political, social and religious issues. This explains why a society that is being degraded on moral issues such as sleaze and corruption and which becomes immune to the consequences of such behaviour, is a society that becomes politically and socially vulnerable.

In his address to the conference, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said Pope Francis is particularly sensitive to the gift of creativity in the many poor people suffering social injustice. In Bolivia, in his address to the 2nd World Meeting of Popular Movements, Pope Francis had encouraged the poor and marginalised to seek creative alternatives in designing their destiny, and that this can only be done by giving everyone the chance to believe in themselves and regain self- confidence. We can only be messengers of joyful hope.

Joseph F X Zahra is a board member of the Vatican-based Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation.

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