Addressing 1,100 Focolare Movement members, Pope Francis said: “When capitalism makes the seeking of profit its only purpose, it runs the risk of becoming an idolatrous framework, a form of worship. The ‘goddess of fortune’ is increasingly the new divinity of a certain finance and of the whole system of gambling which is destroying millions of the world’s families, and which you rightly oppose.
“This idolatrous worship is a surrogate for eternal life. Individual products (cars, telephones...) get old and wear out, but if I have money or credit I can immediately buy others, deluding myself of conquering death… The best and most practical way to avoid making an idol of money is to share it with others, above all with the poor, or to enable young people to study and work, overcoming the idolatrous temptation with communion.”
Hate speech against Christians
The Association of Protestant Churches of Turkey published a report which shows that in Turkey there has been an increase in hate speech and threats against Christians. The report also found that “many students had been bullied by classmates due to their faith and were encouraged to convert to Islam,” according to the Hürriyet Daily News.
Archbishop resigns after clash
Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of Lipa, the Philippines, has resigned following the Vatican’s disapproval of his support for Marian apparitions that had been declared fake. Pope Francis accepted the resignation, submitted three years before the bishop turned 75.
In September 2015, Archbishop Arguelles had described as “worthy of belief” reports of apparitions by Our Lady to a Carmelite postulant in Lipa. The apparitions allegedly happened in 1948, but soon afterwards the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) had declared them to be fake. The CDF said Pope Pius XII had approved its position that the apparitions were fake.
Welby, Nichols slam Trump
Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster, head of the Catholic Church in England, and Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, head of the Church of England, have criticised President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
Nichols said “policies based on fear rather than confidence, courage, hospitality and love are policies that will lead to terrible results. He said it is very dangerous to “identify a whole people, a whole nation or a whole religion as the enemy”. Archbishop Welby said he would like to persuade Trump to change his views, as what the US President is doing is out of fear.
‘Trump’s economic views contradict Christian faith’
“Our people migrate for economic necessity, not for pleasure,” said Bishop Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Mexico. He added that “no wall will prevent the poor from trying to get into the United States”. Migrants benefit the American economy, he said, because they do the jobs Americans do not want to do.
The bishop said President Trump’s policies contradict Christian faith as he “cares most about business, money, and economics”.
In an opinion piece posted on the website of the Mexican bishops he wrote: “Jesus Christ has told us that money cannot be our god, and therefore, the ultimate criterion for making decisions cannot be economic. Christ teaches us love for the poor, solidarity with the needy, help for the migrants.”
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)