International meeting in Paris/ Message of Monsignor Joan Pelushi: Solidarity with the poor and peace

2024-09-29 13:38:00, Sociale CNA

International meeting in Paris/ Message of Monsignor Joan Pelushi: Solidarity

Monsignor Joan Pelushi participated in the international meeting held in Paris, "Imaginare la pace", organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio, on September 22-24, 2024.

The French President Emmanuel Macron, the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo and senior leaders from all faiths around the world also participated in the meeting.

Monsignor Joan Pelushi gave his speech, solidarity with the poor and peace, where he emphasized that "Peace is a combination of justice and solidarity. There can be no peace if there is no justice and there can be no justice if there is no solidarity".

He also underlined that "It is the right of every human being to be treated in accordance with his inherent dignity and society should be directed towards this good".

The speech of Monsignor Joan Pelushi.

Solidarity with the poor and peace

The Church has a long tradition of teaching on solidarity with the poor and peace. The main elements that define the Church's response to poverty, solidarity and peace are love and dignity for every human person, no matter who they are. It is the right of every human being to be treated in accordance with his innate dignity and society should be directed towards this good. The socio-economic structures that keep people in poverty are unjust and require improvement. Those who oppress the poor show contempt for their Creator, but those who are kind to the needy honor Him (Prov. 14:31).

In one of the oldest texts of the Church, the Didakia, Christians were commanded to share with others all they had: "If you have in common what is eternal, how much more should you have what is transitory." In his lecture "On love for the poor", St. Gregory the Theologian begins with a review of various Christian virtues and concludes that above all virtues, we must look at love, as the first and highest of the commandments. , since it is the summation of the Law and the prophets, and the most vital part of it he found in love for the poor, as well as in compassion for people. We must constantly remember that Christ's first work was to preach the gospel to the poor (Lk. 4:18). The Church stands to continue the saving work of Christ and the poor must be the first for that too.

International meeting in Paris/ Message of Monsignor Joan Pelushi: Solidarity

Peace is a combination of justice and solidarity. There can be no peace if there is no justice and there can be no justice if there is no solidarity. Wars are the result of the violation of people's rights, the exploitation of individuals or countries, and greed, which always create poverty and conflict. The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development states: There can be no sustainable development without peace and there can be no peace without sustainable development. Because extreme poverty is both a product of conflict and its cause. It fosters frustration and hopelessness, which are key ingredients in generating violence. History has shown thousands of examples of how war and conflict lead to poverty and destruction, and poverty leads to further conflict, thus creating a vicious circle. The war in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as conflicts in many parts of the world, show us the great damage of war and the suffering and poverty of millions of people. They are a strong call to all of us to try to stop wars, make peace wherever there is conflict, and stand in solidarity with the poor and needy. By fighting poverty, we reduce the possibility of conflict, and by avoiding conflict, there is more opportunity to ensure peace.

Solidarity reaffirms the idea that people are created as communal beings and are called to live in community with one another, uniting for the common good and preserving the dignity of every human person. We are all brothers and sisters. To be in brotherhood and solidarity with one another is not only to feel pity for others, but to feel their pain and act for the good of others. We need to renew the mindset that thinks in terms of community.

International meeting in Paris/ Message of Monsignor Joan Pelushi: Solidarity

Solidarity is an expression of our interconnectedness with each other. St. Paul helps us understand the reality of this interconnectedness through an analogy with our physical bodies. For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ... And if one member suffers, all the members suffer; and if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. (Rom. 12:14; 1 Cor. 12:26)). Without solidarity and brotherhood, we cannot even have freedom and equality.

It is a duty and a calling for all of us to build peace in solidarity with the poor. As religious, we must base ourselves on Holy Scripture and the rich tradition of the Church. The earth is God's and everything in it - says the Psalmist (Ps. 24:1). Wealth is God's gift to all people and not just to some of them. We are not its owners, but only its caretakers. You are not giving a gift to the poor from your wealth. You are handing over to him what is his - says Saint Ambrose of Milan.

Wealth itself is neutral, but it depends on how we see it. When we consider it as personal property, we abuse God's property and here is the source of every economic and social crisis. Economic crises, wars and poverty stem from a spiritual crisis. Without healing the spiritual crisis, we cannot heal the economic one and we cannot have peace, and without peace we will have wars and poverty. We must try to encourage all parts of society to put the needs of the poorest at the center of their policies. As Mahatma Gandhi said: The greatness of a nation is measured by how it treats its weaker members.

International meeting in Paris/ Message of Monsignor Joan Pelushi: Solidarity

We may not be able to suggest concrete alternatives to economic globalization, nor do we have the expertise to develop complex economic policies and practices to regulate the global economy. But, we must be present in the daily life of society, to spread, not only with words, but also with deeds and personal example, the warm spirit of love and compassion between people, in order not to let human society be frozen by the icy wind of selfishness and fragmented by indifference and apathy. Also, we must always be ready and creative to work within the processes and opportunities of free societies to build a social structure where the poor are not simply objects of charity for the rich, but where they have the chance to work and to participate in the resources of humanity. In this way, the poor will have dignity, because more than bread, the human being needs dignity and respect, a dignity that the Creator himself bestowed upon him when he created him in His image.

The priority of the Orthodox Church has always been the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. But she understands that this Gospel of the Kingdom is important even in this life. Therefore, he has tried to maintain the balance, without opposition and without choosing one and neglecting the other, between the Gospel of the Kingdom, which includes the pastoral work for the salvation of man, and the Social Gospel, which includes the feeding of the poor, health care and education and the protection of the weak, because both aspects are important and interconnected.

International meeting in Paris/ Message of Monsignor Joan Pelushi: Solidarity

The great courage of the Fathers in social matters is well known. For St. Joan Gojarti, the sacrament of the altar is nothing if it does not extend to the sacrament of the poor. "Do you want to honor the Body of the Savior? - asks St. Joan Gojarti, commenting on the Gospel according to Matthew. And answers - Do not despise him when he is naked. Do not honor him inside the church in silk garments, while outside he is naked and frozen by the cold. He who said, 'This is my body,' and made it so by his word, is the same who said, 'You saw me hungry and you fed me. Whatever you did to one of these younger brothers of mine, you did to me.' So honor him by sharing wealth with the poor. For God does not need golden cups but golden souls.”

In conclusion, I believe that God wants us to hear the cry of the poor and help them. On this occasion I want to thank the Community of Sant Egidio, present all over the world, which not only hears the cry of the poor and the needy, but also responds to their need.

Monsignor Joan Pelushi/ CNA