Pope Francis received in audience this morning, in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, the participants in the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life, underway from September 27-29, 2021, on the theme “Public Health in a Global Perspective: Pandemic, Bioethics, Future.” The Holy Father exhorted to listen to “the cry of the earth as well as the cry of the poor.”
At the beginning of his address, the Pontiff explained that, in face of the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, “it is essential to reflect calmly to examine in depth what has happened and see the path to a better future for all.” Worse than this crisis is only the tragedy of not taking advantage of it. I encourage you in this effort,” he continued.
Human Family and Common Home
The Holy Father then pointed out that “the pandemic crisis has made manifest how profound the interdependence is both between us as well as between the human family and our common home. Our societies, especially in the Wet, have tended to forget this interconnection, and the bitter consequences are before our eyes.”
Therefore, he warned, “it’s urgent to invert this harmful tendency in this change of time, and it’s possible to do so through the synergy between different disciplines: biology and hygiene, medicine and epidemiology, but also economics and sociology, anthropology and ecology. The objective is not only to understand the phenomena but also to identify the technological, political, and ethical criteria of action in relation to health systems, the family, work, and the environment.
Responsibility for the Poor
The Pope exhorted to take advantage of the health crisis to “become conscious of what it means to be vulnerable and to live daily in precariousness. Thus we could also become responsible for the grave conditions in which other people live and for whom up to now we have little or no interest at all. We would learn not to project our priorities over populations that live in other Continents, where other needs are more urgent. “
“To consider health in its many dimensions and at a global level helps to understand and to assume responsibly the interconnection of the phenomena. Thus observed better also are the conditions of life, which are the result of social and environmental policies, which have an impact on the health of human beings. If we examine the hope of life and the hope of healthy life in different countries and in different social groups, we discover great inequalities,” he stressed.
Curb Inequalities
The Bishop of Rome says that we “affirm that life and health are equally fundamental values for all, based on the inalienable dignity of the human person. However, if this affirmation is not followed by an appropriate commitment to overcome the inequalities, we are in fact accepting the painful reality that not all lives are equal and health is not protected for all in the same way.”
In this line, he reiterates his concern that “there be a free health system: let us not lose the countries that have it, for example, Italy and others, that have a good free health system; let us not lose it, because otherwise, it would mean that only those have the right to health care that can pay for it, others not. And this is a very great challenge. This helps to overcome the inequalities.
Throwaway Culture
He also called our attention to the fact that “we are victims of a throwaway culture (. . . ) And today this has become ‘normal,’ a habit that is very ugly, it’s really a homicide, and to understand it well perhaps it would help is to ask ourselves a double question: Is it right to eliminate, to take away a human life to solve a problem? Is it right to contract a hitman to solve a problem? This is abortion. And then, on the other hand, the elderly: the elderly are also somewhat throwaway material, no?
“But they are wisdom, they are the roots of wisdom of our civilization, and this civilization rejects them. Yes, and in many places, there is also a ‘concealed’ euthanasia law, as I call it: it’s the law that as ‘medication is expensive, only half is given,’ and this means to shorten the life of the elderly. With this, we deny hope: the hope of children that bring us life that makes us go forward, and the hope that is in the roots that the elderly give us. We throw away both.”
And then there is “that daily rejection, that life is rejected. Let’s be careful with this throwaway culture: it’s not a problem of one law or another; it’s a problem of rejection. And in that direction, you, academics, Catholic Universities, and also Catholic hospitals cannot permit yourselves to go. This is a path we can’t follow: the path of rejection.”
Here is His Holiness’ full address, offered by the Holy See.
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Dear Sisters and Brothers:
I’m pleased to meet with you on the occasion of your General Assembly, and I thank Archbishop Paglia for his words. I also want to greet the numerous academics connected.
The subject you have chosen for these three days of work is particularly topical: public health on the horizon of globalization. In fact, the pandemic crisis has made resonate more forcefully “the cry of the earth as well as the cry of the poor” (Encyclical Laudato Si’, 49). We cannot be deaf to this double cry; we must listen to it well. And that is what you propose to do.
The examination of the numerous and grave questions that have arisen over the last two years isn’t an easy task. On one hand, we are exhausted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the inflation of the arguments aroused: we almost don’t want to hear it anymore and we are in a hurry to move on to other topics. But, on the other hand, it’s indispensable to reflect calmly, to examine in depth what has happened and see the way to a better future for all. In fact, “only worse than this crisis is the tragedy of not taking advantage of it” (Homily of Pentecost, May 31, 2020). And we know that we don’t come out of a crisis the same: we either come out better or we come out worse, but not the same. The decision is in our hands. And, I repeat, only worse than this crisis is the tragedy of not taking advantage of it. I encourage you in this effort; and the dynamic of discernment seems wise and opportune to me, according to which your meeting unfolds: in the first place, to listen attentively to the situation, to be able to foster a true conversion, and to arrive at concrete decisions to come out better from the crisis.
The reflection you have carried out in the last years on global bioethics is revealing itself very valuable. I encouraged you in this perspective with the Letter Humana Communitas, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of your Academy. In fact, the horizon of public health enables us to focus on important aspects for the coexistence of the human family and for the strengthening of a fabric of social friendship. They are central themes of the Encyclical Fratelli Tutti (see chapter 6).
The pandemic crisis has made manifest the profundity of the interdependence both between ourselves as well as between the human family and our common home (cf. Encyclical Laudato Si’, 86; 164). Our societies, especially in the West, have tended to forget this interconnection. And the bitter consequences are before our eyes. Therefore, it’s urgent to invert this harmful tendency in this change of time, and it’s possible to do so through the synergy between different disciplines: biology and hygiene, medicine and epidemiology, but also economics and sociology, anthropology and ecology. The objective is not only to understand the phenomena but also to identify the technological, political, and ethical criteria of action in relation to health systems, the family, work, and the environment.
This focus is especially important in the realm of health, as health and sickness are not only determined by the processes of nature, but also by social life. Moreover, it’s not enough that a problem be grave for it to hit the front pages and so have attention paid to it: there are so many very grave problems that are ignored because of the lack an adequate effort. Let u think of the devastating impact of certain sicknesses such as malaria and tuberculosis: the precariousness of hygienic and health conditions that every year cause millions of avoidable deaths in the world. If we compare this situation with the worry caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we see that the perception of the gravity of the problem and the corresponding mobilization of energy and resources is very different.
Of course, it’s right that we take all the measures to contain and overcome COVID-19 at the global level, but this historical juncture in which our health is threatened up close should make us conscious of what it means to be vulnerable and to live daily in precariousness. Thus we could also make ourselves responsible for the grave conditions in which other people live and for whom up to now we have been interested little or not at all. We would learn not to project our priorities over populations that live in other Continents, where these needs are more urgent; where, for example, not only are vaccines lacking, but also potable water and daily bread. We don’t know whether to laugh or cry, sometimes cry, when we hear rulers or community leaders counsel slum inhabitants to clean themselves several times a day with water and soap … But, hey, you have never been in a slum: there is no water there, soap is unknown there. “No, don’t go out of the house!” — but the whole neighborhood there is the house because they live [he makes a gesture] . . . Please, let us take care of these realities, also when we reflect on health. Let the commitment be welcomed then, of a just and universal distribution of vaccines — which is very important –but taking into account the wider ambit in which the same criteria is required of justice for the necessities of health and the promotion of life.
To consider health in its many dimensions and at the global level helps to understand and to assume responsibly the interconnection of the phenomena. And thus observed better also is how the conditions of life, which are the result of social and environmental policies, have an impact on the health of human beings. If we examine the hope of life — and the hope of a healthy life — in different countries and in different social groups, we discover great inequalities.
They depend on variables such as the salary level, educational programs, the district of residence including in the same city. We affirm that life and health are equally fundamental values for all, based on the inalienable dignity of the human person. However, if this affirmation is not followed by an adequate commitment to overcome the inequalities, we are accepting in fact the painful reality that not all lives are equal and health is not protected for all in the same way. And here I want to reiterate my concern that there always be a free health system: let us not lose the countries that have it, for example, Italy and others, which have a good free health system; let’s not lose it because otherwise, it would mean that only those have the right to healthcare who can pay for it, others not. And this is a very great challenge; this helps to overcome the inequalities.
Therefore, we must support the international initiatives — I’m thinking, for example, of the recent ones promoted by the G20, geared to create a global governance for the health of all the inhabitants of the earth, namely, a set of clear and concerted rules at the international level that respects human dignity. In fact, the risk of new pandemics will continue to be a threat also in the future.
The Pontifical Academy for Life can also make a valuable contribution in this connection, feeling itself a companion on the way of other international organizations committed to the same objective. In this connection, it’s important to take part in joint initiatives and, in your case, in the public debate. This requires, naturally, that, without “watering down” the content, we try to communicate it with an appropriate language and with comprehensible arguments in the present social context, so that the Christian anthropological proposal, inspired in Revelation, can also help the men and women of today to rediscover “as primary the right to life from conception to its natural end.” I would also like to mention here that we are victims of a throwaway culture. In his presentation, Monsignor Paglia mentioned something, but the rejection of children is there that we don’t want to receive, with an abortion law that sends them back to the Sender and kills them directly. And today this has become a “normal” thing, a habit that is very ugly, it’s really a homicide, and to understand it well, perhaps it will help us to ask ourselves a double question: Is it right to eliminate, to take away a human life to solve a problem? Is it right to contract a hitman to solve a problem? This is abortion. And then, on the other hand, are the elderly. The elderly are also somewhat material of rejection, no? Because they are of no use whatsoever . . . But they are wisdom, they are the roots of the wisdom of our civilization, and this civilization rejects them. Yes, in many places there is also a “concealed” law of euthanasia, as I call it: it’s the law that, as “medication is expensive, only half is given,” and this means to shorten the life of the elderly. With this, we deny hope: the hope of children that bring us life and make us go forward, and the hope that is in the roots that the elderly give us. We reject both. And then, there is that daily rejection, that life is rejected. Let’s be careful with this throwaway culture: it’s not a problem of one law or another; it’s a problem of rejection. And in that direction you, academics, Catholic Universities, and also Catholic hospitals, cannot permit yourselves the luxury of following it. This is a path we cannot follow, the path of rejection. Therefore, the study that your Academy has elaborated in these last years on the subject of the impact of the new technologies on human life and, specifically on the <somewhat rhetic> in such a way that “science be truly at the service of man and not man at the service of science.”
In this connection, I encourage the work of the recently created Renaissance Foundation to spread and reflect further Rome Call for Al Ethics, to which I sincerely hope many will adhere.
Finally, I would like to thank you for the commitment and contribution of the Academy to take part actively in the Vatican’s COVID Commission, thank you very much. It’s lovely to see the cooperation taking place in the Roman Curia in the realization of a shared project. We need to develop increasingly these joint processes, in which I know many of you have taken part, urging greater attention to the more vulnerable, such as the elderly, the disabled, and young people.
With these sentiments of gratitude, I entrust to the Virgin Mary the works of this Assembly and also all your activities as Academy for the defense and promotion of life. My heartfelt Blessing goes to each one of you and to your dear ones. And I ask you, please, to pray for me because I need it. Thank you.
© Libreria Editrice Vatican
Translation by Virginia M. Forrester
