Kyrie Eleison

Catholic Culture : News Briefs : Pope to G20 leaders: Don’t abandon the poor

In a letter to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Pope Benedict urged the leaders of the world’s 20 wealthiest nations not to turn their backs on the world’s poorest nations.

The Pontiff noted that the G20 accounts for “90% of the world’s gross production and 80% of world trade.” Calling for solutions to the crisis in which the poorest nations have a voice, and exhorting wealthy nations not to adopt nationalistic or protectionist policie, the Pope wrote:

The current crisis has raised the spectre of the cancellation or drastic reduction of external assistance programmes, especially for Africa and for less developed countries elsewhere. Development aid, including the commercial and financial conditions favourable to less developed countries and the cancellation of the external debt of the poorest and most indebted countries, has not been the cause of the crisis and, out of fundamental justice, must not be its victim

When the economic crisis hit late 2008 the US and other industrialized companies leapt with an eagerness and ferocity to tackle the problem that the world has seldom if ever witnessed previously.  This enthusiasm for tackling difficult problems was noticeably lacking in 2007 when the G7, G8, G20, G8 (it was still G8 then) met.  The hot issue (hot enough to get Bono excited) was debt relief for Africa.  The economic world leaders made tepid promises (nothing like what was really needed), and then reneged on the inadequate offers they made.

When our own wealth is at stake, justice be damned – we pull out all the stops.  Never mind the everyday man (much less the poor of the third world), we have to save these massive banks and international conglomerates.  Hmm, AIG – save ‘em, Africa – blank ‘em.

When crises like these hit, it always hurts the poor disproportionately.  Take the following examples:
Let’s say that a billionaire looses half his wealth.  This is not good, but I would lay down dollars to donughts that he will survive, and in style. 

Let’s say someone less wealthy but not bad off, say someone making $150K with $100K in home equity looses the home equity AND takes a 33% salary shave.  Yikes!  Not so good.  He may lose the house, but in the end he will probably make it through OK.

Now imagine the poor fellow making $40K with no savings and debt – and he loses his job and can’t pay the rent. This is bad.  I’m not sure that there is much concern about “style” here the focus will be on surviving.

Now imagine the poor of the third world.  They don’t have it as good as the third example.  Put that in your economic think tank and consider it.  And here is your wake up call, folks: the poor of the world are of equal dignity to you and me.  The third world child who will die tomorrow is as valuable as you are and as I am.

So while we run around trying to save ourselves, perhaps we should heed what Pope B16 has to say. It is time we run just as fast to help the poor as you do the rich. Even, or rather, ESPECIALLY if you are the rich. Period.