Pope Francis has worked to keep in the public discourse the issue of
poverty understood in its widest possible sense, said the prefect of the
Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. "Going well beyond a
merely economic conception of poverty, Pope Francis has tried to
indicate to the world the true poverty of the human condition in our
times: the poverty of body and soul, pointing out all the forces at work
in the world further impoverishing mankind," said Cardinal Gerhard Muller. He made the comments at a conference on poverty. In a keynote
discussion, Cardinal Muller was asked to speak about his 2014 book,
"Poor for the Poor: The Mission of the Church," released by the Vatican
Publishing House. Pope Francis wrote the preface to the book. "The
mission of the church is to free mankind from the poverty of our fallen
condition and constantly remind us that we are created in the image and
likeness of God; we are the object of his divine love; we are called to
the richness of eternal life with him," the cardinal said.
Pope Saint John Paul II , a towering figure of the 20th century, was a staunch critic of socialist ideologies. He recognized the inherent flaws in systems that sought to control economies and societies through centralized planning and state ownership. The pontiff's teachings offered a prophetic warning against the dangers of such regimes, which often led to oppression, poverty, and the erosion of individual freedoms. Recently, a conference organized by the Catholic Association of Propagandists in Spain brought together prominent figures who echoed the concerns raised by the late Pope. Bishop José Ignacio Munilla of Orihuela-Alicante boldly declared socialism an "enemy of the cross," highlighting its incompatibility with Christian values. He emphasized the need for a spiritual renewal, urging individuals to embrace the cross as a path to true happiness and fulfillment. French philosopher Fabrice Hadjadj also addressed the challenges posed by modern society, warning ag...