August
6,
2013 Martin Mallon
(Ireland) Martin's
previous articles
ECONOMIC HOPE
Things are looking up in our world. While most of the world is still struggling with the world economic slow-down there are a few bright spots.
In an Irish Times article on Spain, which can be read here, we have the emergence of what are being called "red priests", who preach a message of hope, solidarity and struggle. These "red priests" have a reputation "for social work and a hands- on approach to faith" and their parishes "emphasise social justice over traditional doctrine."
One immigrant states that:
"This church is like my house, it’s like my family, because they try to help people...
The priests wear casual clothes, even when giving Mass, for which they use a loaf of bread rather than a wafer. Atheists and even Muslims attend these services, heeding the church’s motto that nobody should be excluded from its care."
These "red priests" appear to be exactly what Pope Francis has been calling for and are exactly what is needed in our world today. They make Christ present and touchable among the poor. Which begs the question how is it that one such Parish Priest can say "We don’t have any relationship with the Spanish Catholic Hierarchy and the Vatican."? Hopefully the Vatican’s position will change shortly under Pope Francis, however, this is the traditional type of right wing stance expected of the Spanish Catholic hierarchy and it is difficult to see it change while Opus Dei continues to wield so much political power in the Church.
We can only hope that Francis’ reforms are far reaching enough to influence the Spanish hierarchy.
But it is economic, rather than social, factors that seem to be widening the division between Spain’s radical and traditional churches lately.
The ongoing slump has seen the unemployment rate soar to 27 per cent and two million Spanish families have no breadwinner. Meanwhile, the conservative government of Mariano Rajoy
has implemented a severe austerity programme.Another uplifting article is from NCR, by Joan Chittester and can be read here titled Bhutan's model of Gross National Happiness a glorious goal for modern society. Bhutan is a small country with less than a million citizens and yet this small country is showing, by example, every other country in the world that they are silly when it comes to measuring economic success:
In Bhutan, the Parliament has declared, the GNP -- the Gross National Product by which the wealth of a nation is measured -- has been abandoned. In its place, the government has defined the achievement of Gross National Happiness
as their new standard of success. They have, in other words, chosen a spiritual rather an economic metric of achievement.Imagine –a "spiritual" rather than an "economic" measure of achievement for an economy. Why didn’t we think of that?
According to Joan:
The concept of Gross National Happiness in a people formed in Buddhist values rests on four major principles:
sustainable and equitable socioeconomic development;
conservation of a fragile ecology;
the promotion of culture and the purpose of a human civilization; and
good governance that looks beyond greed to human development. A Romantic model, I know, but impossible. Except that here, it isn't.
When we consider the horrendous recessions and their consequences occurring when standard economic analysis is used, it is clear that something new must be tried. However, this model will not suit most economies where all the evidence in the past thirty years points to the rich getting richer and the middle classes and the poor becoming poorer. Those politicians wishing the system to remain the same will not embrace an economic system "that looks beyond greed to human development".
How could those in favour of the status quo support a system where:
... the national emphasis is on sustainable development, the preservation of cultural values, the conservation of the natural environment and the establishment of good governance -- governance that puts human well-being and happiness before business, productivity or rugged individualism. And it's not mere sloganeering.
Will the politicians and the elite ever support a system "that puts human well-being and happiness before business, productivity or rugged individualism." Unlikely, unless it is driven from the grassroots.
Once again we have to ask ourselves where is the church in this debate. Its silence overall and opposition to the "red priests" suggests it is supporting the rich and elite, however, thankfully, it appears that this is not the approach approved or practiced by Pope Francis and it is clearly his intention that all of our church should operate on behalf of the poor. It will take some time for Francis to turn the church from its current stance, but it is beginning to move.
What can we do to help? Mention or send this article to all our local politicians; plus as Francis says go out there and do something, if it is only to visit one old, sick or lonely person in your neighbourhood – if everyone did this the world would be a much happier place with the joy of the Holy Spirit pouring in as such opportunities are taken up. In addition, we can and must continue to pray for Francis and his reforms.
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