Pope Francis addressed the world's 1.4 billion Catholics during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on October 23, 2024. — Reuters
In a new encyclical letter, the highest form of papal teaching, Pope Francis called on Catholics to abandon the 'mad pursuit' of money and focus on their faith. Released on Thursday, this is Francis' fourth encyclical during his 11-year papacy. Unlike his earlier writings, which tackled political issues such as global climate change and 'trickle-down' economic policies, 'Dilexit nos' (He loved us) encourages believers to strengthen their religious lives.
The pope describes the current era as an 'age of superficiality' where Catholics and other Christians need to rediscover the importance of the heart. 'In a world where everything is bought and sold, people's sense of their worth appears increasingly to depend on what they can accumulate with the power of money,' Francis writes. 'The love of Christ has no place in this perverse mechanism, yet only that love can set us free from a mad pursuit that no longer has room for a gratuitous love,' he adds.
The 142-page text primarily focuses on spiritual themes rather than advocating for concrete political actions. Francis' previous letters, such as 'Laudato Si'' (Praise Be) in 2015 and 'Fratelli Tutti' (Brothers All) in 2020, addressed environmental concerns and economic policies, respectively. The new letter, however, reflects on a Catholic spiritual practice promoted by 17th-century French nun Sr. Margaret Mary Alacoque, who reportedly had visions of Jesus.
Pope Francis emphasizes that Christians should emulate Jesus' love by caring for those in need. 'There is no greater way for us to return love for love,' he states. The release of this papal document coincides with Francis leading a month-long summit of global Catholic leaders at the Vatican, which is expected to release its own text on Saturday. Discussions around divisive issues, such as the possibility of ordaining women as Catholic clergy, have been postponed.
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