Pope denounces global economy that exploits children and fails to respect life

At today's audience in Paul VI Hall, Bergoglio began 2025 with the first of two catechesis dedicated to the youngest. He condemned the scourge of child labour, exploitation and abuse: ‘May every boy and girl grow up receiving and giving love’. After Epiphany the invitation to ‘reflect light with one's life’.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Two catecheses dedicated to children and to the ‘scourge of childhood humiliated, exploited, wounded to death’. The year 2025 begins with the little ones in mind, starting with this morning's general audience held in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall. 

‘Today we know how to look towards Mars or towards virtual worlds, but we struggle to look into the eyes of a child who has been left on the margins and who is exploited and abused’. Motivated by these assumptions, the pontiff led us to reflect on why the ‘century that generates artificial intelligence and designs multi-planetary existences’ actually ignores the rights of children.

‘Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such as these belongs the kingdom of God’ (Mk 10:14), are the famous words of rebuke Jesus addressed to his disciples at the time of his public life. Today's catechesis, read at the opening of the audience after the reading of the reference passage (Lk 18:15-17), began with a question: ‘What message does Sacred Scripture give us about children?’. Many were the little ones present in the Aula Nervi. Pope Francis pointed out that after the word ‘Jahweh’, the most recurring word in the Bible is ‘bet’, which means ‘son’ (almost 5,000 occurrences).

‘Children are a gift from God. Unfortunately, this gift is not always treated with respect. The Bible itself takes us to the streets of history where songs of joy resound, but also the screams of the victims are raised,’ he said.

Citing, as an example of painful episodes, the slaughter of children in Bethlehem ordered by Herod - ‘a sombre drama that is repeated in other forms in History’, Pope Francis said - and the flight of Mary, Joseph and Jesus, who become ‘refugees in a foreign country, as happens also today to so many people, to so many children’.

At other times Jesus mentioned children to share teachings. The same children who nowadays are often ‘forced to work’ and are therefore victims of the ‘scourge of child labour’, which does not allow them to nourish their talents.

‘In every part of the earth, there are children exploited by an economy that does not respect life; an economy that, in so doing, burns our greatest reservoir of hope and love,’ are the harsh words of Pope Francis, who this morning appeared chilled, his voice a little fatigued. ‘We cannot remain indifferent’.

Bergoglio finally addressed these words to every Christian, to those who ‘recognise themselves as children of God’, and who therefore perform the service of bringing the ‘good news of the Gospel’ to others in the world.

‘We cannot accept that little sisters and brothers, instead of being loved and protected, are robbed of their childhood, of their dreams, victims of exploitation and marginality,’ he added.

‘Let us ask the Lord to open our minds and hearts to care and tenderness, and that every child in the world may grow in age, wisdom and grace, receiving and giving love,’ was the prayer that concluded the catechesis.

At the end of the audience, bringing greetings to the faithful and the Italian-speaking pilgrims, Pope Francis invited every believer to reflect in his own existence the grace received in the Christmas and Epiphany celebrations just concluded.

‘The Church invites every baptised person, after having adored the glory of God in the Word made flesh, to reflect the light with his or her own life’.

Finally he also had a prayer for peace shared with those present. ‘Let us not forget the tormented Ukraine, let us not forget Nazareth, Israel. Let us not forget all the countries at war. Let us ask for peace. And let us not forget that war always, always, is a defeat'.