The prepared speech

Here is an English-language translation of the words which Pope Francis had prepared for his encounter with the workers upon his arrival on the island of Sardinia today.  His Holiness did not actually speak these words, but confided this text to the Archbishop of Cagliari, asking him to share them with the faithful of his Archdiocese.

Prepared speech for the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the encounter with the workers

at Cagliari, Sardinia

I wish to share with you three simple but decisive points.

The first: return the focus to the person and to work.  The economic crisis has a European and a global dimension; but the crisis is not only an economic one, it is also a crisis of ethics, a spiritual crisis and a human crisis.  At the root it is a betrayal of the common good, both on the part of individuals and of groups who are in power.  We must therefore remove centrality from the law of profits and rents and refocus on the centrality of the person and of the common good.  This is a very important factor in terms of the dignity of persons and especially in terms of work, because there is a genuine promotion of the person who is guaranteed employment.  This is a task that belongs to the whole of society, therefore we should recognize and acknowledge those entrepreneurs who, despite all odds, have never ceased engaging, investing and taking risks in order to secure employment.  The culture of work, in comparison to that of the welfare state, implies an emphasis on education meant to prepare our people for work, even for the young, accompanying those who work, dignity for every work-related activity, a sharing of work and the elimination of illegal work.  At this stage, the whole of society, in all its components, needs to make every effort possible because work, which is a source of dignity, has a central concern!  Your insular condition makes this situation even more urgent for all of you, but above all for political and economic reasons.

A second element is the Gospel of hope.  Sardinia is a land which has been blessed by God with many human and environmental resources, but as it is in the rest of Italy, it needs fresh motivation in order to be restarted.  Christians can and must do their part, bringing their specific contribution: the evangelical vision of life.

I recall the words of Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to Cagliari in 2008: we need to ‘evangelize the world of work, of the economy and of politics, requiring a new generation of committed lay Christians, capable of seeking with competency and moral rigour, solutions to sustainable development (Homily, 7 September 2008).  The bishops of Sardinia are particularly sensitive to this reality, especially to the world of work.  You, dear Bishops, have indicated the need for serious and realistic discernment, but oriented toward a journey of hope, as was written in the Message in preparation for this visit.  This is important, it is the proper response!  Look reality in the face, know it well, understand it and try all the roads together, with the methodology of collaboration and dialogue, living always close to others in order to bring them hope.  Never lose hope!  Don’t confuse hope with optimism, which simply speaks of a psychological attitude – or with other things.  Hope is creative, it is capable of creating a future.

Third: dignified work for all.  A society that is open to hope is not closed in upon itself, on the fulfilment of the interests only of a few, but looks forward to the potential of the common good.  And this calls for everyone to be deeply committed with a strong sense of responsibility.  There is no social hope without dignified work for everyone.  This is why we need to prioritize the goal of access to employment or maintain it for all (Benedict XVI, Encyclical Caritas in veritate, 32).

I said dignified work, and I emphasized it because unfortunately, especially when there is a crisis and the need is strong, inhuman forms of work seem to grow: slave labour, work without proper security, or even without respect for creation, or without respect for rest, for holidays and for family, working on Sunday when it is not necessary.  Work should always be considered in the light of caring for creation because it must be preserved responsibly for future generations.  Creation is not a commodity to be exploited, but a gift to be cherished.  This same commitment to the environment is an opportunity for new jobs in related sectors such as energy, the preservation and elimination of various forms of pollution, the oversight of forest fires, and so on.  Preserving creation and taking care for people by providing dignified work is everyone's responsibility!  Ecology ... and even human ecology!

Dear friends, I am particularly close to you, placing in the hands of the Lord and those of Our Lady of Bonaria all your anxieties and preoccupations.  Blessed John Paul II pointed out that Jesus worked with his hands.  Indeed, his work, which was real physical labour, occupied most of his life here on this earth and this is how he entered into the work of the redemption of man and of the world (Address to workers, Terni, March 19, 1981).  It is important that workers devote themselves to their task with diligence, dedication and expertise; it's important that we all have the habit of work.

I hope that, in the logic of gratitude and solidarity, we can go on together from this negative phase, so that all people may be assured of secure, dignified and stable work.

Share my greetings with your family, with your children, with your young people, with the elderly.  I carry all of you in my prayer.  And I willingly impart my blessing upon you all, on your labour and on your social commitment.