PURSUE A GLOBALIZATION BASED ON SOUND ETHICAL VALUES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 17, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning addressed 300 participants in a meeting promoted by the Ethics and Economy Foundation of Bassano del Grappa, Italy. He focussed his talk on the phenomenon of globalization, underlining that "the word 'global', if understood coherently, must include everyone."

The Pope encouraged the members of this new foundation as they strive towards a "well-articulated reflection on globalization, solidarity and free economic initiatives based on solid ethical and spiritual values." He animated them "to pursue this work to insert into the economic field the expectations and indications of the Magisterium and Social Doctrine of the Church."

He said that globalization is "no doubt a phenomenon which allows for great possibilities for growth and producing riches" but "many also admit that per se it does not assure fair distribution of goods among the citizens of various countries. In reality, the wealth produced often remains in the hands of only a few, with a consequent further loss of sovereignty of national States, already rather weak in the area of development."

"The Church's doctrine," John Paul II affirmed, "teaches that economic growth must be integrated with high values, so as to become qualitative growth; therefore, fair, stable, respectful of cultural and social individuality, as well as ecologically sustainable."

He contended that "man must be the protagonist, not the slave, of the means of production. ... Globalization is ... a phenomenon which is intrinsically ambivalent, half way between a potential good for mankind and social damage with serious consequences."

"There must be," the Pope concluded, "intensified collaboration between politics and economy," especially to care for "those who could be victims of globalization on a worldwide scale. I am thinking, for example, of instruments which could alleviate the heavy burden of foreign debt of developing countries, or legislation which protects infancy from exploitation which occurs when children are sent to work."

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