Vatican City, 5 March 2014 (VIS) –
Pope Francis has sent a message to the faithful in Brazil on the
occasion of the annual Lenten “Fraternity Campaign”, which this
year takes on the theme of “Brotherhood and human trafficking”,
and whose slogan will be “For freedom Christ has set us free”.
“During the next forty days, we will
seek to be more aware of the infinite mercy God has given to us and
asks us to give to others, especially those most in need: 'You are
free! Go and help your brothers to be free!'. In this sense, and
wishing to mobilise Christians and persons of good will in Brazilian
society against the social ill of human trafficking, our Brazilian
brother bishops propose this year the theme 'Fraternity and human
trafficking'”.
“It is not possible to remain
indifferent before the knowledge that human beings are bought and
sold like goods! I think of the adoption of children for the
extraction of their organs, of woman deceived and obliged to
prostitute themselves, of workers exploited and denied rights or a
voice, and so on. And this is human trafficking. 'It is precisely on
this level that we need to make a good examination of conscience: how
many times have we permitted a human being to be seen as an object,
to be put on show in order to sell a product or to satisfy an immoral
desire? The human person ought never to be sold or bought as if he or
she were a commodity. Whoever uses human persons in this way and
exploits them, even if indirectly, becomes an accomplice of this
injustice'. Moving on to the family level, entering into the home,
how often do we see that even there, often there is abuse. Parents
who enslave their children, children who enslave their parents;
married couples who, forgetting their duty in receiving this gift,
exploit one another as if they were products for consumption,
disposable products; the elderly ,without a place in society and
children and adolescents without a voice. How many attacks to the
basic values of the fabric of family life and social coexistence.
Yes, there is a need to profoundly examine our consciences. How can
one proclaim the joy of Easter, without lending support to those who
are denied their freedom on this earth?”.
He continues, “Be sure: if I offend
the human dignity of others, it is because I have previously divested
myself of my own. And why have I done this? For power, fame, material
goods … in exchange for my dignity as a a son or daughter of God,
whose salvation comes at the price of Christ's blood on the Cross and
is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit who calls inside us, 'Abba,
father!'. Human dignity is the same for all human beings; if I
trample that of another, I also trample my own. Christ freed us so
that we might live free in freedom! … I hope that Christians and
persons of good faith may make efforts to ensure that men, women,
young people or children may never more be victims of human
trafficking. It is the most effective foundation for re-establishing
human dignity and proclaiming Christ's Gospel in towns and country,
because Jesus wishes to sow life in abundance everywhere”,
concludes the Holy Father.
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