Focusing his talk on the fourth of his "Healing the World" series, Francis is urging everyone to check statistics to see how many children are dying of hunger because of a poor distribution of wealth and a sick economic system.

We should also check many children do not have the right to school, for the same reason, he said.

"May it be this image, of children in need of hunger and lack of education, which helps us to understand that after this crisis we must come out better" and understand the need for change, he said.

Francis explained the pandemic and its social consequences are causing many people to be in danger of losing hope.

"The pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated social problems, especially inequality. Some may work from home, while for many others this is impossible."

"Some children, despite the difficulties, can continue to receive a school education, while for many others it has stopped abruptly."

"Some powerful nations can issue money to deal with the emergency, while for others this would mean mortgaging the future."

He said these symptoms of inequality are a social disease caused by "a virus that comes from a sick economy" and "the fruit of inequitable economic growth" that has taken place independent of fundamental human values.

"In today's world, a few of the very rich have more than the rest of humanity. [...] It is an injustice that cries out to heaven."

Francis said this economic model will result in irreversible consequences such loss of biodiversity, climate change, rising sea levels and the destruction of tropical forests.

"Social inequality and environmental degradation go hand in hand and have the same root, that of the sin of wanting to possess, of wanting to dominate brothers and sisters, of wanting to possess and dominate nature and God himself. But this is not the design of creation."

The transformation of money and property into ends in themselves, rather than as tools, had led to the emergence of individualistic and calculating people Francis calls "homo œconomicus."

"We forget that, being created in the image and likeness of God, we are social, creative and supportive beings, with an immense capacity to love. We often forget about this," he said.

"When the obsession with owning and dominating excludes millions of people from primary goods; when economic and technological inequality is such as to tear the social fabric; and when addiction to unlimited material progress threatens the common home, then we cannot stand by. No, this is bleak. We cannot stand and watch."

"After the crisis, will we continue with this economic system of social injustice and contempt for the care of the environment, of creation, of the common home?"

He hopes to inspire a healthier and more equitable world.

Source

• The Tablet
• Image: United Way Worldwide

A Curia poll found support from 87 per cent of respondents as lawmakers prepare to set new rules governing the availability of poker machines.

Across the Auckland region there are 4,183 pokie machines at 305 different venues. In 2011, $245 million dollars was lost on them.

Problem gambling figures suggest that around 40% of that money came from problem gamblers who are usually those who can least afford it.

Opposition to gambling venues has also been revealed in the more than 9,500 submissions received on Auckland Council's proposed policies on TAB and pokie venues.

The council aims to set policies for non-casino pokie venues, with 4069 gambling machines in pubs and clubs across the city.

Local governments are obliged by law to set policies and the new policy was the first chance to have a unified approach across Auckland.

"It's great to see so many people taking the time to make their views known on the subject of gambling," says Councillor Cathy Casey, Chair of the council's Social and Community Development Forum.

"We identified the need to minimise gambling-related harm in the Auckland Plan. These two policies are a way we can achieve that. It is clear from the number of submissions that our communities care very much about gambling in Auckland."

Problem Gambling Foundation national health manager Tony Milne said a sinking-lid policy would stop licences to run pokies being transferred from bars and clubs which closed. "The most powerful submissions come from people who have experienced the harm from pokie machines with accounts of lives … torn apart by pokie machines."

Source

• NZsport.yahoo.com
• The New Zealand Herald
• blog.greens.org.nz
• bobmccroskie.com
• Image: 3News

The Chairman of the National Council of Churches (NCC), Reverend Kasiano Le'aupepe, says the churches must play a more active role in addressing social problems in Samoa.

He says one of the biggest social problems in Samoa is the love of money.

"I believe this is what's causing all the problems Samoan people face today. Our people see money as their new god, that without money we would cease to exist. We have fallen into this idea that everything is about money," Le'aupepe says.

It is not "a bad thing to have money" but the church must be strong to tell its members that "not everything is about money."

Source

• WeekendObserver
• Image: Abitrage