Cardinal Czerny: 'We need a new humanitarian economy'

By Lisa Zengarini

Cardinal Michael Czerny, Rector of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, traveled to Germany on Friday to receive the 2024 Klaus Hemmerle Award in recognition of his tireless commitment to human dignity and human rights.

The Focolare movement in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is awarded every two years to those who have made an outstanding contribution as bridge builders and, in a special way, promote dialogue between churches, religions and different worldviews.

It was founded in 2004 in memory of the late theologian and Aachen Klaus Hemmerle (1929-1994), who devoted his life to promoting dialogue and inspired the movement's founder, Chiara Lubitsch.

Before the awards ceremony at Aachen Cathedral on Friday morning, Cardinal Czerny presented the book „”.We are all brothers and sisters – a sign of the times: Pope Francis' social teaching(„We Are All Brothers and Sisters – A Sign of the Times: The Social Teaching of Pope Francis”) at an educational event on the social teaching of the Church

Pope St. Paul VI's Milestone 'People's Progress'

In a presentation at the Commende Dortmund Institute, the Cardinal Prefect explored the Catholic vision of „integrated human development” as set forth by Pope St. Paul VI in his flagship society. encyclopedia Development of people On the development of people, And further developed by the social teaching of Pope Francis.

He noted that by introducing the concept of „integrated human development”, Paul VI challenged the „dominant development paradigm that focuses only on economic development” as opposed to genuine development that should foster „the development of each person and the whole person”.

According to this view, Cardinal Cerny explained, „Everyone has a contribution to make to society as a whole, and no one is excluded from contributing something for the good of all.”

Most importantly, he added, Development of people Recognized that “true development cannot be achieved in isolation, but in the context of a just and balanced society that promotes unity, peace and respect for human dignity”.

Pope Francis' social teachings are rooted in integral human development

Pope Francis' social teaching, the governor continued, is deeply rooted in this concept of integral human development, providing a perspective and guidance on many of the issues facing the world today.

In Good news of joy (2013), Pope criticized globalization and the dominant technocratic and profit-centered paradigm, which measures and manages reality exclusively from an economic perspective and inevitably leads to what he calls a “throwaway culture,” where the excluded are not exploited. As „waste”.

In Appreciated yes (2015), he opposes the „technological paradigm,” arguing that „the market cannot guarantee integrated human development and social inclusion.”

Also, in All the brothers (2020), who states that to build a more just society, the “throwing culture” must be replaced by a “meeting culture”.

Change direction

Faced with today's global challenges, compounded by the current extractive economic model, Cardinal Cerny said Pope Francis invites us to reflect on the urgent need to „change course” and adopt „a new humanitarian economic mindset”. Focus on “from profit to prosperity, from economic growth to sustainability, and from materiality to human dignity”.

„We all have an important role to play in our professional and social roles in shaping a new logic that can protect our fragile environment and strengthen our fragmented societies,” concluded the Cardinal Prefect. „Let the Church never tire of making this contribution, knowing that integrated growth is the path to good to which the human family is called.”