Pope to Italian Steel Workers: work is essential for human dignity, should be available to all

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has reaffirmed that employment is essential to society, families, and individuals and for the dignity of the human person. In a Vatican audience Thursday for staff and families of the Italian Steel Works company “Acciaierie di Terni” celebrating its 130th anniversary, Pope Francis said his thoughts were directed not only to their company and others in the region, but to “all of the working world.”
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In the current economic climate and the difficulties facing the work environment, the Pope said, “it is necessary to reaffirm that employment is an essential reality for society, for families and for individuals. Work, in fact, directly regards the person, his/her life, freedom and happiness. The primary value of employment is the good of the human person,” because, the Pope explained, it “realizes a person,” intellectually by making demands on his or her attitudes and creative and manual abilities.
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Employment, then, should not be considered simply as a means for obtaining profit, he continued, “but above all a purpose that affects man and his dignity. And if there is no work, this dignity is wounded! Anyone who is unemployed or underemployed risks, in fact, being placed on the margins of society, becoming a victim of social exclusion. Many times it happens that people out of work - I think especially of the many unemployed young people today - slip into chronic discouragement or worse, apathy.”
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I think the Pope is exactly right. But,I hope Pope Frances realizes there are people (I speak about in the US only) that do not wish to work and will not work even when work is available, especially when the state or some other entity is willing to contribute to their long term maintenance.
 
Robertanthony said:
So a person’s dignity hinges on employment. I thought man, as a product of God, had inherent dignity. All the people, handicapped or otherwise, who can’t work have less dignity. I always thought dignity was inalienable. Now I know better.

If you are financially independant and unemployed, how does your dignity fare, then?
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This is not how I understand Pope Francis’ message. Work is not limited to employment only as in one who is a wage-earner. A retired person, a disabled person, a student, everyone still needs the purpose of some kind of work in their lives. Their work may be keeping house, caring for family, volunteering, studies, or a life of prayer. The holy father was not denigrating these people, I’m certain.

What he seems to be addressing is the current state of our job market for those able-bodied folks who would normally be in the work force. But today we see such a desire for profit among employers and share-holders. Fierce global competition, automation, making do with less workers, increased demand for productivity from the remaining workers - all of these things make it so difficult for potential workers. Pope Francis is calling, I think, for a change of heart, to bring respect for human labor back to the workplace. I wish I knew how to make this happen.
 
Blue_Goose said:
I think the Pope is exactly right. But,I hope Pope Frances realizes there are people (I speak about in the US only) that do not wish to work and will not work even when work is available, especially when the state or some other entity is willing to contribute to their long term maintenance.
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A negligible amount. Most people want to work but cannot find work or have circumstances that prevent them from getting employment. That doesn’t change the fact that the government, as the Pope has mentioned, has a responsibility for those people.
 
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