Archbishop Diarmuid Martin on
'Centesimus Annus' and WMF
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| Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin. |
The archbishop of Dublin was in the Vatican for a press
conference marking the 25th anniversary of the 'Centesimus Annus' foundation,
set up to reflect on global economic and social challenges in light of the
Church's social teaching
By Philippa Hitchen
Catholic social teaching is, by its nature, “a work in
progress” that must be constantly in dialogue with political and economic
policy makers.
That was a key message to emerge from a press conference on
Wednesday marking the 25th anniversary of the ‘Centesimus
Annus’ foundation, set up by Pope John Paul II to promote greater
understanding and engagement with the Church’s social teaching.
The foundation is currently preparing for an international
conference in Rome, from May 24th to 26th on
the theme of ‘New Policies and Life-Styles in the Digital Age’. The Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew 1st will give a concluding address on the
theme of ‘A common Christian agenda for the Common Good’.
One of the speakers at the press conference was the Archbishop
of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, who, as a former official of the Pontifical
Justice and Peace Council, was involved with the preparation of Pope John
Paul’s 1991 encyclical ‘Centesimus Annus’.
He reflected on some of the global challenges that have
emerged since the foundation was set up, including the growth of economic
inequality and increased levels of corruption.
Archbishop Martin talked to Vatican News about the
changing focus of the foundation over the past quarter of a century, saying he
believes we “misread the situation at the end of the cold war”.
Need for deeper reflection on economic challenges
He said “we were too optimistic” about the possibilities for
economic growth and “we didn’t realise how the fabric of society in many former
communist countries was disintegrated”. Many of the current problems of
corruption started to emerge at that time, he said, with the trade in arms,
drugs and people trafficking.
Archbishop Martin spoke about the need for a “rigid
reflection” on dialogue between social sciences and Catholic social teaching,
underlining the responsibility of universities to form young people and
indicate “pathways of application”.
Family life and the economy
In a large city like Dublin, he said problems of “new
poverty” are evident, alongside problems linked with family breakdown.
He said he hoped the forthcoming World Meeting of Families
in Dublin would explore questions relating to family life and the economy.
While people tend to think of families in an ideological or abstract way,
he said, we have to see how family life is connected across society to
challenges of homelessness, refugees, or prison ministry.
World Meeting of Families
Asked about preparations for World Meeting of families,
Archbishop Martin said: “Big events have big challenges, and there a s new one
every day!”
Commenting on the papal visit to Ireland for the event, he
said “The programme isn’t definitive yet, but the Pope is coming to Dublin for
the WMF, that was always his intention. This pope has a different style of
visits than his predecessors, and I think everything will work out well”.
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