01 June, 11:06

Pope: politics thinks about life limits, not about old dignities

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Pope Francis weekly General Audience © ANSA

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Pope Francis weekly General Audience © ANSA

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Pope Francis weekly General Audience © ANSA

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Pope Francis weekly General Audience © ANSA

(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 01 - The Pope appeals to politics to pay more attention to the elderly.

"Why is politics, which is so committed to defining the limits of a dignified survival, at the same time insensitive to the dignity of an affectionate coexistence with the old and the sick?", Asked Pope Francis in the general audience, continuing the catechesis on old age .

   Taking advantage of the frailty of the elderly means that "old age not only loses its dignity, but we even doubt that it deserves to continue. Thus, we are all tempted to hide our vulnerability, to hide our illness, our age, our old age, because we fear that they are the antechamber of our loss of dignity ".

The Pope said this in the general audience while continuing the catechesis on aging.

"Let us ask ourselves: is it human to induce this feeling? How is it that modern civilization, so advanced and efficient, is so uncomfortable with sickness and old age?", Asked the Pope. For the Pontiff, "a magister of fragility" is necessary, because we must not "hide old age and the fragility of old age".

"

   A reform that is now indispensable for the benefit of the coexistence of all.

The conceptual and practical marginalization of the old corrupts all seasons of life, not just that of old age. "Pope Francis invited us to think that" old age comes for everyone and how you would like to be treated, treats the elderly today "who they are". wisdom "," the memory of the country "." May the Lord grant the elders who are part of the Church the generosity of this invocation and this provocation.

For the good of all, of them, of us and of our children ", the Pope concluded.

   It is "vile", it is a "shame" to take advantage of the elderly, as happens in today's society and often also within families.

The Pope said this in the general audience, continuing her catechesis on old age.

"The fragility and vulnerability of old age" often "becomes an opportunity for abandonment, deception, prevarication and arrogance, which at times overwhelm the elderly. A form of cowardice in which we specialize in our society".

"In fact, there is no lack of those who take advantage of the age of the elderly - Pope Francis underlined -, to cheat him, to intimidate him in a thousand ways. We often read in the newspapers or hear news of seniors who are deceived without scruple to seize their savings;

or who are left unprotected and abandoned without care;

or offended by forms of contempt and intimidated because they give up their rights.

Even in families, this is serious but it happens, such cruelties happen.

The discarded elders, abandoned in retirement homes, without their children go to see them or, if they go, only a few times a year.

   The elderly put on the corner of existence ". For the Pontiff" the whole society must hurry to take care of his old people, they are the treasure, more and more numerous, and often even more abandoned.

When we hear of elderly people who are expropriated of their autonomy, their safety, even their home, we understand that the ambivalence of today's society towards old age is not a problem of occasional emergencies, but a trait of that throwaway culture that poisons the world. in which we live ". (ANSA).

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