Message of Pope Francis to the participants in the International Conference “From Populorum progressio to Laudato si’”, Vatican City, November 23rd-24th, 2017
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Venerable Brother
Cardinal Peter K.A. Turkson
Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
In these days, convened by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the representatives of the various trade union organizations and workers’ movements met in Rome to reflect on and discuss the theme “From Populorum progressio to Laudato si’. Work and workers’ movements at the centre of integral, sustainable and fraternal human development”. I thank your Eminence and your collaborators, and cordially greet you all.
Blessed Paul VI, in his Encyclical Populorum progressio, states that “development … cannot be restricted to economic growth alone. To be authentic, it must be well rounded”, that is, it must fully promote the entire person, and also all people and populations.[1] And since “a person flourishes in work”,[2] the social doctrine of the Church has highlighted on several occasions that this is not one issue among many, but rather the “essential key” to the whole social question.[3] Indeed, work “is the condition not only for economic development but also for the cultural and moral development of persons, the family, society”.[4]
7th October: Workers Worldwide Struggle for a Universal Basic Income
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“But let justice roll on like a river,righteousness like a never-failing stream!”
(Am 5:24)
7th October has to be an imperative framework in the fight for decent work, as proposed by the ILO - International Labour Organization. In the light of advances in technology, we affirm that work, today and in the future, can be carried out in freedom and creativity, has to correspond to the needs of people and communities, it needs to respect the environment and the natural resources and must be a factor of cohesion, integration and fair distribution of wealth.
We, the activists of the World Movement of Christian Workers (WMCW), express our concern, indignation and disquiet at the way the dominant political and economic classes lead to the social and labour crisis that devastate the workers in the world and affect to the population without distinction, but especially to the most impoverished. With high unemployment rates, increasingly precarious employment, labour rights and social protection in regression in so many countries and nonexistent in many others, we are a voice of denunciation and commitment in the fight against the devaluation of human labour and to the discard of the workers.
Final Statement of the International Seminar and General Assembly of WMCW - Ávila (Spain) 2017
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Gathered to discuss and renew our commitment to bringing the Gospel closer to the world of work, we have completed the work of the International Seminar and the General Assembly – WMCW - on the theme "Land, Housing and Work for a decent life". This seminar was held in Avila, Spain, from 15 to 21 July 2017, and has brought together 120 delegates from 42 movements of Christian workers from Africa, America, Asia and Europe.
During these days, we have lived together in a caring and fraternal way. We were welcomed by the city, its diocese, its mass media and for that we are very grateful. During our meeting, we were able to welcome among us the main leaders of the Church and the trade union representatives of Spain, who encouraged us to continue building bridges between the world of the Church and the world of work.
We thank God for 50 years of Christian presence in the world of work and for this journey alongside so many working brothers, sharing their doubts and hopes, their joys and their sorrows.
We feel supported by Pope Francis in our task of evangelization. In his message to our Assembly, through the Bishop of Avila, the Pope invites us to « bring the Gospel closer to the world of work, so that the voice of workers continues to resonate within the Church; and to lead the struggle so that the whole world can live in dignity, with no one excluded from it. »
From our perspective of believers, we have shared our experience and our presence in the different realities of the movements that make up the WMCW. The International Labour Organization (ILO), the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the Popular Movement of Forgotten Neighbourhoods shared their experience with us. We have deepened the teaching of Pope Francis on pastoral work, the economy of rejection and decent work.
The World Movement of Christian Workers will gather in Spain for its International Seminar and General Assembly
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From the 15th to the 21st of July, 120 delegates representing Catholic movements of workers from 42 countries and under the motto “Land, Roof and Work for a dignified life” will gather in the University of Mystic in Avila.
During the International Seminar, to be held from Saturday 15th to Tuesday 18th of July, the focus will be set on the issues of how to build a solidary society, the current threats to human dignity and the situation of the right to work, analysed from the perspective of the employment situation of the workers and that knowledge provided by the delegates of the regions of the World Catholic Movement Workers (WCMW) of the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe. During the inauguration we will have the Mayor and the Bishop of Avila, as well as other political, trade union and eclesiastical prominent figures.
The director of the ILO office in Spain is forseen to participate in the dialogue as well as representatives of the International Trade Union sphere and popular movements, to speak about the world employment situation, the trends, the present and the past. Pope Francis´ perspective on human work shall be presented by the Bishop of the Workers´ Pastoral (Pastoral Obrera) of the Spanish Episcopal Conference. This is also a very important moment in the history of WCMW, as it celerates 50 year of commitment with the evangelization of the world of work.
The work will continue during the General Assembly, which will begin on Wednesday 19th and end on the 21st of July. During the Assembly the activities carried out during the past 4 years will be evaluated, elections will be held for the co-preidency, the treasurer, the chaplain and the International Council (coordinatin structure), Moreover, the approval of the Action Plan and proposals for actions for WCMW and its affiliates for the years 2017-2012 will take place. The president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, Ricardo Blázquez will participate in the Assembly.
Communication and internet.
Both events will develop wth a communication strategy that will have an impact on the web www.mmtc-infor.com and the social profiles of this world movement. In this regard, Twitter and Facebook will use the hashtag #3TVD for following the events and conversation with the public. For the coordination of such strategy and to respond to the media, the Office of Communication has been created, coordinated by Abraham Canales, director of magazine “Noticias Obreras” (workers news).
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