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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]
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FOR THE DIGNITY OF WORK AND FOR A UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME
A WORLD SOLIDARITY CALL
Lord God, source of all Holiness and all dignity, we pray in confidence on this important day.
You created us in your image, in your dignity, and you entrusted us to this world so that all men and women of our country live in that essential dignity. Lord, look! Look at these millions of men, women, children and young people who survive in unworthy conditions of the human being ... unworthy of you, God of Love.
Look at all those who live without a roof to protect them, without a land that feed them, without a job that accomplishes them.
Look at those who breathe, eat and drink, or work in conditions or environments that do not respect their dignity.
Lord, this 7th October, 2017, we want to express our will with our movement to give hope to this world that you hand us.
As our Pope Francisco says: "things have a price and can be sold, but people have a dignity, they are worth more than things and their dignity is priceless to negotiate! '. Father Cardijn also said: "A (young) worker is worth more than all the gold in the world because he/she is the son and daughter of God." With them and thanks to them, we know perfectly well that human dignity is linked to a rewarding job and to a sufficient remuneration.
We want, Lord, to inspire the economic and political leaders of our country and the whole planet to put the Human at the centre of all their decisions.
Lord also inspires all militant movements like the WMCW so that all good will men and women build a new world that resembles your Kingdom.
Lord, inspire us all so that we fight with greater force against fatality and anything that threatens the dignity of people. This is how we will be the witnesses of Your Love.
This is how we will proclaim Your hope for tomorrow and forever and ever.
Amen.
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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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Twitter: @otromundoesposi
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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.
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Here comes another celebration on 1st May. We are encouraged to reflect on the history of the working class. We want decent work, a fairer society and a more equal economy, that enable us to live in dignity.
We carry out this struggle on a daily basis, whether the sun is shining or the rain is pouring. We finish late in the evening and start early in the morning, to work or to look for a job. Through this action to support oneself or a family, we realise that we are not alone. There are dozens, hundreds, thousands, millions of people who, like us, after drinking a coffee or a glass of water, struggle for a fair salary, so that all workers’ dignity is respected in this world with so many inequalities. One cannot but wonder: why VERY FEW people have a lot whereas MANY have so little, my God, isn’t the wealth of this planet intended to all!
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This will be possible if we fight for social protection, which reaches all workers, especially the poorest.
What makes the dignity of every human being is the right to work, a roof, land, clean water, food, safety, Education, Health, Liberty ...
As Church Movement, Jesus Christ sends us to announce and carry this Good News to all nations
