POPE FRANCIS DECRIES OUR HAVING "RETURNED TO THE GOLDEN CALF".............

Addressing a group of Ambassadors today at the Vatican, Pope Francis decried what he called, "our return to the golden calf", to putting the, "cult of money", behind us and do more to, "help the poor".  The Holy Father said, "The worship of the golden calf of old has found a new and heartless image in the cult of money and an dictatorship of the economy which is faceless and lacking any truly human goal".  Holy Father +Francis went on to proclaim that, "radical free market ideologies" have brought about, " a new, invisible, and at times virtual tyranny", that considers human beings to be "consumer goods", in calling for worldwide economic and financial reform to benefit all peoples.  The Roman Pontiff also stated, "Solidarity, which is the treasure of the poor, is often considered counterproductive, opposed to the logic of finance and the economy.  While the income of the minority is increasing exponentially, that of the majority is crumbling".  Pope Francis who from the opening days of his Pontificate two months ago, has spoken of a, "poor Church for the poor", continues to preach a message of economic and social justice consistent with Catholic Social Teaching.  The Holy Father's reference to the "golden calf of old", is to the Book of Exodus 32: 15-34; in the Hebrew Scriptures, he speaks of in advocating a worldwide return to an ethical approach to finances and the economy that is person-centered, not only profit oriented.  Pope Francis is indeed leading the Church in a spirit of renewal that requires not only that the Community of Believers serve the poor, but that society globally be focused on protecting the weakest, and providing economic justice and financial fairness, that benefits everyone in the World.  A prophetic message that challenges Catholics, Christians, and every Human being, the affluent, impoverished, and those in between to be in solidarity together to promote the common good of all.............Fr.  Troy