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Argentine Bishops: Economy Must Be at the Service of the Common Good; Don't Sacrifice Our People to the Foreign Debt
A June 24 statement by Argentina's Catholic Conference, entitled "A Reflection on the Situation Created by the Foreign Debt," expresses the grave concern of the nation's bishops over "the situation created by the foreign debt and its possible consequences for our country and the lives of our people, especially our most vulnerable brothers, as a result of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision."
The Only Measure Is Man
In the midst of the current crisis, they state, Pope Francis's statements from Evangeli Gaudium must be heeded: "an economy based solely on financial speculation weakens relations, postpones the development of nations and compromises the stability of the international order." The bishops underscore that the economic issue is "the central issue in the lives of nations, but must always be at the service of the common good and the integral growth of the human being in the framework of justice. The economic order isn't independent of the social order—both belong to the world of ethics, having man as their reference point..."
The bishops makes clear that the nation-state is what is at stake, and petty differences and squabbling must be put aside on behalf of a higher purpose. "Society needs and expects attitudes and commitments that express the consciousness of being a Nation...The issue concerning us belongs to the life of the Argentine State." [emphasis added]
An attitude of "maturity, unity and responsibility" is required now from the national leadership to deal with this crisis, they warn, beyond political differences. They call on the national leadership, and all sectors—politicians, economists, businessmen, trade union leaders, etc., "to seek an environment of dialogue and work toward a solution to the [current] situation."
The bishops' statement reportedly came in response to a request by another grouping within the Church, "Priests in the Option for the Poor," which last week issued its own, very strong attack on the "brutal voraciousness of foreign creditors," and supported the government's decision to pay its debts "without compromising the country's growth, or the inclusion and broadening of the rights of the poorest and weakest." The group denounced local politicians and media for doing the vulture funds' bidding, to the detriment of the Argentine people and its most vulnerable citizens.
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