Credit: Rome Reports
Pope Francis met with participants of the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences to discuss “Disability and the Human Condition.”
The Holy Father warned against thinking anyone can determine which life has value as “this can make some feel like their life is a burden.”
He continued, “In today’s culture of discard, a less visible and very insidious aspect that erodes the value of the person with a disability in the eyes of society and in his or her own eyes.”
“It is the tendency that leads one to consider one’s existence a burden to oneself and one’s loved ones. The spread of this mentality transforms the culture of discard into a culture of death.”
The pope encouraged the group to see everyone as a brother or sister, creating a culture of integral inclusion that builds a better society.
He raised the theme of inclusion at another meeting with the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Biblical Commission.
He reminded them that the Bible is a powerful tool against exclusion, abstraction and the ideologisation of faith.
The pope explained, “Although not a biblical word, it expresses well a salient feature of Jesus’ style. His going in search of the sinner, the lost, the outcast, the stigmatised, so that they may be welcomed into the Father’s house.”
He spoke about both inclusion and compassion as aspects of the Christian faith that are necessary to care for those living in difficulty and sickness.
The Pontifical Biblical Commission was established in 1902 by Pope Leo XIII. He set it up to promote the study of the Bible, combat false opinions regarding the Bible with science and to answer biblical questions.