Pope Francis of the Vatican said in a statement that when the coronavirus pandemic ends, the worst decision that humans can make is consumerism and egoistic self-preservation. He noted that the world should think carefully of those who died due to a lack of respirators and the abolishment of healthcare year after year.
Vatican on the coronavirus
According to the Wall Street Journal, the 43,000-word test is only the third time that Pope Francis has written an encyclical, which is considered as one of the most authoritative genres of papal writing. It echoes several of the pope's major social teachings, such as the rights of migrants and the poor.
However, Pope Francis also used the coming of the pandemic to instill hope within the public and of ordinary people such as janitors, regular employees, and medical workers who are risking their lives in the frontline trying to help as many people as they can while arguing that no one is saved alone.
The pope also criticized several global issues, including racism, which he described as a social virus that was quick to evolve and is not eradicated; rather, it hides itself and waits for an opportunity to strike.
With his writing, Pope Francis targeted several social plagues, which he called the dogma of neoliberal economics and how it promised prosperity. He said that the problems of the world's systems have become apparent due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Pope Francis has called for the United Nations to strengthen its policies and other multilateral structures to develop a global economy that nation-states are incapable of controlling.
Divided global community
The Vatican priest also criticized several nations for their apparent failure in cooperating with each other to fight the coronavirus pandemic, as reported by The New York Times.
The encyclical writing detailed how the COVID-19 virus erupted abruptly and exposed the world's false securities. It added countries around the world were shown to have little cooperation in fighting against a global threat.
Pope Francis noted that anyone who thought that the answer to the pandemic was simply improving what world nations were already doing or to develop existing systems further was sorely mistaken.
The pope's encyclical titled "Brothers All" shows a similar perspective to the views on fraternity and social friendship that St. Francis of Assisi, who the Vatican papa took his name after, heavily influenced.
In his writing, Pope Francis called for unity and called for the marginalization of closeness. He argued migrants should be supported, and called for the eradication of the death penalty.
According to NPR, Pope Francis also criticized the Catholic Church's doctrine on war and rejecting it as a means of legitimate defense. He noted that recent years have made it difficult to justify a war and called for an end to all conflict.
Before it was released, the encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, sparked widespread controversy among English speakers as not being gender-inclusive because of its translated title Brothers All. The Vatican, on the other hand, responded by explaining that the Fratelli portion represents both brothers and sisters.
