Open
Letter to Pope Leo
His Holiness Pope Leo XIV
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City
Your Holiness:
With the utmost respect and
devotion, I take the liberty of addressing these lines to you, moved by a deep
moral and spiritual concern regarding one of the greatest forms of slavery of
our time: the addictions and dependencies that oppress modern humanity. Surely,
your predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, would now regard this form of slavery as
something as serious as labor exploitation.
While international institutions
devote enormous resources to environmental pollution, the true pollution of
humankind —the slavery of consumption and dependency— is advancing alarmingly,
weakening people’s will, intelligence, and freedom.
The Church, as the moral beacon of
the world and mother of all peoples, could shed light on this grave problem
with its authority and pastoral wisdom, promoting a deep and courageous
reflection on addictions to drugs, alcohol, and new forms of dependency, such
as the uncontrolled use of social media.
Your Holiness, I believe it would be
providential for the Church to promote a doctrinal and pastoral pronouncement
on this phenomenon, supported by studies from professionals in medicine,
psychology, and sociology, with the aim of identifying the root causes of this
slavery and proposing paths toward its solution.
Today, even those who should guide
society —political and economic leaders— are themselves trapped in these
destructive habits. Much of society is governed by addicts. This further
aggravates a crisis that generates violence, loneliness, disconnection, and
loss of meaning.
This is not about drug trafficking,
but about addiction consumption. Drug trafficking, which generates its own
economic and social problems, already has agents responsible for combating it.
But the cause of that trafficking is consumption—and no one has seriously
addressed that consumption.
It is urgent that the Church,
faithful to its mission to be “the salt of the earth and the light of the
world,” take the lead in a moral, scientific, and spiritual campaign to free
humanity from these dependencies. It is not enough to draft solid documents;
concrete actions are needed —the creation of institutions and international
publicity campaigns.
At the same time, the Church must
offer certainty, not confusion, in an ecclesiastical society that becomes lost
internally in theological debates incomprehensible to most of the faithful and
parishes. It would be desirable for synodal and pastoral efforts to be directed
toward these universal human urgencies.
Some Vatican authorities and
officials are spreading discussions of theological problems meant for
specialists—such as the co-redemption of Mary or the blessing of homosexual
couples—when the Church should be offering society and Catholics certainty, not
uncertainty.
In the same way that the Church
should not only say no to abortion, but also promote the greatness and
dignity of motherhood and fatherhood, with the positive and constructive
approach proper to Christians. The Church should decisively propose
psychological, social, and economic assistance for mothers at risk of abortion.
The effort and dedication of various
public and private institutions, many of them Catholic, to save and heal those
already addicted is admirable, but it would be far more effective to dedicate
time and effort to preventing people from falling into dependency—to
understanding its causes and fighting them.
Your Holiness, I ask you to consider
this proposal as a sincere expression of love for the Church and of hope in its
Magisterium. May the Holy Spirit enlighten your decisions and strengthen your
mission as guide and shepherd of the People of God.
With filial devotion, I take my
leave in Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Javier Ordovàs
Economist
