Open Letter to Pope Leo

 

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