Pope stresses on importance of youth, elderly for good of society
November 22, 2013 - Pope Francis on Thursday sent a video message to the festival
of the Church's Social Doctrine in Verona, Italy, underscoring the importance of young
people and the elderly for the wellbeing of society, even if they are not contributing
directly to its economic growth. The 3rd Festival of Catholic Social Doctrine has
as its theme, “‘Less inequality, more difference’. Referring to rising unemployment
among youth, the Pope said that the future of society is in jeopardy if we do not
find ways of valuing the energy of young people and the wisdom of the elderly. The
Holy Father noted that solidarity with the unemployed, the weak and the fragile, has
become a virtual swear word in our profit-oriented environment. Yet this solidarity
is central to the social teaching of the Church which contains within it an almost
mystical vision of justice, equality and long-term development for all, the Pope added.