Canadian Cardinal warns of 'false Eden' of gambling
(Vatican Radio) Over recent years the Bishops of Canada have expressed their concerns
about society's growing dependence on gambling, given the potential risks this can
involve for the community and individual persons.
As the City of Toronto considers
whether to build a new and larger casino, Cardinal Thomas Collins has released a pastoral
letter on Gambling, Gaming and Casinos for the people of his Archdiocese. The full
text of that letter is available on the website of the Canadian Conference of Catholic
Bishops.
Cardinal Collins spoke with Vatican Radio about his concerns about
increased legalised gambling. Although he says gambling itself is not inherently evil,
Cardinal Collins notes the Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly points out the
problems that can arise from widespread gambling.
“First of all, it can lead
to injustice,” he says. “There are numerous issues where people gamble away the grocery
money and cause distress in their families.”
A related problem is addiction.
“The second point the Catechism mentions, which I’m also concerned about is that gambling
is addictive. It can enslave us.” But, Cardinal Collins says, gambling is not
just addictive for gamblers. “We always think about the gambler being enslaved, but
actually governments can be enslaved. They get a lot of money out of gambling, the
taxing of the gambling, that’s why they’re promoting it.”
The Church, too,
says Cardinal Collins, can be enslaved to gambling, when it becomes overly dependent
on gambling, without being sufficiently aware of the problems gambling causes.
These
are some of the many reasons, says Cardinal Collins, “why gambling just doesn’t make
for a wholesome community.”
Listen to the full interview of Cardinal Thomas
Collins with Christopher Wells: