Pope says overemphasizing 'logic of profit' can bring ruinous effects

Published: 2007-09-24

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI said overemphasizing the "logic of profit" can bring ruinous effects, as seen in global poverty and the ecological crisis. The pope spoke about the demands of economic justice during a Sunday blessing Sept. 23 at his summer villa in Castel Gandolfo outside Rome. Earlier in the morning, he made similar remarks during a Mass at the nearby hill town of Velletri. Addressing several hundred pilgrims in the courtyard of his villa, the pope said money "is not 'dishonest' in itself, but more than any other thing it can close people off in a blind selfishness." He noted that Pope John Paul II had praised positive elements of the modern global economy, especially when it leaves room for human freedom. But Pope Benedict said his predecessor also understood that capitalism should not be seen as the only valid economic model. "The hunger and ecological emergencies point to growing evidence that the logic of profit, if dominant, increases the disproportion between the rich and the poor and brings a ruinous exploitation of the planet," Pope Benedict said.

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