Pope Francis has sent a video message recorded during a private audience he had on December 5th with leaders of the “Movimiento de Trabajadores Excluidos” (Excluded Workers Movement) of Argentina.
The video was released earlier this week during the meeting of the “Federacion de Cartoneros y Recicladores”, a union that represents the poor who collect cardboard and recyclable materials.
Encouraging them in their work, Pope Francis urged them to not look over what is leftover. “We are living in a throwaway culture where we easily leave over things, but people as well,” the Pope said.
“You recycle and with this, two things are produced: an ecological work, which is necessary, and on the other hand, a production that promotes brotherhood and gives dignity to one’s work, you are creative in your production, but also creative in caring for the earth, of the world in this ecological dimension.”
Wasted food, he continued, “can feed all the hungry people in the world.”
Concluding his message, the Holy Father called on the workers to be conscious that recycling is not only ecological but also productive to everyone else.
“Be conscious that food should not be wasted, because there are children who are hungry. Thank you for what you do,” he said.
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On the NET:
To see the Pope’s video message in Spanish, go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkm88broxUE#t=33
On ZENIT’s webpage:
For full text of the Pope’s video message, go to:
http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-s-video-message-to-recycling-workers-of-argentina
