KENYA: Address of Pope Francis to People Living in informal settlement of Nairobi
Friday 27th, November, 2015.
In his address to the poor, the Pontiff called on all to pray, work and commit themselves to improving the lives of those living in informal settlement.
See below the Pope’s full
address
address
Thank
you for welcoming me to your neighbourhood.
I thank Archbishop Kivuva and Father Pascal for their kind words. I feel very much at home sharing these
moments with brothers and sisters who, and I am not ashamed to say this, have a
special place in my life and my decisions.
I am here because I want you to know that your joys and hopes, your
troubles and your sorrows, are not indifferent to me. I realize the difficulties which you
experience daily! How can I not denounce
the injustices which you suffer?
you for welcoming me to your neighbourhood.
I thank Archbishop Kivuva and Father Pascal for their kind words. I feel very much at home sharing these
moments with brothers and sisters who, and I am not ashamed to say this, have a
special place in my life and my decisions.
I am here because I want you to know that your joys and hopes, your
troubles and your sorrows, are not indifferent to me. I realize the difficulties which you
experience daily! How can I not denounce
the injustices which you suffer?
First
of all, though, I would like to speak about something which the language of
exclusion often disregards or seems to ignore.
It is the wisdom found in poor neighbourhoods. A wisdom which is born of the “stubborn
resistance” of that which is authentic” (cf. Laudato Si’, 112), from Gospel
values which an opulent society, anaesthetized by unbridled consumption, would
seem to have forgotten. You are able “to
weave bonds of belonging and togetherness which convert overcrowding into an experience
of community in which the walls of the ego are torn down and the barriers of
selfishness overcome” (ibid., 149).
of all, though, I would like to speak about something which the language of
exclusion often disregards or seems to ignore.
It is the wisdom found in poor neighbourhoods. A wisdom which is born of the “stubborn
resistance” of that which is authentic” (cf. Laudato Si’, 112), from Gospel
values which an opulent society, anaesthetized by unbridled consumption, would
seem to have forgotten. You are able “to
weave bonds of belonging and togetherness which convert overcrowding into an experience
of community in which the walls of the ego are torn down and the barriers of
selfishness overcome” (ibid., 149).
The
culture of poor neighbourhoods, steeped in this particular wisdom, “has very
positive traits, which can offer something to these times in which we live; it
is expressed in values such as solidarity, giving one’s life for others,
preferring birth to death, providing Christian burial to one’s dead; finding a
place for the sick in one’s home, sharing bread with the hungry (for ‘there is
always room for one more seat at the table’), showing patience and strength
when faced with great adversity, and so on” (Equipo
de Sacerdotes para las Villas de Emergencia, Argentina, Reflexiones sobre
urbanización y la cultura villera, 2010). Values grounded in the fact each human being is
more important than the god of money.
Thank you for reminding us that another type of culture is possible.
culture of poor neighbourhoods, steeped in this particular wisdom, “has very
positive traits, which can offer something to these times in which we live; it
is expressed in values such as solidarity, giving one’s life for others,
preferring birth to death, providing Christian burial to one’s dead; finding a
place for the sick in one’s home, sharing bread with the hungry (for ‘there is
always room for one more seat at the table’), showing patience and strength
when faced with great adversity, and so on” (Equipo
de Sacerdotes para las Villas de Emergencia, Argentina, Reflexiones sobre
urbanización y la cultura villera, 2010). Values grounded in the fact each human being is
more important than the god of money.
Thank you for reminding us that another type of culture is possible.
I
want in first place to uphold these values which you practice, values which are
not quoted in the stock exchange, are not subject to speculation, and have no
market price. I congratulate you, I
accompany you and I want you to know that the Lord never forgets you. The path of Jesus began on the peripheries,
it goes from the poor and with the poor, towards others.
want in first place to uphold these values which you practice, values which are
not quoted in the stock exchange, are not subject to speculation, and have no
market price. I congratulate you, I
accompany you and I want you to know that the Lord never forgets you. The path of Jesus began on the peripheries,
it goes from the poor and with the poor, towards others.
To
see these signs of good living that increase daily in your midst in no way
entails a disregard for the dreadful injustice of urban exclusion. These are wounds inflicted by minorities who
cling to power and wealth, who selfishly squander while a growing majority is
forced to flee to abandoned, filthy and run-down peripheries.
see these signs of good living that increase daily in your midst in no way
entails a disregard for the dreadful injustice of urban exclusion. These are wounds inflicted by minorities who
cling to power and wealth, who selfishly squander while a growing majority is
forced to flee to abandoned, filthy and run-down peripheries.
This
becomes even worse when we see the unjust distribution of land (if not in this
neighbourhood, certainly in others) which leads in many cases to entire
families having to pay excessive and unfair rents for utterly unfit
housing. I am also aware of the serious
problem posed by faceless “private developers” who hoard areas of land and even
attempt to appropriate the playgrounds of your children’s schools. This is what happens when we forget that “God
gave the earth to the whole human race for the sustenance of all its members,
without excluding or favouring anyone” (Centesimus Annus, 31).
becomes even worse when we see the unjust distribution of land (if not in this
neighbourhood, certainly in others) which leads in many cases to entire
families having to pay excessive and unfair rents for utterly unfit
housing. I am also aware of the serious
problem posed by faceless “private developers” who hoard areas of land and even
attempt to appropriate the playgrounds of your children’s schools. This is what happens when we forget that “God
gave the earth to the whole human race for the sustenance of all its members,
without excluding or favouring anyone” (Centesimus Annus, 31).
One
very serious problem in this regard is the lack of access to infrastructures
and basic services. By this I mean
toilets, sewers, drains, refuse collection, electricity, roads, as well as
schools, hospitals, recreational and sport centres, studios and workshops for
artists and craftsmen. I refer in
particular to access to drinking water.
“Access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right,
since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the
exercise of other human rights. Our
world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking
water, because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their
inalienable dignity” (Laudato Si’, 30).
To deny a family water, under any bureaucratic pretext whatsoever, is a
great injustice, especially when one profits from this need.
very serious problem in this regard is the lack of access to infrastructures
and basic services. By this I mean
toilets, sewers, drains, refuse collection, electricity, roads, as well as
schools, hospitals, recreational and sport centres, studios and workshops for
artists and craftsmen. I refer in
particular to access to drinking water.
“Access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right,
since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the
exercise of other human rights. Our
world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking
water, because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their
inalienable dignity” (Laudato Si’, 30).
To deny a family water, under any bureaucratic pretext whatsoever, is a
great injustice, especially when one profits from this need.
This
situation of indifference and hostility experienced by poor neighbourhoods is
aggravated when violence spreads and criminal organizations, serving economic
or political interests, use children and young people as “canon fodder” for
their ruthless business affairs. I also
appreciate the struggles of those women who fight heroically to protect their
sons and daughters from these dangers. I
ask God that that the authorities may embark, together with you, upon the path
of social inclusion, education, sport, community action, and the protection of
families, for this is the only guarantee of a peace that is just, authentic and
enduring.
situation of indifference and hostility experienced by poor neighbourhoods is
aggravated when violence spreads and criminal organizations, serving economic
or political interests, use children and young people as “canon fodder” for
their ruthless business affairs. I also
appreciate the struggles of those women who fight heroically to protect their
sons and daughters from these dangers. I
ask God that that the authorities may embark, together with you, upon the path
of social inclusion, education, sport, community action, and the protection of
families, for this is the only guarantee of a peace that is just, authentic and
enduring.
These
realities which I have just mentioned are not a random combination of unrelated
problems. They are a consequence of new
forms of colonialism which would make African countries “parts of a machine,
cogs on a gigantic wheel” (Ecclesia in Africa, 52). Indeed, countries are frequently pressured to
adopt policies typical of the culture of waste, like those aimed at lowering
the birth rate, which seek “to legitimize the present model of distribution,
where a minority believes that it has the right to consume in a way which can
never be universalized” (Laudato Si’, 50).
realities which I have just mentioned are not a random combination of unrelated
problems. They are a consequence of new
forms of colonialism which would make African countries “parts of a machine,
cogs on a gigantic wheel” (Ecclesia in Africa, 52). Indeed, countries are frequently pressured to
adopt policies typical of the culture of waste, like those aimed at lowering
the birth rate, which seek “to legitimize the present model of distribution,
where a minority believes that it has the right to consume in a way which can
never be universalized” (Laudato Si’, 50).
In
this regard, I would propose a renewed attention to the idea of a respectful
urban integration, as opposed to elimination, paternalism, indifference or mere
containment. We need integrated cities
which belong to everyone. We need to go
beyond the mere proclamation of rights which are not respected in practice, to
implementing concrete and systematic initiatives capable of improving the
overall living situation, and planning new urban developments of good quality
for housing future generations. The
social and environmental debt owed to the poor of cities can be paid by
respecting their sacred right to the “three Ls”: Land, Lodging, Labour. This is not a question of philanthropy;
rather it is a duty incumbent upon all of us.
this regard, I would propose a renewed attention to the idea of a respectful
urban integration, as opposed to elimination, paternalism, indifference or mere
containment. We need integrated cities
which belong to everyone. We need to go
beyond the mere proclamation of rights which are not respected in practice, to
implementing concrete and systematic initiatives capable of improving the
overall living situation, and planning new urban developments of good quality
for housing future generations. The
social and environmental debt owed to the poor of cities can be paid by
respecting their sacred right to the “three Ls”: Land, Lodging, Labour. This is not a question of philanthropy;
rather it is a duty incumbent upon all of us.
I
wish to call all Christians, and their pastors in particular, to renew their
missionary zeal, to take initiative in the face of so many situations of
injustice, to be involved in their neighbours’ problems, to accompany them in
their struggles, to protect the fruits of their communitarian labour and to
celebrate together each victory, large or small. I realize that you are already doing much,
but I ask to remember this is not just another task; it may instead be the most
important task of all, because “the Gospel is addressed in a special way to the
poor” (Benedict XVI, Address to the Bishops of Brazil, 11 May 2007, 3).
wish to call all Christians, and their pastors in particular, to renew their
missionary zeal, to take initiative in the face of so many situations of
injustice, to be involved in their neighbours’ problems, to accompany them in
their struggles, to protect the fruits of their communitarian labour and to
celebrate together each victory, large or small. I realize that you are already doing much,
but I ask to remember this is not just another task; it may instead be the most
important task of all, because “the Gospel is addressed in a special way to the
poor” (Benedict XVI, Address to the Bishops of Brazil, 11 May 2007, 3).
Dear
neighbours, dear brothers and sisters, let us together pray, work and commit
ourselves to ensuring that every family has dignified housing, access to
drinking water, a toilet, reliable sources of energy for lighting, cooking and
improving their homes; that every neighbourhood has streets, squares, schools,
hospitals, areas for sport, recreation and art; that basic services are
provided to each of you; that your appeals and your pleas for greater
opportunity can be heard; that all can enjoy the peace and security which they
rightfully deserve on the basis of their infinite human dignity.
neighbours, dear brothers and sisters, let us together pray, work and commit
ourselves to ensuring that every family has dignified housing, access to
drinking water, a toilet, reliable sources of energy for lighting, cooking and
improving their homes; that every neighbourhood has streets, squares, schools,
hospitals, areas for sport, recreation and art; that basic services are
provided to each of you; that your appeals and your pleas for greater
opportunity can be heard; that all can enjoy the peace and security which they
rightfully deserve on the basis of their infinite human dignity.
Mungu awabariki! God bless you!
And
I ask you, please, do not forget to pray for me.
I ask you, please, do not forget to pray for me.
SOURCE: Holy See Press
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