An Economy for the Common Good

Why should Catholics care about COP26?

The COP26 conference is currently being organized by the United Nations with the intention of gathering world leaders in Glasgow to discuss the impact of climate change and take the necessary decisions to mitigate the problem.

But why should Catholics care about all this?

During a meeting which was held at the Vatican in the beginning of October, Pope Francis, together with nearly 40 other religious leaders, declared that: “Future generations will never forgive us if we miss the opportunity to protect our common home… Read more »

Waste of food: A social and environmental sin.

World hunger is on the rise; yet, an estimated 1/3 of all food goes to waste. Each year 931 million tonnes of food waste is generated from households, retail establishments and the food service industry.

Let’s reduce food waste, not only for the sake of the food but for the resources that go into it. In fact, if food waste were a country, it would be the 3rd biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions

Wasted food isn’t just a social and humanitarian concern—it’s an environmental one… Read more »

“An out-of-control locomotive hurtling towards the abyss”

Pope Francis, in a keynote address to a group of social justice activists, harshly criticized the current economic system which, “with its relentless logic of profit, is escaping all human control. It is time to slow the locomotive down, an out-of-control locomotive hurtling towards the abyss.”

Addressing the IV World Meeting of Popular Movements, the Pope told participants that their dedication “is above all a proclamation of hope” reminding us that “we are not condemned to repeat or to build a future based on exclusion and inequality, rejection or indifference”… Read more »

Budget 2022: Beyond Numbers

The Justice and Peace Commission welcomes the 2022 Budget, recognising the challenging times our country and the world have faced and will continue to face in the near future. The Commission is here offering its view in the light of the “Beyond GDP” initiative, launched in 2020, which promotes the need for our country to reorient our economic model towards a more holistic and sustainable vision… Read more »

A call for a courageous European commitment at the forthcoming UN climate and biodiversity summits

On 9 August 2021 Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published a report, in which humanity is held responsible for climate change and the increase of extreme weather events. The life of people and all living beings and their ecosystems will be seriously affected if the rise in the planet’s average annual temperature is not urgently reduced. The forthcoming Glasgow and Kunming summits should be a turning point in keeping the planet habitable for all people living on it and for future generations… Read more »

Seeing the truth, beyond our inconsistencies

It has often been said that Church should sell all its riches and use that money to feed the poor and do something for the wellbeing of society.

In fact, this week, a controversy has erupted precisely because the Church decided to dispose of a plot of land which had been sitting on its balance sheet for ages, making it look rich, but without serving any social purpose… Read more »

The fast-paced life

This saying from the book of Ecclesiastes, hearkening to a reflective, paced concept of time, couldn’t contrast more with the mad chaos of today’s world. As we live whirlwind lives, constantly striving to beat the clock, wanting to do as much as possible in as little as possible a time, we lose our sense of wonder and appreciation of things that grow slowly, and take their time to bear fruit… Read more »

Plastic: A versatile yet environmentally damaging material

Lately, I’ve been trying to reduce the amount of plastic I use in my everyday life…and realising how hard it is. Sometimes I forget to take a cloth bag with me from home when going shopping.  At other times, I have to insist that I do not need a bag with shop owners.  Frequently, I forget to take water with me and buy a plastic bottle. 

Actually, plastic is a very versatile material.  It is durable, does not degrade, does not react with other materials… Read more »

Season of Creation: A Home for All

A home for all? Renewing the Oikos of God is the theme of this year’s Season of Creation, during which Christians of all denominations will join in prayer and action for our common home in a bid to renew the Oikos of God. 

But what does Oikos mean? Oikos is the Greek word for “family,” or “home.” Our family is made up of the whole of humanity and each of the species that inhabit this planet, our common home… Read more »

The ‘Beyond GDP’ report

We cannot deny the fact that, before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, Malta was experiencing strong economic growth and improvements in terms of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). So much so, that year after year, we’ve been bombarded with numbers and statistics which have been confirming the fact that Malta is going through an economic surplus. Although in economic theory, a high GDP normally results in a better quality of life, I feel that these numbers do not always reflect the reality we live in… Read more »