Holy See on Economic Crisis

Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Roman Catholic representative at the United Nations, spoke Thursday before the U.N. General Assembly about the current economic problems and the Churches views on the issue:
"The real crisis does not appear to be merely financial, economic and technical... Rather, it extends to the broader realm of ethical codes and moral conduct.
"Unbridled profiteering and the unscrupulous pursuit of gain at any cost have made people forget basic rules of business ethics."
The archbishop also encouraged the general public to make more responsible economic choices: "A lifestyle, and even more an economic model, solely based on increased and uncontrolled consumption and not on savings and the creation of productive capital, is economically unsustainable.
"It also becomes unsustainable from the standpoint of concern for the environment and, above all, of human dignity itself, since the irresponsible consumer renounces his own dignity as a rational creature and also offends the dignity of others."
In his closing comments, Arcbishop Migliore called for credible and authentic lending, and urged governments to "invest in people."
"Once the inevitable financial salvage operations are over, governments and the international community should invest their money in aid to the poorest populations," he said. The archbishop added: "The history of developed countries also demonstrates that grants for health, education, housing and other basic services benefiting the weakest socio-economic levels of society, families and small communities, ultimately prove to be the most profitable investments, since they alone ensure the harmonious functioning of society as a whole."

Source: http://www.zenit.org/article-24128?l=english