Basing his reflection on the insight of Vatican II that whatever is genuinely human resonates in the hearts of Christians, Cardinal Michael Czerny, assures “all those who work at sea… that they are in the heart of the Church; they are not alone in their dem-ands for justice, dignity, and joy.”
Cardinal Czerny insists that the Good News of the Risen Chri-st demands that Christians question “even more radically… the existing order, because the Kingdom of God calls us to conversion.”
So, he continues, “the whole Church is called to consider how people work in ports and on ships today, with what rights, under what conditions, with what material and spiritual assistance.”
In concrete terms, Cardinal Czerny calls on Catholics “to shine some light on what lies behind our economies, on those who make them work on a daily basis, often not benefitting from them at all and indeed exposing themselves to discrimi-nation and danger.” (Vatican News)
- Cardinal Michael Czerny
Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
