Pope Leo XIV on Monday delivered a fierce condemnation of gambling, denouncing the activity as a “scourge” that ruins families and must be combated.
Pope Leo, speaking at the Vatican with Italian mayors from the Assocazione Nazionale dei Comuni Italiani (“National Association of Italian Local Authorities”), called on the Italian officials to promote “authentically human relationships” to combat gambling and other forms of loneliness.
“The demographic crisis and the struggles of families and the young, the loneliness of the elderly and the silent cry of the poor, the pollution of the environment and social conflicts are all situations that do not leave you indifferent,” Pope Leo said.
“As you seek answers, you are well aware that our cities are not anonymous places, but rather faces and histories to be cherished as precious treasure. In this task, you become mayors day by day, growing as just and reliable administrators,” he added.
At another part of his speech, Pope Leo stressed that, “unfortunately, our cities know forms of marginalization, violence, and loneliness that demand to be confronted,” before condemning the “scourge” of gambling.
“I would like to draw attention, in particular, to the scourge of gambling, which ruins many families. Statistics show a sharp increase in Italy in recent years. As Italian Caritas emphasizes in its last Report on poverty and social exclusion, this is a serious problem in terms of education, mental health, and social trust,” the pope said.
“We cannot forget other forms of loneliness that many people suffer from: mental disorders, depression, cultural and spiritual poverty, and social abandonment,” he continued. “They are signs that show how much hope is needed. To bear effective witness to it, politics is called upon to weave authentically human relationships among citizens, promoting social peace.”
The pope, citing Don Primo Mazzolari, a 20th century Italian Catholic priest, stressed to the Italian mayors that Italy “does not only need sewers, houses, roads, aqueducts, and pavements,” but that it also needs “a way of feeling, of living, a way of looking at each other, a way of becoming brothers and sisters.”
“Dear friends, have the courage to offer hope to people, planning together the best future for your lands, from the perspective of integral human promotion. While I thank you for your readiness to serve the community, I accompany you in prayer, so that with God’s help you may effectively face your responsibilities, sharing your commitment with your collaborators and fellow citizens,” Pope Leo said.
“To you and your families, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing and offer my best wishes for the new year. Thank you,” he concluded.
Monday’s address marked the second time Pope Leo has delivered a condemnation of gambling over the past weeks. In November, the Pope delivered a video message at the opening of the Italian government’s 7th National Conference on Addictions. In his message, the pontiff warned that new forms of addiction have emerged in recent times as a result of the growing use of internet, computers, and smart devices in addition to drugs and alcohol, such as compulsive gambling and betting, pornography, and the almost constant presence on social media platforms.
“These phenomena are most often a symptom of the mental or inner distress of the individual and a social decline in positive values and references, particularly in teenagers and young people,” Pope Leo said at the time. “Youth is a time of trials and questions, of the search for a meaning in life and in making choices for the future.”
“The growth of the drug market and drug use, the pursuit of easy money through slot machines, and addiction to the internet, which also includes harmful content, show that we live in a world without hope, where there is a lack of vigorous human and spiritual proposals,” he continued. “As a consequence, many young people think that all forms of behavior are equal, as they are unable to distinguish good from evil and do not have a sense of moral limits.”
Pope Leo called upon parents and educational institutions to inspire spiritual and moral values in younger generations so that they “behave responsibly, are to be appreciated and encouraged.”
“Adolescents and young people need to form their consciences, develop their inner lives and establish positive relationships with their peers and constructive dialogue with adults, in order to become free and responsible architects of their own lives,” he said.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
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