2014-11-14 10:19:00

Archbishop of Brisbane: G20 not just an elaborate political theatre


(Vatican Radio) “The anxiety of many is that the G20 discussions may become only political and technical”, that the summit of world leaders is “just an elaborate political theatre”, instead Pope Francis “unexpected letter” to the heads of state and government underscores “the essentially human and moral context within which economic decisions must be made”, says Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, Australia.

Listen to Emer McCarthy’s interview with Archbishop Mark Coleridge:

The eastern Australian city is on lockdown ahead of Saturdays’ summit of the leaders of the world’s 20 richest economies with heavy security creating a “Fortress Brisbane” effect according to the Archbishop.

There have been protests, he adds but these have been largely peaceful. “The atmosphere in Brisbane is one of excitement, with a touch of skepticism about what the G20 can actually produce”.

“Australia is far-flung but we are in a strategic position” notes the Archbishop “we are caught between the upcoming economic epicenter of the developing world and other nations which are in dire need.  That said, the issues that Australia confronts are the issues that are confronted by every wealthy Western society”.

These, he says, include the plight of youth unemployment, the issue of poverty and insecurity and well as the rising threat of terrorism – all mentioned in the Holy Father’s letter published earlier this week.

Archbishop Coleridge adds that on a local level “climate change, the treatment of minorities and in particular the indigenous minority in Australia, the attitude towards those who seek refuge and asylum, they are three issues that are very, very pertinent to us in Australia at the moment”.

 “Now, one of the things that is implied by the papal letter and this is fundamentally important…is that it’s not just about this issue or that issue, but in fact the whole structuring of the world economy which is profoundly questionable on moral grounds and does untold damage”.

The Archbishop concludes with the hope that the summit and the discussions that surround it won’t become a ‘jockeying for position and manifestation of self-interest’: “what the Pope is saying is let’s look beyond the merely political and technical and address the real human issues.  Don’t forget we are taking about human beings”.

For his part, Archbishop Coleridge will be spending this weekend in fasting and prayer, “I thought what do I do when the world leaders come to Brisbane? I though the only adequate response was prayer and fasting”.

“One hopes that the papal letter can help to evoke and underscore that larger moral and ultimately human context within which all of the hoopla and discussions of the G20 takes place”.








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