Pope John Paul II created...
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Pope John Paul II created a stir with the encyclical, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (Social Concerns of the Church). The encyclical was the result of extensive research by church agencies and students of the economy throughout the world. The study concentrated on the scandalous continuation of poverty in so much of the world. It found serious fault with the economic ideological rivalry between the East and the West. Tragically, whatever efforts have been put forth to relieve world hunger and poverty have not eradicated poverty, because they have not been aimed at primary problems of the international economy. The problem of poverty and hunger has become worse and hunger threatens to be the number one social problem of the world. The church does not escape criticism.
In passing, the Pope suggested that churches might give up some of their ornaments to feed the poor. That idea hardly merits mention, unless the Pope was thinking of selling off some of the priceless treasures of the Vatican Library and Museum and arresting some of the income of televangelists. Some of the suggestions of the Pope were regarded as "off the wall," but the encyclical opened up dialogue and debate.
--Huxhold
In passing, the Pope suggested that churches might give up some of their ornaments to feed the poor. That idea hardly merits mention, unless the Pope was thinking of selling off some of the priceless treasures of the Vatican Library and Museum and arresting some of the income of televangelists. Some of the suggestions of the Pope were regarded as "off the wall," but the encyclical opened up dialogue and debate.
--Huxhold
