London, England, Jun 25, 2009 / 01:41 am
The leaders of the bishops’ conferences of G8 countries have called on the world leaders gathering at the G8 Summit in Italy to take “concerted action” to protect the poor and vulnerable of the world during the economic crisis.
Signatories to the letter included U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops President Cardinal Francis George, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops President James Weisgerber, and the Archbishops of Freisburg, Genoa, Paris, and Tokyo.
The prelates quoted Pope Benedict XVI’s letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown before the G20 London meeting, which said that aid and assistance to less developed countries must not become a “victim” of the economic crisis.
“Ironically poor people have contributed the least to the economic crisis facing our world, but their lives and livelihoods are likely to suffer the greatest devastation because they struggle at the margins in crushing poverty,” the bishops’ conference presidents wrote. “In light of this fact, the G8 nations should meet their responsibility to promote dialogue with other powerful economies to help prevent further economic crises.”