But in order to address it, we must understand the different forms of corruption, besides merely the political, like those that infect even the average person.
For example, Francis said, our corruption can be a "spiritual worldliness, tepidness, hypocrisy, triumphalism, to make prevail only the spirit of the world in our lives, a sense of indifference."
In the book, Cardinal Turkson explains the ramifications of these different forms of corruption, he continued, focusing in particular on the origins of corruption: which, "in fact, sprouts in the heart of man and can sprout in the heart of all men."
"We are, in fact, all very exposed to the temptation of corruption: even when we think it has been defeated, it can be present again," he said.
Cardinal Turkson explores the different types of corruption, including spiritual, cultural, political, and criminal, as well as the various ways in which they come about and insinuate themselves into our lives. Putting these together, he shows what the Church must do, the Pope said.
"The Church must listen, raise herself and bend herself on the sorrows and hopes of people according to mercy, and must do so without fear of purifying herself, assiduously seeking a way to improve."
"Henri de Lubac wrote that the greatest danger for the Church is spiritual worldliness – therefore corruption – which is more disastrous than the infamous leprosy."
"And it is with this awareness that we, men and women of the Church, can accompany ourselves and the suffering humanity, especially those most oppressed by the criminal consequences and degradation created by corruption."
To fight the many ways we may allow corruption into our lives, we must join together, Francis said. On our own we are like individual pieces of snow, both Christians and non-Christians. But united, we can become like an avalanche, he explained: "a strong and constructive movement."
"Here is the new humanism, this renaissance, this re-creation against corruption that we can accomplish with prophetic audacity."
Writing from inside the Vatican, Francis reflected on the ways beauty can transcend sin and corruption.
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"This beauty is not a cosmetic accessory, but something that puts the human person in the center so that it can lift the head against all injustices," he said.
"This beauty should marry with justice. Thus we must speak about corruption, denounce evils, understand it, and show the will to affirm mercy for grief, curiosity and creativity for resigned fatigue, beauty for nothing."
Hannah Brockhaus is Catholic News Agency's senior Rome correspondent. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and has a degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri.