Poverty, which he said continues to be perpetuated by injustices around the world, causes waste and reduces men and women to "surplus."
"Not only do [people in poverty] experience the evil fruits of others' freedom on them, but they are defrauded of the possibility of 'risking' their freedom for themselves, for their family, for a good, just and dignified life," he said.
Francis explained that technology use can also have an impact on freedom, such as when it is not accompanied by an adequate development of "responsibility, values, and conscience."
The third negative situation is the reduction of men and women to mere consumers, he stated.
Quoting his environmental encyclical, Laudato si, he said the paradigm of consumerism "makes everyone believe that they are free as long as they retain a supposed freedom to consume, when in reality those who possess freedom are those who belong to the minority that holds economic and financial power."
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"As Christians, faithful to the Gospel and aware of the responsibility we have for all our brothers, we are called to be attentive and vigilant so that 'the risk of freedom' does not lose its highest and most demanding meaning," he said.
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.