Tagle urges: Stop culture of throwing away; promote social progress

Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle gives his testimony the fourth day of the International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu City, where around 12,000 participants gathered to promote centrality of the Eucharist in Christian life. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/INQUIRER

CEBU CITY—Throw away the “throw-away culture.”

Such was the strong statement of Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle during his catechesis at the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) here.

Discussing about “The Eucharist and Dialogue with Cultures,” Tagle said the Eucharist proposed the culture of gift and sharing.

“In our time, we see a culture of achievement, of success. People are driven to work hard for self-advancement and for the good of their families,” Tagle said.

He, however, said that in reality, “human achievement is often fueled by materialism.”

“The said reality, however, is that human achievement is often fueled by materialism, the accumulation, the consumption of goods, even when they are not needed,” Tagle said.

The Manila archbishop said human work that developed human talent and promoted social progress must be encouraged.

“Buying for the sake of having leads to throwing away and we throw away the goods the poor should benefit from but could not afford to buy,” he said.

The culture of accumulation has also become the culture of throwing away, according to the archbishop.

“Who has something to throw away? Those who have accumulated and they have accumulated what they do not need,” Tagle said.

He recalled that after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) devastated the Philippines, many “people lived in the midst of trash discarded by others.”

“May I appeal to you brothers and sisters, when you send relief goods to the victims of natural calamities, do not send what you have thrown away. You are just decluttering your closet,” he said.

Not only goods, commodities

Tagle, however, said the throwaway culture was not only in terms of goods and commodities.

“Husbands who are here, are you tempted to throw away your wife like a home appliance? She is a gift, don’t throw her away,” he said.

“Wives, are you about to throw away your husbands like junk? Think twice, your husband is a gift,” he added.

“Parents, do you see in your son or daughter that gives you some difficulties, a thing to be thrown away, or do you see in him or her a gift of God?”

“Mothers, do you consider the baby in your womb a burden or a problem to be thrown away, or a gift of life?”

Cardinal Tagle also pointed out the throw-away culture among politicians.

“Politicians, will you throw away people’s taxes for your parties and shopping, or guard them as gifts for social service?” he said. RAM/RC

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