Fratelli Tutti and Human Rights: Reflection

Fr. Amado L. Picardal, CSsR

As we celebrate the International Human Rights Day let us listen to Pope Francis’
lament on how human rights are discarded or violated:
“It frequently becomes clear that in practice human rights are not equal for all.
Respect for those rights is the preliminary condition for a country’s social and
economic development…We see numerous contradictions that lead us to wonder
whether the equal dignity of all human beings, solemnly proclaimed seventy years
ago, is truly recognized, respected and promoted in every situation. In today’s world,
many forms of injustice persist, fed by reductive anthropological visions and by a
profit-based economic model that does not hesitate to exploit, discard and even kill
human beings. While one part of humanity lives in opulence, another part sees its own
dignity denied, scorned or trampled upon, and its fundamental rights discarded or
violated.” (FT 22)

The lack of respect for the dignity and rights of others as well as the inequality, the
injustices, the violent conflicts, etc. is associated with the failure to regard one another as
brothers and sisters and as friends belonging to a single universal family and community.
Fraternity and social friendship based on love and communion is the basis for engagement in
dialogue with one another that can lead all us to collaborate in addressing the crisis that we
face. It is also the basis for conflict-resolution and achieving peace and justice.
What happens when we are able to tell others: you are my brothers and sisters, you
are my friends? We realize that we belong to same family and community. Kapamilya,
kapatid, kaibigan, kapuso. We are all interrelated, we are interconnected. Nagkakaugnay. We
stop seeing them as strangers, as enemies, as threats. We do not kill them, we do not rob
them, we do not exploit them, we do not oppress them, we do not spread lies about them. We
care for them when they suffer, when they are sick, wounded, hungry, victimized, enslaved,
oppressed, impoverished. If they are addicted, we help them to be freed from their addiction,
instead of making them targets for extrajudicial killings. We share with them what we have.
We respect their rights and defend them when their rights are trampled upon.
If we are able to see all human beings and other creatures this way, we will live in
harmony, in peace, in justice, in freedom. This is what it means to live in love. This is what
communion is all about. This is the vision that Pope Francis promotes in Fratelli Tutti and
also Laudato Si. This is the vision that will help address the crises that we face: the pandemic,
the economic crisis – poverty, wars and armed conflict, migration, climate change/ecological
crisis.
What is the basis for regarding each other as brothers, sisters and friends? It is the
recognition of God as the creator and source of our being. Because we have one source – then
we are all inter-related. God is Father and we are God’s children and we are brothers and
sisters. God created all of us in his own image and likeness. This is the basis for human
dignity and human rights. Equality in dignity. God created us to be in communion and
harmony with Him, with each other and will all creation. Unity in diversity.
 Since God is the creator of all, God is the owner of all. God created all the world’s
goods for the benefit of all. No creature, no human being can claim absolute ownership of the
world’s goods – the land, the air, the sea, the trees, the forests, etc. We are called to be
stewards: to nurture and develop these and to share these with one another and with the
generations to come. Mahatma Gandhi reminds us: “The world has enough for everyone’s
need but not for everyone’s greed”
We are called to live in harmony with nature and with all living creatures. This is
God’s will for all: universal communion. Pope Francis in Laudato Si affirms this and shows
the consequences when this is not followed:
“Human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships:
with God, with our neighbor and with the earth itself… These three vital relationships
have been broken, both outwardly and within us. This rupture is sin. The harmony
between the Creator, humanity and creation as a whole was disrupted by our
presuming to take the place of God and refusing to acknowledge our creaturely
limitations. This in turn distorted the mandate to “have dominion” over the earth. As a
result, the originally harmonious relationship between human beings and nature
became conflictual (cf. Gen 3:17-19)… Sin is manifest in all its destructive power in
wars, the various forms of violence and abuse, the abandonment of the most
vulnerable and attacks of nature. (LS 66)”
Thus, sin is the rupture of communion. It is the curvature of the self upon self instead
of living in love with God, others and creation. This results in alienation from God, from
others and from creation. Instead of being in communion with God there is turning away
from God and the worship of idols – the idolatry of wealth and power, and even making
oneself or another human being as god. Instead of loving communion with others there is
separation, division and enmity. The other becomes a stranger, an enemy, an object of
exploitation and destruction. One becomes blind and deaf to the suffering and cry of others.
Instead of recognizing God as creator and owner of all things and acting as stewards there is
the claim of absolute ownership, the drive to monopolize the wealth and resources of the
earth, depriving others of their share of these resources. The economic and political systems
as well as the underlying culture can reflect this sinful condition. Pope Francis for example
alludes to the neoliberal capitalist system as “a profit-based economic model that does not
hesitate to exploit, discard and even kill human beings.” Thus, what results is inequality,
injustice, violence, violation of human rights. This also leads to the disregard of nature and
destruction of our common home. These are manifestations of sin which is the rupture of
communion and the failure to love. Redemption or salvation has two aspects: 1. freedom
from sin and its evil manifestation (this requires personal conversion and social
transformation) 2. restoration of the broken relationship or communion. (This means turning
towards God, to others and rest of creation.)
The Christian vision of communion – of universal fraternity and social friendship –
which Fratelli Tutti promotes is essential for the progress of humanity. Without this we
cannot survive and thrive as a species. The recognition that we are interconnected and that we
are brothers and sisters belonging to a single family is vital. But there is something more that
needs to be done. Relating to each other as brothers and sisters is not enough. The cultivation
of social friendship is the ideal that we have to strive for. We have to become true friends.
This bond of friendship is greater and stronger than just being brothers, sisters and neighbors.
True friends are closer and dearer than relatives and comrades. Genuine friendship transcends
personal, social, religious, ideological boundaries and differences. This requires building
bridges rather than walls. This requires encounter and dialogue. It is easier to come to
agreement and to work together when friendship develops. At the same time working
together, journeying together deepens the bond of friendship. To become a universal
community of friends – where we are one heart and mind and share everything we have.
The theme of this gathering is “Kinsa ang akong igsoon?” Who is my brother/sister? Who is
my neighbor? I would also add: Who can be my friend? Kinsa ang akong higala?
The answer is obvious – all of those who live in this land that we consider as our common
home – Christians, Muslims, Lumads or Indigenous Peoples – no matter what their religious
political affiliation or class background. Those who are sick, the poor and hungry.
Those who are addicted. Those in government, those in the opposition, the soldiers and
rebels, whoever we regard as the enemy.
We are all interconnected – we are a single family and community. Whatever differences we
have, we can resolve peacefully through dialogue. There is no need to destroy, harm or kill
one another or deny each other’s rights. The wealth and resources of our common home is to
be shared by all and should benefit all including the coming generations. Nobody can claim
absolute ownership and monopoly of what God has created.
All this may sound like an impossible dream or a utopian ideal but this is what we keep
striving for no matter how long it takes.