Pope Benedict XVI Blog

Pope at General Audience: Greed, Root of Economic Crisis

Pope: greed, the "root" of the current global economic crisis

» 04/22/2009 14:31
VATICAN

At the general audience, Benedict XVI illustrates the figure of Autpertus, an 8th century monk who spoke of greed as "the sole root of all vices." At the end of the audience, he again entrusted to the young people the cross of WYD, which John Paul II gave to them 25 years ago, "so that many young people may discover the mercy of God and revive within their hearts hope in Christ crucified and risen."

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Greed, which views possession and appearance as the most important things in the world, is the real root of the current global economic crisis. Benedict XVI again today pointed to a "vice" of the human heart as the profound cause of the economic situation. He has expressed this view repeatedly, most recently in Luanda, during his trip to Africa, when he spoke of "the greed that corrupts the heart of man," or at the beginning of April, when in a message addressed to the G20 summit he wrote that the origin of the crisis there is also a "failure of correct ethical behavior."

Today, Benedict XVI took the opportunity to talk about greed from Ambrose Autpertus, an 8th century author who is "not very well known," as he said to the 35,000 people present in St. Peter's Square for the general audience.

Autpertus was from a "distinguished family" in Provence, and served in the court of Pepin as the tutor of the future emperor Charlemagne. After joining the entourage of Pope Stephen II, who had gone to visit the Franks, he went to Italy, and stayed at the Benedictine abbey of San Vincenzo in Volturno "an oasis of classical and Christian culture." He entered the religious life there, and in 771 was ordained a priest. Seven years later he became abbot, with the support of the Frankish monks, while the Lombards supported another candidate. "Political rivalry had even entered the life of the monasteries"; the "nationalistic tensions" did not die down, and in 778 Autpertus decided to leave the monastery and go with some Frankish monks to Spoleto, under the patronage of Charlemagne. But the tensions returned, with the abbot denouncing Charlemagne and the calling of a pontifical tribunal. Called as a witness, he died during the trip, possibly by murder, in 784.
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The economic crisis was born from greed, Pope Benedict says

Vatican City, Apr 22, 2009 / 12:11 pm (CNA).- Today at his general audience in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope focused his attention on the monk Ambrose Autpert. Drawing on the monk's teachings, the Pope pointed to greed as the root of the global economic crisis.

Continuing his series of teachings on the great writers of the Eastern and Western Churches in the middle ages, the Holy Father explained that Ambrose Autpert "is a little-known author of the eighth century.

Born to a high-ranking family in Provence, France, Autpert was tutor to the future emperor Charlemagne before traveling to Italy to enter a Benedictine monastery. He was ordained a priest in 761 and was elected abbot 16 years later. He died on January 30, 784.
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See also, "Ambrose Autpert Discovered the Church's True Face."

posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 12:39 PM