Fr. Shenan J. Boquet: Scapegoating of the Elderly

“I would point out that the right to care and treatment for all must always be prioritized, so that the weakest, particularly the elderly and the sick, are never discarded. Indeed, life is a right, not death, which must be welcomed, not administered. And this ethical principle applies to everyone, not just Christians or believers.” ─ Pope Francis, Feb. 9, 2022 General Audience 

A few days ago, at the Catholic University of Argentina in Buenos Aires, representatives from the three “Abrahamic” religions—i.e., Christianity, Judaism and Islam—signed a joint statement about the status of the elderly in the modern world. The statement was signed in the presence of Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

In the opening lines, the statement warns about a general “aging of the world’s population” that is the result of “the decrease in the birth rate and the increase in life expectancy.” As the authors of the statement note, this trend “poses challenges in all sectors of society, from labor and finance, demand for goods and services, social and health protection, to urban structure and intergenerational family ties.” ….

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