Pope Francis met with the Italian Association for Injured Workers to personally thank them for their efforts of advocating for the prevention of fatalities in the workplace and supporting victims of work accidents.
POPE FRANCIS
Thank you for keeping a high focus on the issue of safety in the workplace, where too many deaths and misfortunes still happen.
In his speech, the Pope specifically referenced the five Italian railway workers who died after getting hit by a train last month. But workplace fatalities are not an issue specific to Italy—in the U.S., there were over 5,000 fatal work injuries in 2021 alone.
The Pope said these tragedies take place when humanity is removed from the workplace.
POPE FRANCIS
This happens when work becomes dehumanized and, instead of being the tool that helps human beings reach fulfillment within their community, it becomes an exhausting race for profit.
The tragedies begin when the goal is no longer man, but productivity, and man becomes a production machine.
Pope Francis closed the meeting by entrusting the audience to the protection of St. Joseph, the patron saint of all workers.
AT
