“Pope Francis Criticizes Globalism Before Departing Hungary”
Pope Francis Warns of Risks of “Shifting from Communism to Consumerism” in Budapest Visit
Pope Francis has concluded his three-day apostolic visit to Hungary, which included meetings with government officials, church leaders, and representatives from academic and cultural life. In his closing address at the Pazmany Peter Catholic University, the pontiff warned of the dangers of “shifting from communism to consumerism.” He emphasized the importance of self-knowledge and the recognition of one’s limitations to avoid the presumption of self-sufficiency.
“Once we realize that we are creatures, we become creative,” said Pope Francis. “We learn to immerse ourselves in the world instead of attempting to dominate it.” He also emphasized the importance of truth, citing Jesus who said that “the truth will make you free.” The pope noted that Hungary had seen a succession of ideologies that imposed themselves as truth but failed to bestow freedom. He cautioned that consumerism, which promises a libertine freedom, could enslave people to material objects.
Pope Francis was bid farewell by Hungarian President Katalin Novak, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen, church leaders, and volunteers waving flags of Hungary and the Vatican. Novak gave the pope a bundle of cheese-straws she had personally prepared as a farewell gift. The pontiff expressed gratitude to the university, hoping that it would always be a “beacon of universality and freedom,” a “fruitful workshop of humanism,” and a “laboratory of hope.”
