Holy Father Francisco: Thank you!
By Iker Barrón Ibeas
Holiness,
Thank you, thank you for so many things.
First of all, thank you for the opportunity and privilege of this message, I am fully aware of the countless number of letters and messages you must receive and the complexity of attending to them.
Second, thank you for being the way you are and, above all, for demonstrating it with your actions. As a child at home I was taught that it is not what you say but what you do that really shows who you are, and you, Holiness, are pure consistency and example.
Third, thank you for your involvement and effort in making the economy a part of the life of the Church, in putting on the table the dimension of the vow of poverty beyond clericalism, in talking about money as a means and not as an end (to serve and not to govern), as something necessary for the mission.
In more than 25 years working with Church Institutions with the objective of aligning their heritage with their mission and charisma, knowing that this work coincides with their message, fighting against indietism, advocating universality, communion, fraternity, efficiency, sustainability and doing it with credibility, professionally and with experience, is, on the one hand, a validation and, on the other hand, a spur to continue on the path.
A path that has often been, and is, tortuous due to obstacles both at home and abroad. But knowing that we are walking accompanied by you and following in your footsteps fills us with motivation and energy to continue. And to continue knowing what our role is, which is none other than to translate the financial and economic language into a language that the Institutions understand, so that this knowledge gives them sovereignty in decision-making. Because the trust that the Institutions place in us is a gift and as such we have the responsibility to justify and document it with total transparency. It is our obligation to answer the questions that have not even been asked, because without knowledge there will hardly be sovereignty.
And there “The Economy of Francis”, and everything that revolves around this movement (such as the Francesco Collaborative, Catholic Impact Investing Collaborative and Mensuram Bonam, where we actively participate) creates a framework that allows us to form, share, converse and, most importantly and slowly, act.
Finally, thank you for opening the doors of the Church to all, for that Church that is love and not judge, of inclusive welcome and egalitarian relationships. To be able to speak horizontally about what we lay people contribute, saying what we think and not what they want to hear, makes us all grow.
For many more years of walking and dreaming together!