The Vatican's Left Leaning Towards Marxism

US: “A social market economy needs to be established," says Archbishop Marx

The Archbishop of Munich recently delivered a lecture at California’s prestigious Stanford University. “The Church has the special responsibility of identifying the positive elements within society" rather than “complaining about the things that are wrong”

MARIA TERESA PONTARA PEDERIVA
TRENTO
Cardinal Reinhard Marx’s visit to Stanford University in California on 15 January was among many signs that show that the credibility of the Catholic Church is being restored particularly following the dramatic scandal of clerical sex abuse against minors. Many say his visit was a complete first. No one remembers a cardinal from the Roman Catholic Church speaking at the prestigious West Coast university, not to mention delivering a speech with a socio-economic slant.

In actual fact, the Archbishop of Munich and Freising - who is a member of the C9 (the group of papal cardinal advisors, referred to as the “Gang of Nine” in the US), President of the German Bishops’ Conference and of the Bishops' Commission accredited to the European Union – frequently gives addresses on economic and financial issues but until now only in Germany or other European countries. He always speaks at high-level meetings, such as one that was held in Oxford last year. His strong background in moral theology and his interest in the field of social morality (he is the son of a trade unionist) led to him publishing a text titled: “Das Kapital - Eine sozialethische Streitschrift”, which brought him into the international media spotlight in 2008. His book gives a scathing criticism of capitalism in the footsteps of Karl Marx to whom the book is dedicated, adding a touch of irony: the text begins with a letter addressed to his “dear namesake”.

It is precisely on these kinds of issues that the Church is attracting criticism under Francis’ pontificate (Marx is also a member of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy headed by Cardinal George Pell), as it is accused of being “a little too left-wing”, particularly by Tea Party members.

At Stanford university, Marx spoke about the challenge of the "The Contribution of Christian Values to the Common Good." “It is important for the Church to address the big questions affecting social justice. It needs to be more active and engaged in the Western political scene so that it can be part of the development process that is able to give the poor a “chance”.” “We must look beyond capitalism,” he said thinking back to the reflections he shared with his father as a young boy. “We must create a model that is closer to a “social market economy” (the “soziale Marktwirtschaft” that Maiz’s Bishop Ketteler had been hoping for back in 1869) that is able to give a solid guarantee of social protection to the more vulnerable members of society.”

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