A cardinal talked of as a future pope has warned that "a savage capitalism" is returning to the world, where poverty and social injustice were the real "weapons of mass destruction".
Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga (63), of Honduras, who was one of those voted for in the conclave last April which elected Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope, has said this "neo-liberal capitalism" was creating a world "where there is a desire to open up all frontiers to goods, while a host of obstacles hinder the free movement of persons from countries of the South towards those of the North."
He continued that "only the logic of financial markets has been globalised and the absolutism of this capital is creating havoc. We might say that only the rich are globalised."
Cardinal Maradiaga was in Ireland since Thursday, until the weekend, to launch Trócaire's Lenten campaign. He delivered the Trócaire annual lecture in Maynooth last Thursday night.
Widely regarded as one of the world's most charismatic campaigners for human rights and the poor, speaking to The Irish Times, he compared the world's infatuation with globalisation to the cults of the Old Testament, particularly the cult of Moloch. This "new Moloch" was creating a world where "the greediness of a few is leaving the majority on the margin of history". It meant that "injustice and inequality are distinctive signs of today's world."
On his prospects of becoming pope he said, "no one would desire to be pope. It is out of human hands." But he was pleased for his people he had received votes (three) early in last year's conclave.