Accepting the grace and challenge of being builders of unity --- rather than austerity.

The quote from Pope Francis's speech below
can be read with Australia in mind. 
The picture at left describes part of the problem. 

Below is the solution.

Our government preaches austerity and 

cuts funding to needy organisations

helping people with real needs.

Yet the wealthy seem to be touched very lightly.

“We must not respond with nonchalance, or complain we do not have the resources to do the job, or that the problems are too big,” Francis said on Wednesday while celebrating an open-air Mass in Quito, the Ecuadoran capital.

“Instead, we must respond by taking up the cry of Jesus and accepting the grace and challenge of being builders of unity,” the Argentinean-born pontiff said.

The above quote is taken from a speech made by Pope Francis in Ecuador during his visit to Latin America. 

Read a fuller report here.

Kerry-anne Mendoza is a former ­management consultant in banking, local government and the NHS, who left her job to join the Occupy protest. She blogs at Scriptonite Daily.  Here is an excellent article by her outlining why running a public service like a business will never work.