Switzerland: Francis and the Davos Forum

And he insists on an “evident need for international political action that, through the adoption of coordinated measures, can effectively pursue the goals of global peace and authentic development.”

As Philip Lawler conveniently points out on the Catholic Culture website on January 31: “The WEF [in Davos] supports efforts to combat climate change, to advocate diversity and inclusion, to promote ‘enlightened’ opinions.”

Unfortunately, on this occasion, the Pope did not bring up traditional Catholic social doctrine: “the living wage, the preservation of intact families . . . or education in virtue”... To this silence, the Catholic journalist reacted energetically: “What the WEF needs to hear from the Catholic Church is not a message of support but a challenge.”

“Ironically, at Davos that challenge was issued by Argentina’s President Javier Milei, a critic of the Catholic Church, who denounced the ‘bloody abortion agenda’ and bid to curb population growth.”

“Milei observed accurately that WEF had fallen under the spell of Marxists who were gaining power ‘by appropriating the media, culture, universities, and also international organizations.” 

Philip Lawler adds that Davos Forum “claims to speak for the poor, but in practice leans toward the goal of zero population growth, effectively eliminating poverty by eliminating poor people.”

“The WEF inveighs against excessive consumption, but its globe-trotting leaders jet into swanky resorts and dine in in style while suggesting restrictive agricultural policies that make food more expensive.”

“The Davos crowd professes its respect for native cultures, yet evidently the traditional Christian culture of its European founders does not count. Indeed the most memorable religious display at the Davos conference came when a Brazilian shaman, Chieftess Putanny Yawanawá of the Amazonian Yawanawá, performed a pagan ritual to invoke the power of her ‘spirits’ on the work of the conference.”