The Scourge of Child Labour

On Wednesday morning, 8 January [2025], Pope Francis resumed his weekly General Audiences, following the pause for the Christmas season, with a catechesis dedicated to children. Highlighting that Jesus considered children to be an example for all those hoping to enter the Kingdom of God, the Holy Father pointed out that “Christians have the duty to earnestly prevent and firmly condemn violence or abuse against minors”. The following is a translation of the Pope’s words which he delivered in Italian in the Paul VI Hall.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Good morning!

I would like to dedicate this catechesis and the following few ones to children, and to reflect in particular on the scourge of child labour. 

Nowadays we are capable of turning our gaze to Mars, or even towards virtual worlds, yet we struggle to look into the eyes of children who have been left on the margins and are exploited or abused. The century that is generating artificial intelligence and planning multi-planetary existences, has not yet reckoned with the scourge of the humiliation, exploitation and mortal wounding of children. Let us think about this.

First of all, let us ask ourselves: what is the message in Sacred Scripture with regards to children? It is interesting to note that the word that appears most often in the Old Testament, after the divine name of Yahweh, is the word ben, that is, “son”: almost 5,000 times. “Lo, sons are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Ps 127:3). Children are a gift from God. Unfortunately, this gift is not always treated with respect. The Bible itself leads us through the streets of history where songs of joy resound, as do the cries of victims. For example, in the book of Lamentations we read: “The tongue of the nursling cleaves to the roof of its mouth for thirst; the children beg for food, but no one gives to them” (4:4); and the prophet Nahum, recalling what had happened in the ancient cities of Thebes and Nineveh, writes: “her little ones were dashed in pieces at the head of every street” (3:10). Let us think of how many children are dying of hunger and destitution, today, or being torn apart by bombs.

The storm of violence unleashed by Herod, who slaughtered Bethlehem’s infants, immediately affected the newborn Jesus. A dismal tragedy that was repeated in other forms throughout history. Jesus and his parents faced the nightmare of becoming refugees in a foreign country, as still happens to many people today and to many children (cf. Mt 2:13-18). Once the storm had passed, Jesus grew up in a village which had not been mentioned in the Old Testament: Nazareth. He learned the trade of carpentry from his legal father, Joseph (cf. Mk 6:3; Mt 13:55), and in this way, “the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him” (Lk 2:40).

During his public life, Jesus preached from village to village, along with his disciples. Some mothers approached him one day, and presented him with their children to be blessed, but the disciples rebuked them. Breaking with tradition, which considered children to be simply passive objects, Jesus called the disciples to him and said: “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God”. He thus indicated the little ones as models for adults. And he solemnly added: “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it” (Lk 18:16-17).

In a similar passage, Jesus called to a child, placed him among the disciples, and said: “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3). And then he cautions: “but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Mt 18:6).

Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ’s disciples must never allow children to be neglected or mistreated, to be deprived of their rights, to not be loved or protected. Christians have the duty to earnestly prevent and firmly condemn violence or abuse against minors.

Today too, there are too many children forced to work. But a child who does not smile, a child who does not dream cannot know or nurture his or her talents. In every part of the world there are children who are exploited by an economy that does not respect life; an economy that, in so doing, consumes our greatest stock of hope and love. But children occupy a special place in God’s heart, and whoever harms a child will have to account to him.

Dear brothers and sisters, those who recognize themselves as children of God, and especially those who are sent to bring the Good News of the Gospel to others, cannot remain indifferent. They cannot accept that, instead of being loved and protected, our little sisters and brothers are robbed of their childhood, and of their dreams, victims of exploitation and marginalization.

Let us ask the Lord to open our minds and hearts to care and tenderness, and that every boy and every girl will be able to grow in age, wisdom and grace (cf. Lk 2:52), receiving and giving love. Thank you.

L'Osservatore Romano
8 January 2025