Naples, Cardinal Battaglia: "A worker is not a tool; the Church must not remain silent."

"You cannot bless the land and yet accept that a worker be treated like a tool." This was the warning issued by Cardinal Mimmo Battaglia, Archbishop of Naples, during the homily delivered today at the Materdomini Shrine in Caposele, in the province of Avellino, on the feast of Saint Gerard Majella, marking the third centenary of the Redemptorist saint's birth.

Starting with the traditional blessing of seeds, Battaglia drew attention to the conditions of those who work in the fields, from farmers crushed by costs to laborers exposed to the blackmail of poverty. This intervention places human dignity at the center and denounces a system in which the value of work risks being sacrificed in the pursuit of maximum profit.

The cardinal also addressed consumers' daily choices, urging them to look beyond the price of purchased products. "Behind a price that's too low, there can be a life paid too little," he stated, emphasizing the connection between the cost of goods and the conditions of those who produce them.

There were also harsh words about work that puts health at risk. "When work devastates health, calling it a sacrifice is an insult," Battaglia emphasized, emphasizing the need to combat all forms of exploitation and recognize people's adequate rights and protections.

During his homily, the archbishop criticized a society that measures the value of individuals solely on the basis of productivity. "We continue to divide people according to their usefulness. A young person is valuable if they produce, an elderly person becomes a cost, a worker is replaced as soon as he slows down," he said.

The reference to Saint Gerard Majella offered an opportunity to reiterate the value of human frailty. The saint, Battaglia recalled, was considered "useless" at the beginning of his monastic life due to his poor health. This event, according to the cardinal, underscores the importance of placing human dignity above any rationale for profit or gain.

"There are choices that need to be changed," he warned, extending his reflection to the ecclesial community. "The Church is also under this judgment. I am too," he acknowledged, warning against the temptation to "defend prestige over truth."

The appeal made in Materdomini concludes with a call to not remain silent in the face of social injustice. For Battaglia, the protection of work and human dignity cannot be limited to words, but must translate into concrete decisions that put people first, especially those most vulnerable to exploitation.