“Charity in Truth” has just been release by the Pope and it is a fascinating document. In it, Pope Benedict XVI calls for a reformed economic system and a new way of running a globalised economy.

Profit is no bad thing, just so long as it does not get too out of hand, he says. The problem with it is that it can get out of hand and things go awry when we pursue profit at all costs.

He goes on to call for a reformed United Nations and other international financial authorities. These should focus on “integral and timely disarmament, food security and peace, to guarantee the protection of the environment and to regulate migration.”

The Pope also says that there is a big opportunity to replan the path that humans are taking. We could redistribute wealth on a large scale if we take the right path.

This seems a pretty balanced and practical view to me. It is interesting that, once again, several issues go hand in hand – globalisation, treating workers around the world fairly (Fair trade), a strong world economy, the unregulated exploitation of the earth’s resources and so on.

It’s a fairly large document at 144 pages but well worth a rad. You can find “Charity in Truth” at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.html