the Pope
" IN the Holy Gospel the Divine Master dues not condemn riches honestly acquired," said the Holy Father to the directors and staff of the Bank of Italy in an audience last week.
" He praises or reproves the right or wicked conduct of man with regard to riches.
" Woe to him who makes himself a slave to them, because one cannot serve two masters (Luke).
" Woe to him who ia deluded by them and suffocates in his heart the seed of the divine word (Matthew). Woe to the wicked rich man who lives only for pleasure and turns no gaze of compassion upon poor Lazarus who, full of sores, lies before his door (Luke).
" Yet, woe to all these --but praise and reward to the good and faithful servant who used to good purpose the talents he received, and blame and punishment to the idle servant who hid his master's money in the ground instead of confiding it to the hankers and obtaining a fair interest (Matthew).
" Does not the social function of a bank consist in permitting the individual to make his capital bear fruit. even though little, instead of wasting it or allowing it to remain dormant without any profit either for himself or for others ? "