In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you!
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

I greet the President and all of you who represent the National Anti-Usury Council. I join my voice to that of my Predecessors in thanking you for your commitment over the past thirty years to combating a problem that has a devastating impact on the lives of many people and many families.

The phenomenon of usury points to the corruption of the human heart. It is a painful and ancient story, already attested to in the Bible. The prophets, in fact, denounced usury, along with exploitation and every form of injustice towards the poor. The prophet Isaiah, in the name of the Lord, asks this question: “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?” (Is 58:6)? How far God is from the attitude that crushes people to the point of enslaving them! It is a grave sin, at times very grave, because it cannot be reduced to a mere accounting issue; usury can bring crisis to families, it can wear down the mind and heart to the point of leading people to think of suicide as the only way out.

The negative dynamics of usury manifest themselves at different levels. There is a form of usury that apparently seems to want to help those in financial difficulty, but which soon reveals itself for what it is: a suffocating burden. The consequences are paid especially by fragile people, such as those who are victims of gambling. However, it also affects those who have to face difficult moments, such as for instance extraordinary medical treatment or unexpected expenses beyond their means or those of their families. What first presents itself as a helping hand in reality becomes, in the long run, a torment.

And these even happens at the level of countries around the world. Unfortunately, usurious financial systems can bring entire peoples to their knees. Similarly, we cannot overlook “those whose usurious and avaricious dealings lead to the hunger and death of their brethren in the human family” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2269): their responsibilities are grave and they fuel structures of iniquitous sin.

“The same questions keep coming back to us. Does this mean that the less gifted are not human beings? Or that the weak do not have the same dignity as ourselves? Are those born with fewer opportunities of lesser value as human beings? Should they limit themselves merely to surviving? The worth of our societies, and our own future, depends on the answers we give to these questions. Either we regain our moral and spiritual dignity or we fall into a cesspool” (Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te, 95).

This is why the action of those, like you, who are committed to discouraging usury and seeking to put an end to this practice, is so valuable. Your work is particularly in tune with the spirit and practice of the Jubilee, and can rightly be counted among the signs of hope that characterize this Holy Year.

Thinking of the Gospel roots of this service, I would like to invite you to meditate on Jesus’ attitude towards Zacchaeus, the head of the tax collectors in Jericho (cf. Lk 19:1-10). He was accustomed to abuse, oppression and bullying. It was normal for someone like him to take advantage of his position to exploit people and earn money by robbing the weakest. And so Jesus seeks out Zacchaeus: he calls him and tells him that he wants to stay at his house. And then the unthinkable happens: Jesus' generosity completely takes the man aback and puts him with his back against the wall. Coming to his senses, Zacchaeus realises that he has done wrong and decides to repay “with interest”! “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold” (Lk 19:8). No one asked him for so much, not even the Mosaic law. But the fact is that his encounter with Christ transformed his heart, and then everything changed. Only generosity is so effective that it reveals to us the meaning of our humanity. When the pursuit of profit prevails, others are no longer people, they no longer have a face, they are just objects to be exploited; and so we end up losing ourselves and our souls. The conversion of those who engage in usury is just as important as closeness to those who suffer from usury.

Dear friends, I encourage you to continue your mission, which is all the more valuable because it expresses a community commitment, supported by the pastors of the Church. I pray for you, entrusting you to the intercession of Saint Matthew the Apostle, and I bless you from my heart. Thank you.

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Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 18 October 2025