Scottish Catholic Observer

Brazil’s bishops have criticised the amount of money spent on the World Cup and have called for the country’s government to respect people’s right to demonstrate against the tournament.

Brazil’s Bishops’ Conference issued red-card shaped messages to parishes across the country condemning the ‘inversion of priorities in the use of public money that should go to health, education, basic sanitation, transportation and security.’

The message calls for the authorities to do more to fight sexual exploitation during the event, and criticises organisers for evicting hundreds of poor people from areas near the newly built and refurbished stadiums.

The 2014 World Cup kicks-off on Thursday with the host country playing Croatia.

Last weekend, Pope Francis told thousands of young people gathered in St Peter’s Square that ‘sport is a form of education.’

“I see three roads for the young, for children,” the Holy Father said while celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Centro Sportivo Italiana. “The road of education, the road of sport, and the road of work: that is, that there are jobs for them at the beginning of their young lives. If there are these three paths, I can assure you that there will be no dependencies: no drugs, no alcohol. Why? Because school takes you ahead, sport takes you ahead, work takes you ahead. Do not forget this. To you, sportspeople, managers, men and women of politics: education, sport and jobs!

“If there is no sports group in the parish, something is missing… sport in the community can be an excellent missionary tool, where the Church draws close to each person, helping him or her to improve and to encounter Jesus Christ.

The Pope also called on the young people to help the disadvantaged in participating and sport, and encouraged them to commit to children in the outskirts of the city, through sport. “With a ball to play with, you may also offer reasons for hope and trust,” he said.

Pic: Fiorentina’s coach Vincenzo Montella, third from left, presents a gift to Pope Francis during a special audience with football teams Fiorentina and Napoli at the Vatican last month. At the weekend the Holy Father again sang the praises of sport