Pope Francis denounced usury as “a dramatic social ill” in his public
remarks at the end of his general audience in January 29. As he does each week, the Pope acknowledged several different groups in the crowd attending his audience.
When he mentioned the National Council of Anti-Usury Foundations, the Pope added a clear condemnation of usury, saying that the practice “is not Christian; it is not human!”
Speaking passionately against people who prey on the poor by charging high interest rates for short-term loans, Pope Francis said: “This dramatic scourge in our society harms the inviolable dignity of the human person.”