ŚLĄSKIE STUDIA HISTORYCZNO-TEOLOGICZNE

Old age and diseases in the postmodern society in the teaching of Pope Francis
The present article is based on the analysis of Pope Francis’ teaching on the situation of the elderly and ill people in the post – modern society. It presents the Pope’s concern for these people. The article consists of five sections. The first one contains the Pope’s reflections on the fear of diseases and old age. The second section shows his thoughts about increasing differences in treating healthy and sick people in the consumer societies. The third section presents the Pope’s warnings against promoting in everyday life only healthy and young people. The fourth and fifth section contain Pope Francis’ comment, in which he warns against excluding the elderly and sick people from everyday life and treating them as the second- or third- class people.