Pope Francis: The poor not a problem but a resource
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| Pope Francis visits a Caritas shelter for the homeless in Rome.- REUTERS |
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis’ Message
for the first World Day of the Poor, to be observed on November 19th, was
presented to journalists on Tuesday at the Holy See press office.
In the message entitled, “Let us love, not with words but
with deeds”, Pope Francis explains that at the conclusion of the Jubilee of
Mercy, he wanted to offer the Church a World Day of the Poor, “so that
throughout the world Christian communities can become an ever greater sign of
Christ’s charity for the least and those most in need.”
He goes on to invite “the whole Church, and men and women of
good will everywhere, to turn their gaze on this day to all those who stretch
out their hands and plead for our help and solidarity.”
Presenting the message to journalists at the Holy See press
office on Tuesday, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council
for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, which organized the Jubilee of
Mercy, explained that this World Day of the Poor was announced spontaneously by
Pope Francis.
Archbishop Fisichella said that on the 13th November 2016
while Cathedrals around the world were closing their Holy Doors, the Pope was
looking into the eyes of those present in St Peter’s Basilica during Mass to
celebrate the Jubilee dedicated to the Socially Marginalized. In the preceding
days the Holy Father, continued the Archbishop, heard many emotional stories of
people in difficulty. He went on to say that Pope Francis probably decided at
the end of his homily to announce this day having heard so many moving accounts
of hardship.
The Holy Father’s message, draws from the life of St Francis
and he comments that “precisely because he kept his gaze fixed on Christ,
Francis was able to see and serve him in the poor. “
The Pope notes that “if we want to help change history and
promote real development, we need to hear the cry of the poor and commit
ourselves to ending their marginalization.”
The challenge of Poverty
Pope Francis also writes about how poverty challenges us
“daily, in faces marked by suffering, marginalization, oppression, violence,
torture and imprisonment, war, deprivation of freedom and dignity, ignorance
and illiteracy, medical emergencies and shortage of work, trafficking and
slavery, exile, extreme poverty and forced migration.”
There is also a poverty, the Pope highlights, “that stifles
the spirit of initiative of so many young people by keeping them from finding
work.”
Faced with this scenario, Pope Francis stresses, “we cannot
remain passive, much less resigned.”
Concluding his message the Holy Father, underlines that,
“the poor are not a problem: they are a resource from which to draw as we
strive to accept and practise in our lives the essence of the Gospel.”
The World Day of the Poor will be observed on November 19th
2017.
(Lydia O'Kane)
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