Pope establishes Fund to help
struggling families in Rome
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| The Jesus the Divine Worker Fund aim to support workers who have lost their livelihoods during the pandemic |
The Jesus the Divine Worker Fund aims to help families and
individuals of the Rome Diocese who have lost their livelihoods and are in
economic difficulty due to the Covid-19 crisis.
By Vatican News
"As bishop of Rome I have decided to establish the
‘Jesus the Divine Worker Fund’ to reaffirm the dignity of work, with an initial
allocation of one million euros”, writes Pope Francis in a letter to the
Vicariate of Rome.
In the letter — dated 9 June and addressed to Cardinal
Angelo De Donatis, Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome — the Pope explains the
Fund aims to support those who have lost their jobs and their livelihoods
because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In particular, the Pope says, it is for “those who risk
being excluded from institutional protection and who need support until they
can walk again unaccompanied.”
He says his thoughts go “to the great number of daily and
occasional workers, to those with fixed-term contracts that have not been
renewed, to those who are paid by the hour, to interns, domestic workers, small
entrepreneurs, self-employed workers, especially those in sectors most affected
[by the pandemic] and their related industries.”
“Many are fathers and mothers who struggle to set the table
for their children and make sure they receive the bare minimum,” he says.
An 'Alliance' for the city of Rome
“The Jesus the Divine Worker Fund” has been established “for
them, and not only for them”, the Pope continues, “and all of us, beginning
with the institutions, are called to contribute to it.”
The Pope goes on to say that he would like to think that
this could become the occasion for a real alliance for the city of Rome, in
which everyone may become a protagonist in the rebirth of the community after
the crisis.
“This Fund is intended to be a sign that is capable of
urging all people of good will to offer a concrete gesture of inclusion,
especially towards those who seek comfort, hope and recognition of their
rights,” he says, inviting all institutions and citizens to share generously
what they have in this “extraordinary and needy time.”
Pope Francis says that he appeals to “the good hearts of all
Romans,” urging them to realize that this is a time in which “it is not
sufficient to share only the superfluous.”
He appeals to priests “to be the first to contribute to the
Fund” and to become “enthusiastic supporters of sharing” in their communities.
Praise for the work of the Diocese during pandemic
The Holy Father also expresses his praise and gratitude to
the Diocese of Rome for the work it has been doing, especially at a time, in
which so many are asking for help, and it seems that “the five loaves and the
two fishes” are not enough.
He notes that many citizens have rolled up their sleeves to
help and support the weak and that there has been an increase in donations in
aid of the sick and the poor.
Pope Francis even reflects on how Romans expressed their
gratitude to doctors and health workers during the lockdown by applauding,
singing and playing music from their windows and their balconies, “creating
communities and breaking the loneliness that undermines the hearts of so many.”
All of this shows, he says, a deep desire for community and
participation and urges us to work together, united, for the common good.
“I would like to see ‘next-door-neighbour solidarity’
flourish in our city,” the Pope concludes, with actions that recall the Sabbath
Year (of the Jewish tradition) in which debts are cancelled, disputes are
dropped, and compensation is asked according to the capacity of the debtor and
not the market.
In return, Cardinal De Donatis expressed his deep gratitude
to the Pope for the establishment of the Diocesan Fund, and voiced his
assurances that together with the institutions – starting with Municipal and
Regional Authorities – “we will all respond united and committed to creating an
alliance for Rome, thus becoming protagonists of the rebirth of our community
after the crisis.”
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