World Day of the Poor
Pope Francis has designated Sunday 19th November as the first “World Day of the Poor”. When we read the Scriptures, we find that, from Moses, through the Prophets, up to Jesus himself, and in the first Christian communities, there is always a special focus on the poor. This love of preference for the poor is the only way that we can respond with integrity to a God who has given us so much, even His own Son. Unfortunately, in our times, there tends to be an assumption that the poor, like everything and everyone else, will be looked after by the state. Not only does it not work, but it misses the point that our Christian responsibility is something interpersonal, which cannot be delegated as easily as that.
In his message for the World Day of the Poor (http://www.pcpne.va/content/pcpne/en/attivita/poveri/messaggio.html), Pope Francis explains his own motivation for establishing the World Day for the Poor. He says:
At the conclusion of the Jubilee of Mercy, I 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.
The Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation has also issued a pack of pastoral resources which can be found at: http://www.pcpne.va/content/pcpne/en/attivita/poveri/sussidio.html
Included among the resources are some stories from the lives of the saints who are most associated with the care of the poor, including our own Blessed John Sullivan, which might be of interest for a display, or indeed for children preparing for Confirmation.
