By Alexis Torres
Why is World Day of the Poor something we as Catholics should care about? World Day of the Poor was established by Pope Francis in 2016. It was created to encourage Christian Communities to be a greater sign of Christ’s charity for the poor and to draw nearer to them by recognizing that every person has value and dignity and must be treated with such. This day calls believers to go beyond causal acts of charity and have an authentic encounter with the poor, helping them to feel the warmth of Christ’s love and recognize the value of their lived experiences.
World Day of the Poor is an invitation as well as a call to action to be more sensitive to the needs of our sisters and brothers who live in poverty. This day is for us as Christians to make concreate gestures of solidarity and compassion. World Day of the Poor urges the Catholic community to reflect on how poverty is at the heart of the Gospel.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta leaves us with a beautiful testimony of her faith. She lived a life devoted to the poor. Mother Teresa made it known that from prayer, she drew strength and faith for her mission of service to the least among us. When she spoke at the General Assembly of the United Nations on October 26, 1985, she showed the rosary she always held in her hand and said, “I am only a poor sister who prays. By praying, Jesus puts his love in my heart, and I go to give it to all the poor I meet along the way. Pray, too! Pray, and you will notice the poor who are beside you. Perhaps on the same floor in your apartment building. Perhaps even in your houses, someone is waiting for your love. Pray, and your eyes will open, and your heart will fill with love,” (Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the Eighth World Day of the Poor For the Eighth World Day of the Poor 33 Sunday in Ordinary Time 17 November 2024).
To read his full message, visit https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/poveri/documents/20240613-messaggio-viii-giornatamondiale-poveri-2024.html.
Here are some tangible ways to help support World Day of the Poor:
- Buy: fair trade items such as coffee, sugar, bananas as well as products such as clothing, flowers, honey, spices. The key is to look for the fair trade certified label on these products.
- Learn: about the root causes of poverty in your community and around the world and advocate for change and bring awareness to these injustices.
- Offer: your unique gifts the Lord has given you to serve others, use your professional or personal skills such as tutoring, cooking, language abilities to help support organizations that help others within the community.
- Sponsor a child: Support a child’s education and well-being through sponsorship programs.
- Dive into the word: Spend time prayerfully in Scripture looking at the Gospels and meditate and/or journal on how Jesus cared for and served the poor.
Alexis Torres is the intern for the Office of Social Concerns and an occasional writer for The Central Minnesota Catholic.