Next Sunday, November 19, the Universal Church will mark the “First World Day of the Poor”. The Day has been instituted by Pope Francis to encourage all believers, regardless of religious affiliation, to rise against a culture of discard and waste, and instead, embrace a culture of encounter, which shares with the poor through concrete signs of solidarity and fraternity.
The Catholic Standard is very happy that the Pope has instituted the Day since poverty is indeed having a toll on the lives of many people in the world, especially on the African Continent.
The main causes of poverty include greed, selfishness, corruption, poor use and distribution of our national resources.
This Paper is aware that in Ghana, there are many Catholic Institutions and individuals who care for the poor and the vulnerable in Society. We commend them for giving hope and dignity to the destitute, the marginalised and the under-privileged in society through their charitable activities.
Indeed, in our view, they are putting into practice their love for their neighbour, as stated in (Matthew 25:35). “I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited me…” These words not only embody one of the axioms of Christianity, but also serve as a golden rule for all human beings.
As stated in one of our editorials a few months ago, it does not make sense to put up structures (brick and mortar) all over the place when people in our communities are not able to afford basic needs food, shelter, clothing, education and health care.
As Pope Francis stresses: We know how hard it is for our contemporary world to see poverty clearly for what it is. Yet in myriad ways, poverty challenges us daily, in faces marked by suffering, marginalisation, 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. Poverty has the face of women, men and children exploited by base interests, crushed by the machinations of power and money. What a bitter and endless list we would have to compile were we to add poverty born of social injustice, moral degeneration, the greed of a chosen few, and generalized indifference!
We, therefore, call on the Government, Religious Bodies and all people of good will to be more committed and dedicated to achieving a higher reduction, if not total eradication of hunger and poverty in the country.
This First World Day of the Poor, therefore, should become a powerful appeal to our consciences to grow in the conviction that sharing with the poor enables us to understand the true meaning of life and the essence of the Gospel.
We become more human when we are close to the poor, empathise with them, embrace them and let them feel the warmth of our love that breaks through their solitude. We can do this by emulating St. Francis of Assisi, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Mother Teresa and many others.
Finally, as the title of Pope Francis’ message for the first World Day of the Poor aptly puts it: “Let us love, not with words but with deeds.” And may we sincerely make every effort to create moments of encounter and friendship, solidarity and concrete assistance to the poor, the needy and the marginalised. Indeed, we have to work together in creating a new vision of life and society.
