VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis will prepare for his celebration of the World Day of the Poor by spending time listening to and praying with 500 poor people from across Europe, who will be gathered in Assisi in November, the Vatican
Poverty is the result of people's selfishness; it is not "fate" or the fault of the poor, Pope Francis said.
"Unless we choose to become poor in passing riches, worldly power and vanity, we will never be able to give our lives in
Being faithful to God means taking the risk of setting aside one's own needs and plans in order to serve others, Pope Francis said, celebrating Mass for the World Day of the Poor.
"Today, in these times of uncertainty, in these times of
Even during a global pandemic, the World Day of the Poor will be an important opportunity for parishes to highlight the importance of charity and spiritual comfort for those in need, said a Vatican official.
Although restrictions meant to mitigate the spread of
The poor are the church's treasure because they give every Christian a chance to "speak the same language as Jesus, that of love," Pope Francis said, celebrating Mass for the World Day of the Poor.
"The poor facilitate our access to heaven," the
When President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a federal holiday in 1863, the United States was embroiled in the Civil War. And yet the language employed by our 16th president in his proclamation that year was rich in its imagery of unity among
Words fail when people encounter deep suffering, such as the father of two children who perished from spoiled food that he had retrieved from the trash in the Philippines, the only sustenance he could find; or the mother trying to understand the