Why Catholics care about people living in poverty

Adapted from an article by Sister Susan Rose Francois, C.S.J.P. in VISION Vocation Guide: www.vocationnet....
Whether it's getting the oatmeal right in a soup kitchen or advocating to end global poverty, Catholics should and do care about those on the margins of society.
The Catholic faith calls us to live out a "preferential option for the poor and vulnerable." We must opt to act on behalf of people living in poverty and vulnerable situations and put their needs first.
As Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his encyclical Deus Caritas Est, the "church cannot neglect the service of charity any more than she can neglect the Sacraments and the Word."
Remember the words of Jesus: "Whatever you did for one of these least brothers or sisters of mine, you did for me."
The call to loving action, however, does not stop at charity. We must also look closely at the root causes of poverty and seek to change them through actions for justice.
The preferential option for the poor calls us "to speak for the voiceless," said the U.S. Catholic Bishops in their pastoral letter Economic Justice For All.
Pope John Paul II observed that in these times the preferential option for the poor "has to be expressed in worldwide dimensions." Therefore, our acts of charity and justice must extend beyond our own communities and national borders.
Ultimately the call to preferential love for people who are poor and vulnerable stems from the reality that each of us is created in the image and likeness of God, and as such we have inherent dignity and the right to life; and to those things necessary to live a dignified life.
Read this and related articles on being Catholic at Vocation Network: www.vocationnet....

[@greengrapegummy]

this is amazing it has inspired me to look at various of homeless men and babies....

[@EngPheniks]

the Salvation Army like myself has a lot of things in common with Catholics. our administration is of hierarchy with a central figure at the world level. we have the General while you have the Pope. that's one thing. the other thing is that our denomination is built on the foundations of charity, feeding and preaching outside the building where there are people who never get to see a church. our parent denomination was the Methodist church which is predominantly protestant. but our goals are somewhat similar.

[@MacheteMambi]

There's only ONE Church that Christ founded.

[@ishaanchawla6775]

this vid is so cool, i loved the homeless info

[@Ilovedoncheadle]

Hey Ishaan, I too enjoyed the homeless info found in this video. I think it is so important to be always helping people.

[@MultiJoe84]

I wonder what Jesus would think of the modern Catholic Church and all its wealth.

[@kj-my7se]

It's called budgeting and running a good home? Even the poor need those skills.

[@MacheteMambi]

The individual SOUL is the most important matter. The One True Church must return to Traditional teachings. And while providing for temporal needs has always been part of the Catholic Church the Catechism and proper formation of the Flock has been negligently abandoned by the marxist infiltrators. Our Blessed Mother Mary warned us about this in Fatima (Errors of Russian communism), Garabandal, Akita and several hundred years ago in Ecuador as our Lady of Good Success. Although the Church currently lives thru its own passion and is suffering the gates of hell will never reign. MATER DEI ORA PRO NOBIS.

[@Fersomling]

That's beautiful.

[@Nik-nf3nu]

dope

[@shughes428]

It is one area Catholics do right.

[@Nik-nf3nu]

dope

[@GC-hi7bj]

wow so wholesome 😩🤪🤠