Pope Francis has decreed that the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time should every year be specially dedicated to the poor. I join the Holy Father in urging all of us to celebrate that day in a meaningful way: it is a day to rediscover our call to be a Church of the poor, for the poor.
Our Lord gave us examples of simplicity and poverty in His own life. He taught His disciples to value poverty: The first beatitude is, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” He urges us to reach out to the poor.
Pope Francis has ceaselessly been reminding us about special care for the poor. In our Archdiocese all parishes have been urged to have at least one programme specially dedicated for assistance to the poor.
The celebrations on November 18 recommended by the Holy Father are another occasion to remind us of our special option for the poor: the special heart that each one of us should have for the poor. I encourage all our parishes to celebrate the World day of the Poor, if not on November 18, on any day leading up to the feast of Christ the King, the following Sunday, or even after that. I recommend that you look at the programme that you have chosen and study how you can intensify it and make it even more effective.
May we be effective instruments in making the Church more Christ-like and our world more humane.
+Oswald Cardinal Gracias Archbishop of Bombay