Pope Francis said that the poor are not a number or a problem, but “our brother,” before the assembly of the Diocese of Rome, of which he is bishop, gathered in the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
According to Vatican News, the itinerary “Repairing the gap beyond inequalities” was concluded there, with the participation of journalist Marco Damilano, a lawyer and a young student from the city’s outskirts who also serves the needy.
The event commemorated the 50th anniversary of the conference on “The Responsibility of Christians to the Expectations of Charity and Justice in the City of Rome,” better known as “The Evils of Rome,” which took place in February 1974.
Reflecting on poverty in Rome, Pope Francis asked: “What can we do together? There is so much hypocrisy. Bring the good news to the poor: the poor will always be with us, they are the flesh of Christ. They make it visible to our eyes. Jesus does not offer us magical solutions, but he asks us to bring the good news to the poor, to tell them that the Lord loves them and that they are precious in the eyes of God.”
“But sometimes we say it with words, without making gestures that make it credible. The poor are not a number, a problem, or someone who is rejected. They are our brothers and sisters. The question of poverty is an ecclesial urgency. Priests who work with the poor are not communists. The Church is called to adopt a style that puts the poor and the needy at the centre. Let us be a sign of God’s tenderness.”
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The Holy Father then encouraged dialogue and overcoming indifference, to then “strengthen the social thought of the Church, in catechesis and in pastoral care. To form consciences with the social doctrine of the Church.”
“We must sow hope, also because of the approaching Jubilee [in 2025]. I ask for concrete works of hope. Christian hope is always active, animated by the certainty that it is the Lord who guides history. Hope never disappoints,” the Pope encouraged.
Archpriest warns of “four serious forms of poverty”
The works were inaugurated by the new Vicar of Rome, Archbishop Baldassare Reina, who will be created a cardinal on 7 December and who was also named Archpriest of the Basilica of St John Lateran today.
In his remarks, Msgr. Reina described “four serious forms of poverty that penalize many people living in Rome. Educational poverty that affects children and young people; health poverty. Despite the public health system, many do not have access to medical care.”
“The third form of poverty we have addressed is housing poverty. Anyone thinking of renting a house in Rome must have large sums of money. The last form of poverty is work poverty. Work is apparently there, but it is not always well paid and with all the rights that guarantee the worker a fair salary with which to think about his family and his future,” the future cardinal stressed.
“The Church is an integral part of the city and the city, this city, is the place where we are called to proclaim the Kingdom. We want to call upon each and every one of us to face these problems, with his or her responsibility,” he added.