The Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities join Pope Francis in calling for Christians and people of all beliefs to celebrate World Day of the Poor Nov. 19 by helping those in need and the marginalized not only in words, but in concrete deeds.
Francis encourages all people to make real gestures of mercy, especially in the week preceding the World Day of the Poor, such as inviting the marginalized to celebrate Mass together and inviting them to be guests at our table.
Francis himself will preside at the Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica during the November celebration, with poor people and volunteers. After the liturgy, he will invite 500 of the poor to the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican to join him for lunch.
Francis wrote that this day “is meant, above all, to encourage believers to react against a culture of discard and waste, and to embrace the culture of encounter.”
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis: First World Day of the Poor
This artistic photo reflection uses quotes from Pope Francis’s message for November 19, the First World Day of the Poor. By: Dianna Ortiz, OSU
