Embracing the Gospel of Christ and Catholic social teaching while serving the country’s poor

This weekend, November 16-17, the Catholic Church throughout the world celebrates the Eighth Annual “World Day of the Poor.”  Pope Francis has chosen as its theme this year: “The prayer of the poor rises up to God (Sirach 21:5).”  I would like to add another thought to this wonderful scriptural reference for our consideration: “prayer for the poor rises up to God.”  As we reflect on the plight of the poor and the consequences of their poverty, it is altogether fitting that we, as Catholic Christians, lift up the poor in our prayer.  

In his “Message for World Day of the Poor 2024,” Pope Francis writes:
The World Day of the Poor has now become a fixture for every ecclesial community. It is a pastoral opportunity not to be underestimated for it challenges every believer to listen to the prayer of the poor, becoming aware of their presence and needs. It is an opportune occasion to implement initiatives that concretely help the poor and to recognize and support the many volunteers who dedicate themselves passionately to those most in need. We must thank the Lord for the people who make themselves available to listen to and support the poorest among us.   

Prayer, then, is verified by authentic charity that manifests itself as encounter and proximity. If prayer does not translate into concrete action, it is in vain; indeed, “faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:17). However, charity without prayer risks becoming philanthropy that soon exhausts itself. “Without daily prayer lived with fidelity, our acts are empty, they lose their profound soul, and are reduced to being mere activism (Pope Benedict XVI, “Catechesis,” April 25, 2012).”  We must avoid this temptation and always be vigilant with the strength and perseverance that comes from the Holy Spirit, who is the giver of life.

The United Stated Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has just concluded its annual multi-day meeting.  During the session, Harrisburg Bishop Timothy Senior, who chairs the USCCB subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), explained to the bishops gathered in Baltimore how effective the CCHD has been in serving the needs of the poor since its inception in 1969, and how its proceeds have begun to bounce back after the pandemic. The annual national second collection for CCHD, scheduled for this weekend, November 16-17, has been a major source of support for the USCCB’s anti-poverty programs and outreach to the poor through grants awarded to agencies and organizations that directly serve the poor.  In recent years, CCHD has been object of negative scrutiny and criticism from within some corners of the wider Catholic community, claiming it has funded groups at variance with Catholic Church teachings.  Bishop Senior has addressed these criticisms and has indicated that CCHD regularly “reviews its mission and mandate” with a view toward restricting awards to organizations that support the Church and its teachings.  

The World Bank Group has reported that about 3.5 billion people or 44% of the world’s population live in poverty, lacking the financial resources considered the standard to sustain and support their lives. Several countries in Africa are among the poorest in the world.
Although people consider the United States one of the richest countries in the world, 37.9 million citizens or 11% of its population, reside in poverty. In 2023, the federal poverty level definition of low income for a single-person household is $14,580 annually. Each additional person in the household adds $5,140 to the total. For example, the poverty guideline is $30,000 per year for a family of four. In the U.S., over 9 million children and young people below age 18 (over 15% of that age population) live in poverty and are impacted by its dire consequences: hunger, malnutrition, poor health, increased disabilities, housing insecurity, lack of education, discrimination, cognitive and behavioral maladjustment, and a host of other problems.

The “World Day of the Poor” considers worldwide poverty and the poor affected by its unrelenting grasp wherever they live. In the U.S., the CCHD is the Church’s opportunity to focus our attention on the poor in our country and the causes of their poverty, to lift them up to God in prayer and to take those steps to generously and concretely reach out and help meet their most basic needs. CCHD is the Gospel of Christ and Catholic social teaching at work across our nation on behalf of the poor.

As Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, I invite all the clergy and faithful of the Diocese to let our prayer for the poor “rise up to God” as we find it in our hearts to generously support this weekend’s CCHD collection, sowing hope to and for the poor.