World Day of the Poor

November 17, marks the third annual World Day of the Poor. In 2017, Pope Francis suggested the Catholic Church set aside one day each year when communities can “reflect on how poverty is at the very heart of the Gospel.” He designated this day as the World Day of the Poor, and it is celebrated on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time each year. In this year’s World Day of the Poor message, Pope Francis reflects on Psalm 9:19, “The hope of the poor will not perish forever.” He considers the suffering of millions of people who experience poverty, noting that they maintain hope in the Lord in a very real way because he assures them of his faithfulness. Pope Francis challenges us to be authentic witnesses of Christian hope and to accompany the poor through a personal and constant commitment over time. It was established by Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter, Misericordia et Misera, issued on November 20, 2016 to celebrate the end of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. The World Day of the Poor was first observed on November 19, 2017, with the theme, "Let us love, not with words but with deeds”. In his message for that first World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis said that “the Our Father is the prayer of the poor.” He held a special Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by a free lunch in the adjacent Paul VI Hall, in several Catholic colleges, and in other Vatican venues. During the week preceding the World Day of the Poor, free specialized medical services were offered at a mobile clinic along with special Masses, free meals for the poor, and other initiatives. Here at St. Helena, we conduct our Thanksgiving Food Drive for the poor.