This is the logo for the World Day of the Poor, to be celebrated Nov. 19 this year. It will focus on the Apostle John's call to love "not with words, but with deeds." Photo: CNS Pope Francis will celebrate the Catholic Church’s first World Day of the Poor this Sunday by celebrating a morning Mass with people in need and those who assist them.
After Mass, he will offer lunch to 500 people in the Vatican audience hall.
As the Year of Mercy was ending in November 2016, Pope Francis told people he wanted to set one day aside each year to underline everyone’s responsibility “to care for the true riches, which are the poor”.
The result was the World Day of the Poor, which is to be marked annually on the 33rd Sunday of ordinary time on the Church’s liturgical calendar.
Message
An admonition from St John Chrysostom “remains ever timely,” Pope Francis said in a message for the 2017 celebration. He quoted the fifth-century theologian: “If you want to honour the body of Christ, do not scorn it when it is naked; do not honour the Eucharistic Christ with silk vestments and then, leaving the church, neglect the other Christ suffering from cold and nakedness.”
The Pope chose “Love not in word, but in deed” as the theme for 2017.