Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, talks with Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, during a break at a conference on international migration at the Vatican Listen to those in need says Pope on World Day of Poor
How is it that God in heaven can hear the cries of the poor, but so many people watching or standing nearby either cannot or just do not care, Pope Francis asked on the World Day of the Poor.
The recently established commemoration is meant to give Christians a chance to follow Christ’s example and concretely share a moment of love, hope and respect together with those in need in one’s community, the Pope continued in a message dated June 13, the feast of St Anthony of Padua, patron saint of the poor. The Vatican released the message to the public June 14.
The World Day of the Poor – to be marked each year on the 33rd Sunday of ordinary time – will be celebrated on November 18 this year and will focus on a verse from Psalm 34: “This poor one cried out and the Lord heard.”
“We can ask ourselves, how is it this cry, which reaches all the way to God, is unable to penetrate our ears and leaves us indifferent and impassive?” the Pope asked in his message.
Papal trip to Geneva: an ecumenical matter
Pope Francis’ one-day pilgrimage to Geneva will mark another major ecumenical moment in his papacy.
While he will celebrate Mass for the nation’s Catholics and meet with Vatican diplomatic staff working at UN agencies there, the trip’s major focus is highlighting the Church’s commitment to seeking Christian unity and recognising the unique contribution of the World Council of Churches.
Of his 22 apostolic trips abroad, the upcoming pilgrimage on June 21 will be his second so intently focused on ecumenism.
In 2016, he travelled to Lund, Sweden, for a joint commemoration with the Lutheran World Federation marking the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation begun by Martin Luther.
This time, Pope Francis heads to Geneva – where John Calvin led the reformation in the 16th-century – to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the World Council of Churches.
The WCC is a fellowship of 350 member-churches, representing Protestant communities and most of the Orthodox churches in the world. In total, these member churches represent 500 million Christians worldwide, making it the broadest coalition in the ecumenical movement.
Migrants are people, not numbers
Migrants seeking a better life in other countries must not be viewed with suspicion but rather defended and protected, no matter their status, Pope Francis has said.
International cooperation is needed “at every stage of migration”, especially for countries where a higher influx of migrants “often exceeds the resources of many states”, the Pope said in a message to participants of the Holy See-Mexico Conference on International Migration at the Casina Pio IV – a villa located in the Vatican Gardens.
“I would like to point out that the issue of migration is not simply one of numbers, but of people, each with his or her own history, culture, feelings and aspirations. These people, our brothers and sisters, need ongoing protection, independently of what migrant status they may have,” he said in the message read by Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, Vatican foreign minister.
Among the attendees at the conference were Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state and Luis Videgaray Caso, Mexican secretary for foreign affairs.