The theme of the fifth edition of this day will be "The poor you have always with you." In his message on the occasion of the day, Pope Francis wanted to stress the importance of the local churches going out to "meet the poor, wherever they are". ,
"We cannot wait - the Holy Father affirms in his message for the Day - for them to knock at our door, it is urgent that we go to meet them in their homes, in hospitals and care homes, in the streets and in the dark corners where they sometimes hide, in centers of refuge and welcome... It is important to understand how they feel, what they perceive and what desires they have in their hearts."
In order to encourage the celebration of this Day, the EEC and Caritas have prepared several materials, which are available in a digital space created ad hocfor use by all Dioceses, parishes, communities, movements, associations and institutions of the Church.
The materials are prepared for dissemination in the various communication channels currently used by dioceses and communities: a video, a series of graphic creativities for networks such as Instagram or twitter as well as the liturgical aids corresponding to this day, and the full text of the message of Pope Francis for this Day.
Objectives
As explained in the Day's animation materials, the response to this year's theme - "You have the poor with you always" - involves:
- To open our hearts to people, to put aside the resistances that bind us to the security of what we know how to do and control, and to leave room for the creativity and novelty that other people can bring and that we do not expect.
- Change our mentality, our way of thinking, in relation to our way of giving, to accept the challenge of sharing and participating.
- Opting for a simpler and more austere lifestyle, where not accumulating to secure our lives makes us less dependent on material things and freer to believe and trust in the Gospel proposal of the Beatitudes.
- Open ourselves to God's grace. We alone cannot change, it is the Spirit who transforms our heart, our mind and our action, and uses the community to change us and improve us as persons through the love that he sows in each one of us.
