Poverty comes in many guises

Instituted by Pope Francis in 2016 at the conclusion of the Jubilee of Mercy and marked for the first time in 2017, World Day of the Poor is celebrated each year on the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time. It is a time to be close to the poor, not just with acts of charity and kindness, but in an encounter of genuine sharing. As the Holy Father said in the 2017 Message for the First World Day of the Poor, “If we truly wish to encounter Christ, we have to touch his body in the suffering bodies of the poor”. This year’s theme is, “For the poor you have always with you”, Jesus’ words at the Anointing of Bethany, narrated in the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and John. According to Raymond Friel, chief executive officer of Caritas Social Action Network, established by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, it “is not enough to work for the relief ...