Who Are the Poor?
Next Sunday, the 19th November, is the Annual World Day of the Poor and Pope Francis, in his message, stresses that ‘a great river of poverty is traversing our cities and swelling to the point of overflowing; it seems to overwhelm us, so great are the needs of our brothers and sisters who plead for our help, support and solidarity.’
‘We are living,’ he continues, ‘in times that are not particularly sensitive to the needs of the poor. The pressure to adopt an affluent lifestyle increases, while the voices of those dwelling in poverty tend to go unheard. Faced with problems of this magnitude,’ Pope Francis writes, ‘our responsibility is clear. We must heed Tobit’s words to Tobias: Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor.’
Who are the poor? The Joseph Rowntree Foundation recently released research saying 3.8 million people experienced destitution in the UK last year. People are unable to meet their most basic needs to stay wam, dry, clean and fed. I have been reading a recent study aimed to research the nature and extent of poverty in the Canterbury district. It said that, although Canterbury may seem relatively affluent, many people live well below the standard expected in our society. In some parts of the district over 40% of children live in poverty. Meals provided by the Food Bank have increased from 39,000 per year in 2019 to 100,000 in 2022.
The report shows that many people in poverty are hardworking, resilient and brave — but all face challenges in addition to making ends meet. These include the complexity of claiming benefits and completing on-line claim forms, lack of advice about claiming benefits, the five week wait to receive Universal Credit, the two-child limit on benefits and the bedroom tax. The pressure to take paid work, even for lone parents with young children, means that many take insecure jobs on low pay and find themselves moving on and off benefits repeatedly. The high cost of child care adds to financial problems, now made worse by the rising costs of food and fuel. Two leading poverty charities have produced research showing that the benefits given to low-income households are at least £140 a month below the real cost of food energy and everyday basics. This report sets out recommendations for local government, for central government and also recommendations for charities and volunteer organisations.
The St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) is one such voluntary organisation and members of our own SVP parish group will be speaking at the end of all Masses this weekend. Their vision is that, inspired by Christ’s message to love our neighbour as ourselves, every person in need should be inspired by hope — together with a sense of dignity, worth, well-being and peace of mind. They see their mission as seeking and finding those in need, providing practical support and fellowship in a spirit of justice, while tackling the causes of poverty.
The Pope ends his message by saying:
‘This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. In a page of her autobiography (Story of a Soul) she tells us: “I have come to realise that perfect charity means putting up with other people’s faults, not being at all taken aback by their faults, being edified by the smallest acts of virtue that we see practised. But above all, I have come to realise that charity must not remain locked in the depths of one’s heart: No-one, Jesus says, lights a candle to put it under a bushel basket, but puts it on a candle-stand, so that it can give light to everyone in the house. For me, that candle represents the charity that must give light and bring joy not only to those dearest to me, but to everyone in the house, with the exception of none.”‘
