WITH 2016 declared as the Year of the Poor, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) urged the faithful to give priority to the material and spiritual needs of the marginalized.
“We are all told to remember our own poverty and our own hunger for God because if that hunger and thirst is not within us, we will not be able to see the face of God,” Archbishop Socrates Villegas, CBCP President, said in a video message posted on Radio Veritas 846.
According to the 2014 report released by the Philippine Statistics Authority, poverty incidence is estimated at 24.9 percent in the first six months of 2013.
Though it was down from 27.9 percent in 2012, fishermen, farmers and children still remained the poorest among the nine basic sectors in the country with a rate of 39.2 percent, 38.3 percent and 35.2 percent, respectively.
Villegas said corruption and the inordinate desire for material things were the root cause of poverty.
“Materialism is a very serious temptation among us shepherds in the Church and this has brought many souls astray,” he said.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, said poverty could only be eradicated through transparency in the handling of government funds.
“Funds should be transparent in order for the people to know how much is being given for the development of the people living below poverty,” he said.
‘Support for the poor’
Pabillo, a former chairman of the CBCP National Secretariat for Social Action, said the proclamation of the Year of the Poor was in accordance to the call of the Second Plenary Council to establish a “Church for the Poor” wherein the less privileged are urged to participate more in the Church's mission rather than just receiving support.
The declaration is the third installment for the nine-year preparation that the Catholic Church had set for the celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in the country in 2021. It succeeded the Year of Faith in 2013 and the Year of the Laity in 2014.
Even with the closing of the Year of the Laity, Pabillo said that the empowerment of the laity would serve as a tool in meeting the objectives for the Year of the Poor.
“This time, it should be easier for the laity to see the message of the Year of the Poor since this year was focused on them,” Pabillo said.
With Pope Francis’ apostolic visit in January 2015 coinciding with the Year of the Poor, Pabillo said that it was only right for the faithful to practice “mercy and compassion."
“We should support the Church in giving spiritual services for the poor. The Pope had always emphasized that spiritual help is what the poor really needs,” Pabillo told the Varsitarian.
Fr. Luke Moortgat, head of the Committee of the Year of the Poor, called for greater cooperation among all sectors of the society in eradicating poverty.
Moorgat said the government should encourage healthy businesses and provide more job opportunities. This would help their goal in promoting an inclusive society where every member of the community is welcomed, he said.
“The manifestations and growth of our faith could be seen with the way we treat the needy. Putting our faith in action strengthens it more rather than just knowing about it.” Moorgat said. “I hope that all sectors of society will try to deal with the issue of poverty.” With reports from Danielle Ann F. Gabriel
Since 1988 I have been through the mill of many different denominations, and based on my findings, I can now read my whole Bible in less than 30 minutes. This is due to the different doctrines that are preached by these different denominations and how they reject most important scriptures in the Word of God. 87% of these denominations strongly believe that God blesses those who are materialistic rich and refuses to help the poor and needy because of their sins. Basically with this most false demonic belief, one can almost rip out most of the pages in God’s Word, because this is exactly what these false preachers are doing. It is because of this demonic belief, that many of the poor and needy refuse to believe in God’s Righteous Love and they find their comfort in alcohol and drugs. How I know this? Because I have been through the deepest grooves of poverty for years, and know how Churches turn their backs on the plight of the poor. As God’s Word warns us; “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” Therefore, the Churches must stop their selfish belief of receiving, which is greed and idolatry, and they must start obeying God’s Voice, which is His Living Word, by being doers of His Word and not hearers only. Churches must accept the truth as it stands written in Matthew 25 v 31 to 46, and do exactly what God expects from all true Christians.