Is the Church doing enough for the poor?

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AggieCatholic86 said:
My apologies to anyone who complains about this problem, but in terms of spirituality, what a stupid question. I get tired of people saying the Church needs to do this, the Church needs to do that in regards to the poor… probably the same people that say government needs to do this, government needs to do that. Because when the end of the world comes when God is judging you, he isn’t going to ask, what government or church policies did you advocate for?

The real question is, am I doing enough for the poor?
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Yes he will judge YOU. Mt 25;34-37…42
 
WilT said:
Yes he will judge YOU. Mt 25;34-37…42
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Pope Francis has spoken quite often on pro life issues such as marriage and abortion as well as the poor. It’s a big Church that can minister and attend to all the issues that are harmful to society. Fighting evil and reminding us that sin is deadly is also pastoral and just as important. One of the Church’s mission is to save souls. Souls have to be fed as well as mouths.
 
johnnyc176 said:
Pope Francis has spoken quite often on pro life issues such as marriage and abortion as well as the poor. It’s a big Church that can minister and attend to all the issues that are harmful to society. Fighting evil and reminding us that sin is deadly is also pastoral and just as important. One of the Church’s mission is to save souls. Souls have to be fed as well as mouths.
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;)👍
 
WilT said:
:angel1::angel1:Yesterday, as I looked about a large table of the homeless all waiting patiently for their paper bowl of soup I had a feeling I was among angels. An overflow of gentle souls overwhelmed me. I got some what teary eyed when it resounded in my soul. Truly, our Lord resides with the poor. All were so patient and waiting for a humble and simple meal. May the Lord continue to bless us with the poor.
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Think also of all those souls who were never given a chance in life. They are with Jesus.
 
WilT said:
Yes he will judge YOU. Mt 25;34-37…42
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You are correct that God will not judge governments. It will be a personal judgement and I dare say none of us will be secure in our answers. While most donate through our weekly envelopes supporting the activities of the church, do we go beyond that with personal involvement through church ministries. I presume some try but most are satisfied simply putting money in the envelopes. Am I all in? To say yes would be arrogant. I do as good a job of that as many but also less than many.

One of the ministries I support is that of a Lutheran pastor who tries to provide a place to stay for relatives of patients in a local hospital. I saw the need but it was not yet offered by my parish. I donate to the food pantry sponsored by several organizations. None of these activities is subsidized by government at any level.

Will this be an adequate response to God’s judgement? I suspect not but His mercy is my only salvation.
 
I’m confused. The poor have been with us from the beginning of time and Christ said they will always be with us, yet it is all we hear about these days. As if good people have never helped the poor before and the Church has dropped the ball. So much condemnation is being pointed at the rich, as if just by being rich, they deserve vilification. Some wealthy philanthropists have done much good with their money and yet envy seems to be overtaking us. As if to say that their own talents and hard work and all they have earned by the sweat of their brow are not legitimate and they should not be entitled to it. It is still sin to steal from one what is rightfully theirs and envy is still one of the capital vices. I see a political and not a moral judgment in some of this thinking and wonder if we are not going back to Marx and his errors. Church documents from several popes have upheld the right to private property and condemned most tenets of socialism and communism. I see a growing emphasis on the material instead of the spiritual which I find rather odd since the primary mission of the Church is to save souls. In fact, the idea of a man-made Utopia with the State as arbiter and * forced *egalitarianism is a political ideology not in conformity with certain Church teaching. So what gives these days?
 
Tigg said:
I’m confused. The poor have been with us from the beginning of time and Christ said they will always be with us, yet it is all we hear about these days. As if good people have never helped the poor before and the Church has dropped the ball. So much condemnation is being pointed at the rich, as if just by being rich, they deserve vilification. Some wealthy philanthropists have done much good with their money and yet envy seems to be overtaking us. As if to say that their own talents and hard work and all they have earned by the sweat of their brow are not legitimate and they should not be entitled to it. It is still sin to steal from one what is rightfully theirs and envy is still one of the capital vices. I see a political and not a moral judgment in some of this thinking and wonder if we are not going back to Marx and his errors. Church documents from several popes have upheld the right to private property and condemned most tenets of socialism and communism. I see a growing emphasis on the material instead of the spiritual which I find rather odd since the primary mission of the Church is to save souls. In fact, the idea of a man-made Utopia with the State as arbiter and * forced *egalitarianism is a political ideology not in conformity with certain Church teaching. So what gives these days?
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Time and time again the Bible clearly states that God expects us all to care for the poor.

LOVE! ❤️
 
Indy2003 said:
While most donate through our weekly envelopes supporting the activities of the church, do we go beyond that with personal involvement through church ministries. I presume some try but most are satisfied simply putting money in the envelopes. Am I all in? To say yes would be arrogant. I do as good a job of that as many but also less than many.

Will this be an adequate response to God’s judgement? I suspect not but His mercy is my only salvation.
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your positive outlook to those in need is admirable.
Mt. 25;34-4134 "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat ; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink ; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink ? 38 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 "The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ 41
 
The Church is not supposed to do anything for the poor.

The Church is not a humanitarian agency, the Church is not an Non-government charitable organization.

The Church was established for our salvation. Individuals do things for the poor.
 
Zoltan_Cobalt said:
The Church is not supposed to do anything for the poor.

The Church is not a humanitarian agency, the Church is not an Non-government charitable organization.

The Church was established for our salvation. Individuals do things for the poor.
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So you would say that lay associations such as CNEWA and SVDP are contrary to the mission of the Church and should be disbanded and every individual should be expected to help the poor one-on-one without organizational support and logistics?
 
Elizium23 said:
So you would say that lay associations such as CNEWA and SVDP are contrary to the mission of the Church and should be disbanded and every individual should be expected to help the poor one-on-one without organizational support and logistics?
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Well…not exactly disbanded.
 
Tigg said:
I’m confused. The poor have been with us from the beginning of time and Christ said they will always be with us, yet it is all we hear about these days. As if good people have never helped the poor before and the Church has dropped the ball. So much condemnation is being pointed at the rich, as if just by being rich, they deserve vilification. Some wealthy philanthropists have done much good with their money and yet envy seems to be overtaking us.
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The quote you mentioned about the poor always being there came when someone propose, Judas I believe, that money is best given to the poor. Judas,being a thief and ultimately conspirator of Jesus’ death, really didn’t mean it to go to the poor but Jesus still answered him and said while He was on Earth, our priority should be in Him, Christ, followed then by the poor. Read through the New Testament only and see how many times Jesus or Paul praises money or the rich. If your lucky you’’ find one. And that one was when the rich man was asked by Jesus to give up all his wealth and follow Him, the rich man couldn’t and walked away down trodden. Jesus did *look at him with love *though.
 
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