Poverty challenges Lent: cardinal| Cathnews India

Published Date: February 16, 2010

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Poor people in Jakarta waiting for alms

Poverty is an urgent challenge for the Catholic faith and its eradication calls for collective action, the archbishops of Jakarta archdiocese told Catholics in their Lenten message.

Indonesia has 32.57 million people living in poverty and in Jakarta province alone there are 323,170 poor, Jesuit Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja and his Coadjutor Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo of Jakarta archdiocese said in their letter read during Mass in all parishes of the archdiocese at the weekend.

“Therefore, it is good that we choose poverty as the theme of our repentance,” they said.

The prelates praised the national government for focusing on poverty as one of the key focuses for its programs.

The archbishops quoted Luke 6:20 (Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours).

The kingdom of God will free poor people from their poverty in an everlasting life.

They also thanked Catholics in the archdiocese for showing their care and helping people in need especially at times of natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes.

“Many of you visit homes for elderly and orphanages in order to offer a consolation to older people and children and to distribute gifts during Christmas and Easter and Eid al-Fitr [the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan] as well,” they said. “Many of you also care for those living in poor areas outside the archdiocese.”

Nevertheless, “we still invite you to fight against poverty together by increasing the resources you can offer.”

The archbishops also highlighted the need to “preserve the environment and to make interest groups basic communities that are more qualified in faith, brotherhood, and service.”

Cardinal Darmaatmadja and Coadjutor Archbishop Suharyo praised neighborhood communities that have helped people in need.

For Catholics who live well in areas without poor people in need, the leaders suggested that they help other parishes carrying a greater burden.

“What is most important is your repentance focuses on seeking, finding, and helping people in need so that you may find Jesus Christ whom you love in them,” they said.

They concluded their Lenten letter with the biblical verse: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside the water that stretches out its roots to the stream. It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8).”

Lent is the 40-day period of fasting and penance in commemoration of Christ’s death and resurrection. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which falls on Feb. 17 this year.

Source: Poverty an ‘urgent challenge for Lent’ (UCAN)

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