Welcome to the new Faith and Action!

…May all of us feel that we are in debt to the poor, because, in hands outstretched to one another, a salvific encounter can take place to strengthen our faith, inspire our charity and enable our hope to advance securely on our path towards the Lord who is to come.

Pope Francis

(Message for the Second World Day of the Poor “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him”)

18 November 2018 marked the second annual World Day of the Poor established by Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter, Misericordia et Misera (issued on 20 November 2016). In joining our Pontiff’s appeal, Caritas Europa is calling on Christians to serve the poor with concrete actions that address their daily needs.

Caritas Europa understands poverty very broadly as a multi-dimensional, multi-faceted phenomenon and which is based not solely on income, as hitherto, but includes basic needs, basic human rights and such intangibles as vulnerability, risk, inequality, marginalisation, discrimination, exclusion, a feeling of powerlessness, the circumscribing of options and choices.

Here we thus explore poverty in all its complexities, minding material, cultural, emotional and spiritual aspects of poverty, which are closely interconnected and often mutually sustained. We also look here at various possible ways of eradicating poverty in its broad context, as seen in the successful stories by many of our Caritas Europa member organisations, and testimonies of people who found their way out of challenging living circumstances by the means of reaching out and asking for help as well as engaging into social projects and eventually providing help for others who are in need.

Enjoy reading!

Maryana