MANILA (UCAN): Thousands attended a World Day of the Poor event organised by the archdioceses of Manila and Lingayen-Dagupan, Pangasinan province.
In Manila, more than a thousand street dwellers gathered at St. Vincent de Paul parish to enjoy a free bath, haircut and meals. The Commission on Social Services and Development distributed hygiene kits and food packs to street dwellers.
Youth volunteers gathered street children for parlour games while a team of medical doctors and nurses conducted free health checkups and gave medicines to those who needed medical attention.
Before the activity began, the archdiocese had registered the details of all participants should they agree to join a poverty alleviation programme.
Street dwellers would be housed in the St. Arnold Jansen Kalinga Centre in Manila where they would be given scholarships to attend school.
“I hope the poor enter the church not only to receive help or to be beneficiaries of a Church programme. I hope that they enter the church to participate and to lead in the Church,” said Father Enrico Adoviso of Manila.
I hope the poor enter the church not only to receive help or to be beneficiaries of a Church programme. I hope that they enter the church to participate and to lead in the Church,
Father Adoviso
Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, however, lamented that many Catholics had failed to have a “primordial” attitude in dealing with the poor.
“Keep quiet! When you stop talking, then the poor will begin to speak. Then you will hear their cry. But when you speak, they will be shy to speak. They will think that those who speak are the rich, the powerful, the learned,” Archbishop Villegas said during the poverty summit of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.
The archdiocese gathered government and Church leaders, together with the business sector, to answer the questions of the poor. The province’s governor and the mayor also attended the event.
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Dagupan mayor, Belen Fernandez, who is also from the business sector, highlighted how the government and the business sector could help in poverty alleviation.
“By being honest politicians, we are already helping the poor. By making sure the government projects go where they should, without corruption, is already helping the poor,” Belen told participants.
The archdiocese, through its Alay Kapwa Programme, offers scholarships to financially deserving students to study in colleges and universities in the province.
It has also built a housing project for illegal settlers where poor families can stay for 15 years.
Meanwhile, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle encouraged the young to be energetic in helping the poor.
“You know it is important for young people to get involved in the charity service of the Church, as an expression of faith. This is your way also of showing the youthful face of the Church because the service of charity never grows old. And those who serve with love remain loved,” Cardinal Tagle said in his message broadcast by Caritas Philippines.
“You are young. You are full of energy. Rise up and go in haste to serve other people. Do not delay. If you can do it now, do it now, do it with all your energy and might. If there is something we should do in haste it is to help people,” he added.
