The Pope has warned that the effects of the pandemic “will be terrible” especially in the near future, although he has invited “not to panic” while urging to identify the “new forms of poverty” in cities.
“Normal poverty is modest, you have to go to discover where it is. The new forms of poverty are many and it is up to us to know how to see them with the eyes of the heart,” the Holy Father pointed out during his speech to the members of the organization. Catholic, Saint Peter’s Circle, which assists the needy through the streets of Rome and makes use of the donations made from the Saint Peter’s mite to carry out the Pope’s works of charity.
The pontiff has urged them to respond with boldness and creativity to the needs of the indigent since – according to he pointed out – “to an exceptional situation, a habitual response cannot be given, but a new and different response is required.”
With this premise, the Pope has said that to help those most in need it is necessary to have a heart that knows how to “see the wounds of society” and “creative hands in active charity.” “These two elements are important so that a charitable action can always be fruitful,” he said.
On the other hand, he has also focused his reflection on the word “action”, showing that the pandemic has led to a reconsideration of “the concrete modalities of charitable works that are usually carried out in favor of the poor of Rome.”
Thus, he added: “To the needs of the people they regularly serve has been added the need to respond to the urgent needs of so many families, who have found themselves in financial difficulties overnight.”
He has also urged to put into practice “mercy” that also invites us to have “fantasy” in our charitable hands. In short, he called to continue accepting the challenge of responding to the pandemic respecting “the new needs imposed by the virus.”
