World Day for the Poor - Caritas in Action!
Webmaster • November 16, 2020
The Directory for Catechesis states that ‘charitable action is an integral part of the catechetical proclamation’ and ‘[t]he need for an organic approach to pastoral care requires the coordination of catechesis with the other activities of evangelisation.’
In his Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti, On Fraternity And Social Friendship, Pope Francis writes:
“Social love” makes it possible to advance towards a civilization of love, to which all of us can feel called. Charity, with its impulse to universality, is capable of building a new world. No mere sentiment, it is the best means of discovering effective paths of development for everyone. Social love is a “force capable of inspiring new ways of approaching the problems of today’s world, of profoundly renewing structures, social organizations and legal systems from within”. (183)
Charity is at the heart of every healthy and open society, yet today “it is easily dismissed as irrelevant for interpreting and giving direction to moral responsibility”. Charity, when accompanied by a commitment to the truth, is much more than personal feeling, and consequently need not “fall prey to contingent subjective emotions and opinions”. Indeed its close relation to truth fosters its universality and preserves it from being “confined to a narrow field devoid of relationships”. Otherwise, it would be “excluded from the plans and processes of promoting human development of universal range, in dialogue between knowledge and praxis”. Without truth, emotion lacks relational and social content. Charity’s openness to truth thus protects it from “a fideism that deprives it of its human and universal breadth”. (184)
Caritas in Action! Briefings 11 - 12, with the Contents headings as follows (the full documents can be viewed below):
Caritas in Action! Briefing 11 – November 2020
11.1 Participation in charity is an integral part of ‘the process of evangelisation’
11.2 ‘…charitable action is an integral part of the catechetical proclamation’
11.3 ‘…coordination of catechesis with the other activities of evangelisation’
11.4 Instruction "The pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelising mission of the Church"
11.5 Weaving together the processes and relationships for building ‘a civilisation of love’
Caritas in Action! Briefing 12 – November 2020
12.1 Exploring the organisational and relational processes of the Catholic Church in its mission
- The warp and the weft of the Catholic Church community in England and Wales (NB. Purely illustrative.)
12.2 Participating in the organisational and relational processes at Diocesan and Parish levels
12.3 ‘“Social love” makes it possible to advance towards a civilization of love’
12.4 The main roles of the different levels of Caritas
12.5 Learning to become ‘witnesses to the faith’ in the twenty-first century

The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ Is there any greater love on earth than this? Oh lovers of this world, your love can never compare before Him! On that day, with ceaseless tears, I accompanied the Mother of our Master Jesus to witness this greatest Love story ever told. It is not some sort of human romance, but a suffering and sacrificing Love. It is on Mount Calvary, when my beloved Divine Master being nailed to the cross, His once most beautiful face became so disfigured and defiled that one can scarcely recognize with their own eyes, His whole Body were covered with wounds and bruises from the most horrific tortures…But it is exactly when the Most Innocent Son of God and Son of Man being branded as a criminal, being crucified shamefully on the cross, being fearfully hanged openly between heaven and earth, a most powerful message was sent deep into the hearts of all those who wish to accept – God’s Love for you. A Love which despite in the midst of great sufferings to a point that no human being could possibly survive, despite surrounded by insults, but still willing to pray to the Father to forgive the enemies. A Love which give graces to realise one’s own sinfulness, and as long as one truly repent, Infinite Mercy and Salvation will still be granted to them. A Love which despite in the midst of great sorrow and felt being abandoned, but can still totally forgot Oneself and thirsted for the Salvation of souls. And how would I forget Your Last Words for me, when You gave Your Mother to me to be my Mother. Not only You showed me a Love which You gave up Your very last earthly consolation which you needed so much, in order that we might be relieved from our terrible grief for You, but also You gave Your Mother as a Mother to all who believe in You, who become children of God. My beloved Lord, this cup of Sufferings, which is so bitter that Your human nature once shuddered with fear and sweated great drops of blood. But You drank it to the very last drop. Not only to accomplish the Will of the Father, but also because the fire of Your Love for us, so through Your Most Precious Blood and Most Sorrowful Passion the whole human race can be redeemed. Even though you knew not everyone is willing to receive this Saving Grace, yet You still did this for us! Reflection: It was not easy to stand at the foot of the Cross. Our Lady, St John and other holy women not only need to overcome their sorrow and grief when looking at Jesus suffering and dying on the Cross, they also need to stand courageously against those hostility from the Pharisees, soldiers and bystanders, as well as the fear of being caught as a follower of Jesus. But love and compassion to Jesus filled their hearts, they were not afraid to show and confess they belong to Jesus and supported each other. They loved because He first Loved them. What about ourselves? Are we willing to go to profess our faith and let this hostile and indifferent world to know about this Love? Follow Him courageously, but most importantly, let your sins die with Him, so one

Almighty ever-living God, who as an example of humility for the human race to follow caused our Saviour to take flesh and submit to the Cross, graciously grant that we may heed his lesson of patient suffering and so merit a share in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

On Mount Calvary I was a robber with my bad companion, we got caught and sentenced together. On this day of our crucifixion, another Man also joined us. Although I knew nothing at all about Him, but I was very touched when I watch this poor Man bearing all the dreadful torture of nailing on the Cross with extreme patience. I can never do the same, if that was me, I will wish that I was never born and would have been dead long ago. He also filled me with awe by His inexpressible look of dignity and goodness, despite in the midst of immense sufferings. Yet what struck my heart most was, when he said: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” How could He still pray for his enemies?! At that moment, through His Prayer, something changed inside me, my eyes and mind were opened: I knew who He is, and I knew who I am and what I have been doing all my life! I want to repent! I don’t want to die in my sins! My conscience won’t let me stand anyone insulting my Lord anymore, whether from my companion or onlookers below, I want to defend Him with my words which were all I got left and all I can do, even that means I might die the next minute under their flying stones. So I rebuked them loudly, although I knew I am not worthy to speak up for my Lord. Ah, my Lord, I have sinned my entire life but now I wish to confess all my sins to You, I know that even if You condemn me it will be with Justice. I trust in Your Mercy. I thank God that He still willing to bestow great Graces on me at this very last moment of my life. Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom. And my Lord said to me: “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Reflection: Are you afraid to go to Confession because you have left the Church for too long? Then listen to what Jesus has said to St Faustina: “… I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy…Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.” (Diary #699)

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Wednesday 25 March This Solemnity recalls the historical event of the Angel Gabriel appearing to the Virgin Mary, as found in Luke 1:26–38. It also celebrates the Church’s faith in the underlying reality that took place at that moment in time. It celebrates the Incarnation, making this solemnity not only a Marian solemnity, but first and foremost a Christological one. Most certainly, this solemnity is also a Marian celebration. We celebrate the Virgin Mary’s perfect “Yes” to the plan of the Father. We celebrate her humility, obedience, docility, and especially her motherhood of God and man. Therefore, on this glorious solemnity, seek the intercession of the Virgin Mary. Ask her to pray for you that you may imitate her “Yes” to the will of the Father in Heaven, so that you can continue to bring forth His divine Son in your soul, so that He will continue to be made manifest to the world through you.

Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.’ (John 11:25-27) By your help, we beseech you, Lord our God, may we walk eagerly in that same charity with which, out of love for the world, you Son handed himself over to death. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you In the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.






