WelCom November 2024

Te Rā o te Hunga Pōhara i te Ao: He Karanga ki te Īnoi, ki te Manaaki i te Moananui-a-Kiwa

Pope Francis has declared Sunday 17 November 2024 to be the eighth World Day of the Poor, with the motto ‘The prayer of the poor rises up to God’.

Poverty is driven by many factors – a lot of them structural inequalities that have existed for decades. People can fall into poverty at any time.

The World Day of the Poor is an annual opportunity for people to come together, reflect on their community’s pressing needs, and take action to end cycles of poverty.

Join Caritas for World Day of the Poor 2024.

Grace Morton, Advocacy Analyst, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand invites communities around the country to come together in prayer and action for the World Day of the Poor on Sunday 17 November. Established by Pope Francis in 2017, this day reminds us of our collective responsibility to break cycles of poverty and help everyone to thrive. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops have endorsed the day as a Caritas initiative, encouraging solidarity with the poor and vulnerable both locally and globally.

Pope Francis’ new encyclical Dilexit Nos [on the Sacred Heart of Jesus] calls us to embody Jesus’ love for all in what he describes as ‘a world that seems to have lost its heart’ and is a timely reminder as we commemorate the World Day of the Poor.

Caritas has prepared special Prayers of the Faithful for use in liturgies and community gatherings, encouraging reflection on our responsibility to care for the poor. These prayers call for compassionate leadership, support for organisations serving vulnerable communities, and a shared commitment to recognise and respond to those most in need.

We know prayer is powerful alongside contemplation and action. At Caritas, we are committed to working with communities in the Pacific to break cycles of poverty. Through community-led initiatives, we support local organisations who are creating sustainable solutions for specific challenges their people face. These projects ensure long-term positive change.

In Fiji, Caritas is supporting training programmes for young people to improve their farming skills and address food security concerns. As the Pacific faces increasing threats from climate change, these crops provide families with a sustainable way to adapt and thrive, improving their financial independence even in the face of environmental challenges. By equipping farmers with training and resources, we are helping them provide for their families and strengthening the resilience of their communities.

In Tonga, we focus on disaster preparedness, a vital need in a region regularly impacted by tropical cyclones, floods, and other natural disasters. By partnering with local organisations, we help communities develop response plans that protect lives and livelihoods when disasters strike. This work is essential to prevent families falling deeper into poverty due to the devastation caused by these events.

This World Day of the Poor, we invite you to join Caritas in prayer and action. Together, we can help build a world where every person lives with dignity and hope. Let our prayers inspire us all to make real change in the lives of those in need, and we welcome your support of our work.

For the Prayers of the Faithful and other resources, visit caritas.org.nz/world-day-of-the-poor including a video message from Caritas Chief Executive Mena Antonio about our collective responsibility to work for a world free of poverty.

Pope Francis’ Message for World Day of the Poor, 17 November 2024 

Pope Francis begins his 2024 message with the words:

‘The prayer of the poor rises up to God’ (Sirach 21:5). In this year dedicated to prayer in anticipation of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025, this expression of biblical wisdom is most fitting as we prepare for the Eighth World Day of the Poor, which will be observed on 17 November. Indeed, Christian hope embraces the certainty that our prayer reaches God’s presence; not just any prayer but rather the prayer of the poor! Let us reflect on this word and ‘read’ it on the faces and in the stories of the poor whom we encounter daily, so that prayer can become a path of communion with them and a sharing in their suffering’ (1)

'We are called in every circumstance to be friends of the poor, following in the footsteps of Jesus who always began by showing solidarity when dealing with the least among us.’ (10)

Read Pope Francis’ World Day of the Poor message online at: tinyurl.com/World-Day-Poor-2024

The post World Day of the Poor: A Call to Prayer and Action in the Pacific first appeared on Archdiocese of Wellington.