The Church has always faithfully exercised her mission of caring for those in need. The times have changed, but the same difficulties always present themselves with new aspects. Vice has always degraded human beings, earlier gambling and alcohol were key problems, today having lost none of their detrimental character, they have had to yield the first place to drugs… And an unending list of other vices plague us.
The Church has performed true marvels in its work in favor of the unfortunate, offering multiple opportunities for them to better their lives. But, above all, the Church has always been concerned about the most necessary element of human life: finding God and living according to his commandments. It is an edifying deed to accompany an elderly person, but leading someone from the darkness of error to live the life of grace deserves even greater admiration. This is what the Church has done with innumerable souls who have benefitted from its truly charitable works. Venerable Matt Talbot, an Irish alcoholic rescued from his vice, and Saint Bakhita, a poor African slave, liberated from the yoke of oppression, are both examples of this triumph. The Church not only liberated them from physical misery, but also from the worst of evils: the slavery of sin.
The works of mercy should always be oriented in accordance with this affirmation of Our Lord: ‘What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?’ Is this the care that Francis proposes in relation to most unfortunate? Does he seek to foment a ‘pastoral ministry’ that merely cares for people’s bodies, or does he seek a more profound transformation, the sanctification of souls? More…
Basically Francis is not worried about the needy. Like his friends the Castro brothers, he just speaks about raising them up in order to bring down the others to the state of misery.
Yes, thank you. You are doing what my parish priest and my bishop should be doing.
Thank you Denzinger-Bergoglio for sound catholic doctrine.