杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

More than 300 delegates of Caritas Internationalis Member Organizations have been meeting in Rome since last week for their 21^st General Assembly, on the theme 鈥淥ne human family, one common home鈥�. The meeting takes place every four years to review the progress and policies of the Caritas Confederation, and to define a strategic framework that will carry it forward over the next four years.

Charity

When he received the delegates in the Vatican on Monday, 杏MAP导航 Francis began by reaffirming how charity is not just 鈥渁n offering we make in order to keep our conscience quiet鈥�. Rather, 鈥渃harity has its origin and its essence in God himself鈥�, he said. 鈥淚f we considered charity a service, the Church would become a humanitarian agency and the service of charity would become her 鈥榣ogistics department鈥欌��, said the 杏MAP导航.  

Integral development

That is why the service of charity 鈥渕ust choose the logic of integral development as an antidote to the throwaway culture of indifference鈥�, he continued. 鈥淭he poor are above all persons, and their faces conceal that of Christ himself鈥�. The 杏MAP导航 stressed how 鈥渢he worst discrimination from which the poor suffer is lack of spiritual attention". 鈥淭hey need God鈥�, he said, 鈥渁nd we cannot fail to offer them His friendship, His blessing, His Word鈥�.

Communion

Finally, 鈥渋t is communion in Christ and in the Church that animates, accompanies and sustains the service of charity鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淚n this way, the diakonia of charity becomes a visible instrument of communion鈥�which is central in the Church, and defines its essence鈥�.

Charity is a relationship

杏MAP导航 Francis then offered other definitions of what charity is 鈥� and is not. 鈥淵ou cannot live charity without having interpersonal relationships with the poor鈥�, he said, adding how charity must involve the heart, the soul and our whole being. The 杏MAP导航 warned against living a 鈥渉ypocritical or deceptive charity鈥�, associating charitable work with philanthropy, efficiency, or obsessive organization. Charity is the most 鈥渃oveted of the virtues to which we can aspire in order to imitate God鈥�, he said.

Charity is not a business

鈥淐harity鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渋s not a sedative for our restless conscience鈥�. It is also not a business. The 杏MAP导航 spoke of the scandal of those who 鈥渢alk a lot about charity but live in luxury鈥�, organizing meetings on charity and 鈥渨asting so much money鈥�. 鈥淐harity is not an idea or a pious feeling鈥�, he concluded, 鈥渂ut an experiential encounter with Christ鈥�, where we meet Him in the poor.