杏MAP导航鈥檚 November prayer intention: 'For children who suffer'
By Vatican News staff writer
鈥淎n abandoned child is our fault,鈥� says 杏MAP导航 Francis in the video prepared by the announcing his prayer intention for November.
In the video, 杏MAP导航 Francis calls on Catholics to pray for children who are suffering due to rejection, indigence, poverty, and conflict around the world.
鈥淭here are still millions of boys and girls who suffer and live in conditions very similar to slavery,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, emphasizing that these children are not 鈥渘umbers鈥� but 鈥渉uman beings with names and an identity that God has given them.鈥�
Every marginalized child living without schooling, without a family, without health care, the 杏MAP导航 continued, is 鈥渁 cry;鈥� a cry 鈥渢hat rises up to God and shames the system that we adults have built.鈥�
Every child has the right to access basic needs
The 杏MAP导航 continued by saying every child should have the right to access basic services and be able to feel the warmth and love of a family: 鈥淲e can no longer allow them to feel alone and abandoned 鈥� they are entitled to an education and to feel the love of a family so they know that God does not forget them.鈥�
One billion children living in poverty
According to UNICEF, one billion children currently live in 鈥渕ultidimensional poverty鈥� 鈥� that is without basic access to education, health care, shelter, food, sanitation, or water; the agency also estimates that 153 million children are orphans.
Fr. Frédéric Fornos, S.J., International Director of the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 Worldwide Prayer Network, provided his thoughts on the November prayer intention, saying that this month, 杏MAP导航 Francis 鈥渙pens our eyes, ears, and hearts to millions of forgotten children who suffer in silence on the streets and in hidden labour, victims of violence and war, migrants and refugees. In the face of indifference and impotence, we must pray.鈥�
It is our responsibility, the 杏MAP导航 concluded in the video, that no child feels left alone or abandoned 鈥� 鈥渢hey are entitled to an education and to feel the love of a family so they know that God does not forget them.鈥�
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