AFRICA/IVORY COAST – World Day of the Poor between charity initiatives and an invitation to solidarity
Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) – With an appeal to charity and with initiatives of solidarity towards the poor and the vulnerable, the fifth edition of the World Day of the Poor, established by Pope Francis at the end of Jubilee of Mercy in 2017. Mgr. Bruno Essoh YEDOH, bishop of Bondoukou, president of the Episcopal Commission of the Integral Human Development Service, urged the faithful to be attentive to the needs of the poor during the official celebration held in the parish of Our Lady of the Assumption of Koumassi Prodomo in the diocese of Grand-Bassam.
This is the exhortation by Father Norbert-Éric ABEKAN, National Executive Secretary of the Commission for Justice, Peace and the Environment, who denounced the lack of solidarity of some Christians towards their brothers and sisters, defining it as a real “plague”.
At the end of the Mass, a delegation of the same Commission took care of bringing comfort in different ways to some realities where there are men and women who live different “poverty” on their own skin. At the base of any material gesture, there was the desire to show the tenderness of the Church, bringing concrete help (such as the distribution of over 500 food kits in the municipality of Koumassi) but also the human and spiritual comfort of a word and encouragement, of a smile, touching the realities of those most in need, as in the case of the Oasis Center managed by the Missionaries of Charity and the Fraternity of Saint Mary of the Poor.
“God is with us, for example, I arrived in this center three years ago without my family; thanks to the Sisters of Mother Teresa this center has become my home”, commented one of the guests.
Across the country, the diocesan Caritas of Yopougon also joined the World Day of the Poor with targeted initiatives, donating not only food to 180 deaf, visually impaired and physically disabled people in the diocese. (SS-EG) (Agenzia Fides, 15/11/2021)
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Publish date : 2021-11-15 08:00:00
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