​​​​​​On the occasion of the 8th World Day of the Poor marked on Sunday, November 17, the Executive Secretary of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Angola and São Tomé (CEAST) has called for concrete initiatives in reaching out to the poor in society.

In his homily during the celebration at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Major Seminary in Luanda, Fr. Celestino Epalanga invited the government to ensure citizens have basic needs.

“The preferential option for the poor must translate into concrete actions, especially in a privileged and prioritized religious solicitude,” Fr. Epalanga said, referring to one of the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

He posed, “Do we pray for the poor and with the poor in our parish communities? Do we walk with them or discriminate against them? Do we listen to the cry of the poor, or do we remain deaf and indifferent?”

Reflecting on poverty in Angola, the Angolan member of the Society of Jesus (SJ/Jesuits) said that over 40 per cent of the population—around 17 million people—live below the poverty line. 

He cautioned against the tendency to regard the poor in society as mere statistics, emphasizing the need to recognize them as fully human.

“The poor are not numbers. They are human beings of flesh and blood, created in the image and likeness of God, sons, and daughters of Abraham, who live among us and knock on our doors. How do we treat them? How do we welcome them?” the CCJP Executive Secretary in Angola and São Tomé said.

He went on to reflect on the theme of this year’s World Day of the Poor, “The prayer of the poor rises up to God”. (Sirach 21:5)

Referring to Pope Francis, who, in his message for the eighth World Day of the Poor, has emphasized the need to integrate the poor into the spiritual and pastoral life of the Church, Fr. Epalanga said, “The worst discrimination the poor suffer is the lack of spiritual care. The vast majority of them hunger and thirst for God.”

“We need to pray for the poor and with the poor. We cannot neglect offering them God’s friendship, His word, the celebration of the sacraments, and a path for growth in faith,” he said, referring to the message Pope Francis issued on June 13, the Feast Day of St. Anthony of Padua, Patron of the Poor.

Since Pope Francis established the World Day of the Poor in 2016 to be annually celebrated one week before the Solemnity of Christ the King, he has continued the tradition of welcoming Rome’s poor into the Vatican to dine with him.

This year, the Holy Father had lunch with 1,300 people, who he has said “hold a privileged place in God’s heart” on Sunday, November 17 at the Vatican as part of the eighth World Day of the Poor celebrations.

In his same message for the World Day of the Poor 2024, in anticipation of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year to be marked under the theme, “Pilgrims of Hope”, Pope Francis underscores the importance for the people of God to be aware of the presence and needs of the “poor whom we encounter daily.”

“As we journey toward the holy year, I urge everyone to become pilgrims of hope, setting tangible goals for a better future. Let us not forget to keep ‘the little details of love’ (Gaudete et Exsultate, 145): stopping, drawing near, giving a little attention, a smile, a caress, a word of comfort,” the Holy Father says in his June 13 message.

In his homily on November 17 at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Major Seminary in Luanda, the CEAST Executive Director of CCJP reflected on the shared Christian responsibility to promote social justice.

 “Caring for the poor is proclaiming the Gospel, Fr. Epalanga said, and added, “Jesus became poor to enrich us. Are we capable of seeing Christ in the poor? Are we able to share not only our goods but also our time and prayers?”

He continued, “We pray for our leaders, to whom we entrust the grave responsibility of working for social justice and the common good.”

Many leaders, the Jesuit Priest lamented, “remain locked in their palaces, spending the poor’s money on luxuries, while children and the elderly live in extreme poverty, scavenging for food in landfills and garbage bins.”

The celebration of the World Day of the Poor, he said, provides “a pastoral opportunity challenging every believer to listen to the prayers of the poor, recognize their presence, and respond to their needs.”

“We must thank and support all who dedicate themselves to caring for the poor – Priests, laypeople, the Consecrated, and volunteers – whose witness is God’s answer to the prayers of the needy,” Fr. Epalanga said.

The poor offer a unique challenge and gift to the Church, he said, and explained, “The poor evangelize us. They challenge our faith and offer us the opportunity to be truly Christian. May we build a future where human dignity is not sacrificed on the altar of material goods.”