The second edition of the World Day of the Poor, declared by Pope Francis, will be celebrated next Sunday. This year’s edition is titled ‘This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him’. Mgr D'Silva will hand out blankets and food to the homeless in Thane, Mumbai.
Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Mgr Allwyn D'Silva, auxiliary archbishop of Mumbai, said that the Day of the Poor, which falls next Sunday, should be celebrated "in memory of Mother Teresa's words".
"When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needs," the prelate told AsiaNews quoting the saint of Kolkata.
With "these words in mind", the bishop plans to walk the streets of Thane, near Mumbai, next Sunday at midnight, to meet the poor who live on the sidewalks.
"Together with some parishioners of St John the Baptist (Church),” he plans to “share with them blankets as winter is approaching, and some food.”
For the prelate, who is the secretary of the Office for Human Development and the Desk for Climate Change of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC), this is "a small gesture".
" We need to speak about poverty and at the Eucharist on Sunday I plan to give the message of Pope Francis to the parishioners" titled ‘This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him’.
“Blessed are those who protect and care for our common home,” said Mgr D’Silva in concluding.