Living Our Faith | Pope Benedict XVI: Charity helps us show God's loving mercy to others

Submitted on March 11, 2010

Eddie Moore, who was released in 2009 after seven years in prison, applied for clothing, food vouchers, bus passes, hygiene material and job-search assistance March 4 with the help of Sister Eugenio Pastorik, RSM, at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul offices Downtown. The Society is a nonprofit organization providing personal assistance with furniture, food, clothing, rent, utilities, transportation and companionship to people facing economic, emotional or spiritual crisis.

Jerry Naunheim Jr.

In his message for Lent last month, Pope Benedict XVI reminded people of their obligation to open their hearts and hands to those in need.

The pope earlier said that almsgiving helps Christians conquer the constant temptation to become slaves to wealth and material goods. The practice of almsgiving "represents a specific way to assist those in need and, at the same time, an exercise in self-denial to free us from attachments to worldly goods," he said.