The Poor and the Vulnerable

—Fourth in a series on the principles of Social Justice—
By Sean DeWitt

'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'—Matthew 25: 40

Why does the Lord hold such a special place in His Sacred Heart for those who are poor? A simple question, but profound in its implications. Why must we serve the poor and the vulnerable? Certainly, Christ called us to serve His people, not just the poor. However, time and time again, Christ places the needs of the poor over other needs. Matthew 25 is probably the most explicit passage where Jesus puts the needs of the poor first. In fact, Jesus hinges salvation and eternal life with Him on service to the poor, the thirsty, the hungry, the naked, and the stranger. The U.S. Bishops’ tap into Christ’s message saying:

Our tradition calls us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first. As Christians, we are called to respond to the needs of all our sisters and brothers, but those with the greatest needs require the greatest response—A Century of Social Teaching, 6-7

But again, why?

The reason Christ and the Church gives such an ‘Option for the Poor’ is that these people lack the ability to participate in society. The poor are unable to hold the level of dignity that is due to every human being. The poor are unable to fulfill the rights and responsibilities that belong to them as human beings. And the poor are unable to participate fully in a group or society, satisfying their social nature. The poor, the impoverished, and the vulnerable are put in a situation that threatens their person and humanity. Thus, in serving the poor we are reestablishing and giving them (and ourselves) the gift of humanity. Serving the poor is to restore the society as a whole, not just one sect. As the U.S. Bishops say:

The deprivation and powerlessness of the poor wounds the whole community. The extent of their suffering is a measure of how far we are from being a true community of persons—Economic Justice for All

Catholic Charities places itself in the forefront of that effort to preserve and reestablish ‘a true community of persons.’ Whether it is direct service through the food pantry, disaster relief services, and application assistance with state benefits; community building through case management and life skill workshops; or advocacy through immigration legal services and pro bono legal services, Catholic Charities works to preserve the humanity of each individual person. Catholic Charities’ vision is expansive, seeing that both the needs of individuals, as well as the need for system change—needs that to be made in order to affectively help the poor. As Pope John Paul II said:

Love of preference for the poor, and the decisions which it inspire in us, cannot but embrace the immense multitudes of the hungry, the needy, the homeless, those without medical care and, above all, those without hope of a better future—On Social Concern