Poverty in The USA

Some thoughts by our Director of Social Ministries, Clotilde Pichon:

A Place For All At The Table
By Clotilde Pichon, St Mary’s Director of Social Ministries

It is sometimes hard to believe that in the USA, one of the richest countries in the world, millions of persons live in poverty and up to 2.5 million are homeless. Many of us may relegate poverty and hunger as problems of developing countries. Not so. And even worse, with the current economic crisis poverty in the USA is steadily growing. Being poor does not mean necessarily being jobless, more and more working families are living at or below the poverty line.

As disciples of Jesus, we cannot ignore our social responsibilities towards our neighbors in need. All people have basic human needs that have to be met in order for us to reach our potential. Ending poverty means ensuring that all have the opportunity and ability to meet those needs for themselves and their families. When we respond to our neighbors in need, we are feeding, clothing, and sheltering Jesus, “Amen I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25: 40) Continue Reading.