Fr. Longenecker on Ministry to the Poor that Serves Them in a Positive Manner

"A pilgrimage to Rome comes complete with the whole range of Catholic experiences. As you gaze at the splendor of Michelangelo's dome, your coat tail is tugged by an ancient looking crone with a begging cup. As you stroll across St Peter's Square, you might spot (or smell) the toilets and showers for the homeless set up on the sidelines by Pope Francis.

"As you visit the historic basilicas and churches you can bet on the beggars with their pleading expressions, their practiced poverty and their sometimes studied squalor, and if you watch for them, you'll see Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity busily serving the down-and-outs.

"Jesus said, 'The poor you shall have with you always,' and the Catholic Church doesn't disappoint.

"The poor - whether they are genuine or not - congregate around Catholic churches because the needy know we care. Down through the ages Catholics, along with other Christians have rolled up their sleeves and got to work feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, healing the sick, educating the ignorant and tending the dying.

"It is one of the marks of Christian authenticity. We should be proud that the poor populate our porches and parking lots.

"Helping the poor may be one of the most compelling things we do, but it is also one of the most complex. We're supposed to help the poor, but how do we do that? Is the quick handout after Mass or the hastily written check really the answer? . . .

"In America's complex culture, who is poor and what comprises poverty? Is it just a lack of food and decent housing? Anyone who has even started to work with the needy will soon realize that the problems of the poor are bewilderingly complex, and that very often the charity we dish out contributes to the problem rather than curing it."

In a recent commentary, Father Dwight Longenecker (parish priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Greenville, SC) reflected on options for ministering to the poor, including a need to develop a charity that is "both tough and tender and truly serves those who are in need." 

To access Fr. Longenecker’s complete post, please visit: 

Crux: Do Christians practice too much 'toxic charity'? (10 JUN 16) 

Background information: 

Dwight Longenecker - Catholic priest and author