Drawing on familiar themes of his pontificate, Francis warned against pursuing worldly goods and fame at the cost of the dignity of others.
“The mentality of the world demands that we become somebody, that we make a name for ourselves at any cost, breaking social norms in order to accumulate wealth,” he said. “How sad of an illusion this is!”
In January, Pope Francis announced the start of a Year of Prayer in preparation for the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year. The yearlong observance, he said on Thursday, underscores the need “to make the prayer of the poor our own and pray together with them.”
“The great majority of the poor have a special openness to the faith; they need God and we must not fail to offer them his friendship, his blessing, his word, the celebration of the sacraments, and a journey of growth and maturity in the faith,” the pope said.
The poor are markedly disposed to receiving God’s grace, Francis noted; having nothing else, they “receive strength from God and place all their trust in him.”
The Holy Father further highlighted the example of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who spent her life working for the poor and who described herself as “only a poor sister who prays.”
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