«It is urgent to listen to the voice of the poor, to share and to alleviate his suffering. Our love for the poor and the marginalized will lead us to receive the blessings of the Lord»: said the Bishop Peter Machado of Bangalore, in the state of Karnataka, in southern India. He was quoted in a December 20, 2018, article by Fides News Agency.
«Christmas is always a time to redirect our attention towards who is underprivileged: when the heart of a believer is full of the love of Christ, he will know how to share, care for and comfort those who need to feel loved by God», he said.
The Archbishop asked the communities to pay more attention towards those who have become homeless and have lost everything because of natural disasters and has asked parish priests to avoid huge expenses for religious celebrations, and instead, save money in favor of the poor. «Jesus Christ was born among the poor and the defenseless in a stable in Bethlehem», he recalled.
The Archdiocese, thanks to various organizations and communities, has already raised over 141 million dollars for flood victims in the Kodagu district, in the state of Karnataka, devastated by the floods, together with Kerala, in August. For over three months at least 6,000 people are still in refugee camps or living in temporary shelters and tents. The population is waiting for the government to provide rapid livelihood and permanent shelter.
