The US Congress has voted to cease funding the SNAP program (otherwise known as "food stanps") for millions of American brothers and sisters who are low income or even no income. A Christian cannot sit idly by and allow such evil to transpire without comment. The implications of this decision is that millions will go hungry; some may even die. Children will be malnourished, and some develop disease. There will be an increase in abortion. Thankfully, the US bishops have spoken up against this outrage. The oppression of our poor, (one of the four sins that cry to Heaven for vengeance) is also one of the pillars of the culture of death that our recent Popes have spoken out against:
..."the right to food has for the realization of other rights, beginning above all with the fundamental right to life.
We must observe that the endeavours made until now have not significantly diminished the numbers of those suffering from hunger in the world, even though all know that food is a primary right. This is perhaps due to the fact that one tends to be solely and principally motivated by technical and economic considerations, forgetting the primary, ethical dimension of "feeding the hungry".
This priority concerns the sentiments of compassion and solidarity proper to the human being, which includes sharing with others not only material goods, but also the love which all need. In effect, we give too little if we offer only material things. (Pope Benedict XVI).
As we approach the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul - the Apostle of Charity - on September 27th, let us never forget that poverty is all around us: spiritual, psychological and physical. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul does what it can, as an international lay Catholic association, to assist brothers and sisters in need. Help the Society, join the Society.
1 comment:
In the US military families redeem $100 million a year in food stamps. This is the military that Obama was ready to commit to yet another military adventure in Syria.
Post a Comment