Work of the Church - love of neighbour
Many Christians work to help their communities become better places to live. They see this as putting their Christian faith into action.
If anyone has material possessions and ignores his brother in need, how can he love God?
One of Jesus鈥 main teachings comes from the Parable of the Good Samaritan. It is to love your neighbour as yourself. As a result, Catholic teachings focus on the idea of helping others.
Evangelii Gaudium, which is a document written by Pope Francis in 2013, says that Catholics should strive to help the poor to be fully part of society.
There are many organisations involved in carrying out the work of the Church:
CAFOD
The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) works to fight poverty and injustice around the world. It works through churches in places of natural disaster, but its aim is to give people the skills to help themselves.
St Vincent de Paul Society
The purpose of the St Vincent de Paul Society is to help the homeless, visit the sick, befriend the lonely and feed the hungry. Its members carry out their work through support centres, where they offer counselling services.
The St Vincent de Paul Society also provides work training and helps people who have recently been released from prison to find work.
Its members also work with refugees, people with disabilities and people suffering with mental illness.
罢谤贸肠补颈谤别
罢谤贸肠补颈谤别 is an Irish Catholic organisation that provides aid abroad in emergencies, but it also has a wider mission to end poverty.
Missio
Missio is a UK-based organisation that supports Catholic churches abroad that are struggling to fund themselves. It also provides education, training and health care in poverty-stricken countries.