The many faces of poverty in 2018

THE MANY FACES OF POVERTY IN 2018

It is important for the Social Justice Team of the Archdiocese of Moncton to inform parishioners of the injustice and poverty some people in our society have to endure. Yes there are still people who live in poverty in 2018! It is important that their faces be revealed so that we can truly understand them and make a difference in their lives.

This is why we would like to bring to your attention the recent document LIVING IN POVERTY IN NB : NOT EASY!  (September 2018) written by Auréa Cormier, NDSC; Ph. D.; Member of the CFSJ and St-Vincent de Paul Society.  This report shows us that the poor are lacking in many ways to get out of poverty: money, psychological resources, physical capabilities, access to a support system, etc.

The poor are often the victims of prejudices. In order to combat these prejudices, interviews have been made with people on social assistance to relate their living conditions.  The names are fictional.  These people live in different parts of the province and have been chosen to reflect the reality thousands of N.B. citizens are facing.  While reading these cases, it is obvious that these persons are not “living the good life”, but are struggling to make ends meet. 

While we try to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, we, as a Church, are called to act in accordance to his preferential love for the poor. The question is: do we always listen to their cry? Our reflex is sometimes to cast them aside instead of listening to their suffering, solitude and deception.  Pope Francis asks us to love them, not only in words or by giving a few dollars, but by being truly engaged and showing them kindness. We need to listen and to make a personal commitment so that real changes can occur.

Let us ask Jesus to transform our hearts and open them to the poor in our province so that these people don’t have to endure these prejudices. We need to try and make a difference in their lives.

 With the author’s permission, we urge you to read attentively some of the interviews taken from the report LIVING IN POVERTY IN N.B.: NOT EASY!  Please click HERE for access to the interviews.

Poverty is defined as the extent of an individual’s lack of resources. We can see while reading the testimonies recounted by the people who were interviewed that the poor are lacking in many ways: lack of money, lack of psychological resources, lack of physical capabilities, lack of access to a support system, the inability to earn a living related to employment barriers etc.

As people of faith, we must combat prejudices against the poor. We need to listen to them, care for them by making personal commitments so that changes can occur.

Using a quote from Pope Francis, Love is more about giving than receiving and is best expressed through action, not words.

Gladys LeBlanc, Coordinator

Social Justice Team, Archidiocese of Moncton