The Cry of the Poor

Catholic social teaching is a teaching founded on the life and words of Jesus Christ, who came "to bring glad tidings to the poor… liberty to captives… recovery of sight to the blind" (Lk 4:18-19), and who identified himself with "the least of these," the hungry and the stranger (cf. Mt 25:45).  Catholic social teaching is built on a commitment to the poor.

Catholic social teaching emerges from the truth of what God has revealed to us about himself. We believe in the Holy Trinity whose very nature is communal and social. God the Father sends his only Son Jesus Christ and shares the Holy Spirit as his gift of love. God reveals himself to us as one who is not alone, but rather as one who is relational.  Therefore, we who are made in God's image share this communal, social nature. We are called to reach out and to build relationships of love and justice.

Since its founding in the 1970s, our parish has been actively involved in caring for others.  As Pope Francis said last Summer, “A way has to be found to enable everyone to benefit from the fruits of the earth, and not simply to close the gap between the affluent and those who must be satisfied with the crumbs falling from the table, but above all to satisfy the demands of justice, fairness and respect for every human being.”

Two of the ways that Risen Savior works to accomplish this goal are through our support of Roadrunner Food Bank and the Storehouse. 

Roadrunner Food Bank collects food from stores and outlets and distributes to those in need.  Risen Savior sends volunteers the first Wednesday of every month to Roadrunner to box groceries and prepare them to be distributed to those in need. Occasionally, a Saturday morning is also offered.  As these opportunities come up, information is published in the bulletin and announced before Mass.

We also, through Roadrunner Food Bank  host a food pantry here quarterly and invite people in need from our neighborhood to get wholesome groceries.  We’re always looking for individuals and families to give 2 to 3 hours of their time a few times a year. While these mobile food pantries are not listed in our bulletin, interested volunteers can call the Parish Office for more information.

All parishioners can easily participate with our ministry to the Storehouse. Each registered family is asked to bring one jar of peanut butter each week to be given to the hungry.  As Pope Francis teaches, “Among our tasks as witnesses to the love of Christ is that of giving a voice to the cry of the poor.”  Your simple gift of peanut butter is an answer to the cry of the poor.

As the Pope tweeted on April 26th, “None of us can think we are exempt from concern for the poor and for social justice”.  EG 201

These ministries are a concrete way for all of us, who have food on our tables, to serve those “who must be satisfied with the crumbs falling from the table.”