CAFOD welcomes Pope Benedict

CAFOD welcomes Pope Benedict as he comes on a state visit to the UK

Pope Benedict has been outspoken on poverty and has called on the Catholic community to look at their lifestyles for the sake of their brothers and sisters around the world.

On his visit to the UK he will visit the Queen, as well as celebrating mass at Westminster Cathedral and holding an open air vigil in Hyde Park where around 70,000 people are expected to attend.

The vigil will make reference to the theme of the Pope’s visit ‘heart speaks unto heart’ and will celebrate how Catholics throughout England and Wales put their faith into action to improve conditions in their own communities and overseas.

This commitment to speaking out on issues of justice and to ending poverty was highlighted in Pope Benedict’s most recent encyclical Caritas in Veritate when he said: “The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require, particularly today, that economic choices do not cause disparities in wealth to increase in an excessive and morally unacceptable manner' (#32)

“God is present alongside those who come together in his name to work for justice.”

Pope Benedict, Caritas in Veritate 78

The Pope’s visit is a time of great joy and encouragement for the Catholic community in England and Wales and strengthens us in our work to improve conditions for this and future generations.

As it says in Caritas in Veritate # 50 “Integral human development cannot ignore coming generations, but needs to be marked by solidarity and inter-generational justice.”