Edoardo Giribaldi, Piotr Kowalczuk
“Mercy brooks no delay,” said Leo XIV on the first day of his apostolic journey to Spain. The Papal Almoner, Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, emphasizes that solidarity “knows no borders. Help must reach wherever those in need are suffering. Therefore, we ensure that it is swift, concrete, and coordinated.” This assistance has been supporting the people of Ukraine since the beginning of Russian aggression, as well as the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. Leo XIV incessantly brings comfort to the victims of war and cataclysms around the world.
Europe
Even within the borders of prosperous Europe, many inhabitants suffer from poverty and social exclusion. The Pope brings various kinds of assistance – from Cyprus, where food, medicine, and basic necessities reach migrants, to Georgia, where the construction of a home for poor children in Tbilisi, initiated by Francis, is coming to an end.
Middle East and Asia
In Syria, where the Christian community continues to live under pressure, thanks to financial aid from the Vatican for local Caritas, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Luigi Roberto Cona, will be able to distribute food packages to two thousand families. In Bangladesh, papal charitable work reaches Cox’s Bazar, the world’s largest refugee camp, where over a million Rohingya refugees live crowded into bamboo huts, as well as the Diocese of Chattogram, affected by floods. In the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, through the local nunciature, humanitarian aid including 15,000 medicine packages was distributed to those in need last April.
Africa
In the Diocese of Ouahigouya in Burkina Faso, a donation was sent at the beginning of July to support a medical project and healthcare for displaced persons and the poor. In Embu, Kenya, the Pope supports an orphanage. Meanwhile, in Madagascar, the Archdiocese of Toamasina is receiving support from the Holy Father’s Charitable Fund after being hit by the devastating Cyclone Gezani 10. In Zambia, the Pope is helping the victims of a drought that has caused a famine.
South America
In Argentina, in the Diocese of Tucumán, victims of severe storms received papal aid, including a group of 450 young people from a destroyed training center. Thanks to this support, the youth have food and can continue their education. In Haiti, where social instability and gang violence make normal life practically impossible for a large part of the population, the Pope helps desperate families by providing food distribution and medical assistance. In Venezuela, through the support of Leo XIV, the “Nutritious Lunches for the Upper Orinoco” project is being implemented. The Pope in Venezuela is also helping the victims of the tragic earthquake on June 24 of this year.
Help and Reflection on the Causes of Poverty
The Papal Almoner, Archbishop Luis Marín, in an interview with Vatican News, pointed out that mercy is not limited to immediate aid. He encouraged reflection on the causes of poverty to help put an end to injustices marked by sin that generate exclusion and suffering. “The Dicastery for the Service of Charity,” the Papal Almoner concluded, “deeply believes that love is the key to the Christian life. And the urgent need for mercy, lived as a response to the Gospel, prompts us every day to be close to our brothers and sisters, sharing their hardships and hopes as a Church.”
