Cardinal Tobin: Recognizing Jesus in the faces of the poor

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

St. John Paul II once wrote, “The needs of the poor take priority over the desires of the rich.” As Archbishop of Newark, I have been challenged to be more attentive to the ways in which poverty impacts the individuals, families, and communities that I am called to serve here in our four northern New Jersey counties.

The social and economic conditions caused by poverty in many of the communities in our archdiocese have had serious consequences, including an increase in the manufacture, sale and use of drugs; violence in our homes and in our streets; and the resulting increase in our state’s prison population.

Multigenerational poverty, measured by the number of individuals under economic stress whose parents, grandparents and perhaps great-grandparents also suffered severe economic instability, is a serious issue. Its impact on human dignity, family stability and healthy communities is immeasurable.

Individual family members who experience multigenerational poverty are far less likely to possess the internal, intangible resources that will allow them to realize their hopes and dreams, or to pursue and acquire the education, life skills and employment opportunities that are available to other members of their communities and that are critical to breaking the cycle of poverty. Without the skills and experiences necessary to make positive personal and employment decisions, poor choices appear predetermined, and the vicious cycle of poverty remains unbroken.

The Gospels reveal that our Lord had a special love for the poor. He recognized their suffering, and he had compassion for their loneliness and fear. He never looked away from their plight or acted like it didn’t concern him. Always, our Lord stood with the poor—comforting their sorrows, healing their wounds and feeding their bodies and their souls.

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