The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland has warned the Government that it is responsible for maintaining a basic standard of living for citizens, as it rolls back emergency pandemic measures, and it is not the responsibility of charity.
In an address on the feast day of the St Vincent de Paul to members of the Society from Armagh, Craigavon, Banbridge and surrounding area, Archbishop Eamon Martin expressed concern over the impact of the imminent cut in weekly universal credit payments as pandemic measures come to an end, combined with the impact on the less well-off of increases in fuel and other living costs.
Speaking in St Therese’s Church, Banbridge, Co Down, the Primate of All Ireland highlighted the “scourge of unsustainable debt” into which so many people, particularly young adults, have been trapped by a “buy now, pay later culture”.
He paid tribute to SVP members for not only talking about poverty but for taking practical steps to lift up those who are struggling and lend them a helping hand to get back on their feet. He said they had drawn attention to increased fuel poverty, child poverty, the struggles of loan parents and the elderly.
“You alert us when poverty rates are increasing among the marginalised on the streets, in emergency accommodation, amongst Travellers, the homeless, and you remind us of those who might otherwise be forgotten or abandoned.”
He said: “We must all be alert to the repercussions of the ending of emergency pandemic measures, including the imminent cut in weekly universal credit payments. These, together with ongoing increases to fuel and other living costs, remind us that maintaining a basic standard of living for citizens is the responsibility of government – not of charity.”
During the pandemic, the SVP had alerted people to the phenomenon of in-workpoverty which can especially impact those who are self-employed or work part-time, and those with temporary or on zero-hours contracts.
The Archbishop of Armagh also noted that the SVP’s normal fundraising activities during the pandemic were interrupted and that their meetings and conferences had to operate in a different way. But SVP members had continued to provide a lifeline to others in the community during the worst of the pandemic.
Archbishop Martin said that as many live rather comfortably today, the reality of poverty is something that is often kept out of sight and out of mind. But the reality of so much poverty in the world continued to break into people’s consciousness due to television or social media.
“Often the overwhelming scale of starvation, famine, disease and war, the sheer numbers of refugees, people being trafficked, or homeless can make our charitable efforts feel insignificant - a drop in the ocean. People also speak of compassion fatigue - as soon as one humanitarian disaster fades from the front pages and headlines, another lines up to take its place.”
In this context it was important, the Archbishop said, for Christians to realise that even the smallest actions of generosity and compassion can make a real difference to someone who is struggling with poverty.
“St Vincent de Paul saw his work as being like planting a tiny seed which can grow or blossom and bear much fruit,” he said.
Loading ...
