From a Catholic stand point what is our resposibility toward the homeless?

Question

In a nation as wealthy as ours, what is our responsibility toward those who cant do for themselves? do we give thim change when we see them, build them homes, obviously we must do something but how much is asked of us (in the catholic church)?
if you could list some kind of proper source thatd be nice.

Answer 1

I dont know about the Catholic Church as a whole, but we all have a moral duty to care for the homeless, the Jesus said "Treat your neighbor as yourself", and in the New Testament he said to "love God and Love man" were the most important things. As a rule i don't give homeless people money, but i will buy them food or a drink. I think you just have to see what their needs are. There are charities that feed homeless people, and you could get involved with one of those.

Answer 2

My goodness, sheltering the homeless is one of the corporal works of mercy and ALL Catholics should be doing something about it.

I volunteer for a soup kitchen, and their policy is NO, you shouldn't give them change when you see them. You can carry business cards from homeless shelters and give them that instead, or you can buy them something warm to drink in the winter (or a bottle of water when it's hot), but you should never give them money because some of them are perfectly able to work and choose not to because they can make hundreds of dollars a day panhandling! Also it's usually against the law, so by giving the person money, you are enabling them to commit a crime, and that's a sin, too. If you have money to give, give it to an organized program that will make sure people get what they need without cheating anybody.

Building homes through various organizations and finding other ways to share your time is also a good and noble practice.

If you want to find a Catholic organization to help in the mission to shelter the homeless, consider Catholic Social Services or the St. Vincent DePaul Society or call your parish for suggestions of local groups.

Answer 3

we should volunteer our time to help people in need. helping out in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter would be a good start. when we see a homeless person on the street, we should give them something to eat or even just stop for a minute and talk to them. there are a few homeless guys that hang out where i work. ive actually gotten to know some of them. sometimes i'll smoke a cigarette with them and talk for a few minutes and sometimes i'll pray with them. as individuals, we can only do so much. we have jobs and families to take care of. just do what youre able to do. you may not be able to change the world but you can make a difference in a few peoples lives.

Answer 4

We are to feed the poor.
Our righteousness is to exceed the pharisees, who gave 10%. We are taught to give 100%.
This I do by teaching my kids the truth, teaching charity in our home, and actually doing it.
Is this about the can drive today? Do you think I should take an extra tin? OK.

Answer 5

"Give to him who begs from you, do not refuse him who would borrow from you," Matthew quotes Jesus as telling us. "You received without pay, give without pay."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church goes so far as to say, "It is by what they have done for the poor that Jesus Christ will recognize his chosen ones" (No. 232).

The church reflects this issue in its teaching on the corporal works of mercy: Feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned and burying the dead.

Answer 6

None at all dear. God did it. He works in mysterious ways.
We can, of course, pray for the homeless. No doubt it will make a difference.

Answer 7

Same as any other Christian, I imagine.