“Francis − a pope who cared deeply for the poor …” Since my last newsletter item, we have lost Pope Francis. As with all learning, his teaching will be caried on in the hearts and minds of those he ministered to. In “The Conversation”  Matthew Schmalz, professor of Religious Studies  identified the Pope’s “Care for the marginalized”  going on to highlight real actions of the Pontif which clearly identified his thoughts on helping the poor. “Pope Francis reached out personally to the poor. For example, he turned a Vatican plaza into a refuge for the homeless, whom he called “nobles of the street.” He washed the feet of migrants and prisoners during the traditional foot-washing ceremony on the Thursday before Easter.”

When we put a spotlight on the poor, marginalised and neglected of our world through the broad Religious Education programme at the College it is to give our students perspective. When we walk into a classroom with laptop computers, electronic whiteboards, qualified teachers and 25 classmates we sit in the top 10% of wealth in the world. We are indeed lucky.

Many of you will know the music of U2, Irish rock band lead by Bono. Bono, a man with a strong will and empathetic heart who has worked tirelessly for the past 4 decades to raise awareness of the poor in Africa. He spoke at the International Prayer Breakfast in the US in 2006, the following is an extract from that speech:

“Check Judaism. Check Islam. Check pretty much anyone. I mean, God may well be with us in our mansions on the hill. I hope so. He may -- may well be with us in all manner of controversial stuff. Maybe, maybe not. But the one thing we can all agree -- all faiths, all ideologies -- is that God is with the vulnerable and poor.

God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them. …

It’s not a coincidence that in the Scriptures, poverty is mentioned more than 2,100 times. It’s not an accident. That’s a lot of air time. You know, the only time Jesus Christ is judgmental is on the subject of the poor. "As you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me." [I] believe that's Matthew 25:40.”

We are endeavouring to raise funds to allow a poor and marginalised child from Tanzania gain a secondary education. Click on the QR Code, and give generously.

Steve Gillespie