Every October 17, the world pauses to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, a reminder that millions of families still struggle to meet their most basic needs. This year’s United Nations theme, “Ending social and institutional maltreatment by ensuring respect and effective support for families,” strikes at the heart of Catholic teaching on the dignity of every human person.
A Global Reality Measured in Human Lives
According to Vatican News, the World Bank recently raised its definition of extreme poverty from $2.15 to $3 a day, increasing the estimated number of people living in poverty from 713 million to 838 million worldwide. As reporter Kielce Gussie explained, this change does not mean more people suddenly became poor, but that “inflation and national definitions of poverty in low-income countries have led to the rise of the international poverty line.”
Behind the statistics are families—mothers, fathers, and children—facing hunger, displacement, and instability. As Pope Francis has often reminded the Church, the poor “are not a problem to be solved, but brothers and sisters to be welcomed.”
Poverty Is Not a Personal Failure
UN Secretary-General António Guterres captured a truth the Church has long proclaimed: “Poverty is not a personal failure; it is a systemic failure — a denial of dignity and human rights,” according to Vatican News. The Catechism teaches that every human being is made in the image of God, and social structures that perpetuate inequality wound not only the poor, but the moral fabric of society itself.
The Church’s commitment to the poor is not optional—it is foundational. From the early Church sharing everything “in common” (Acts 2:44) to the modern call of Laudato Si’ for an economy that serves people, not profit, Catholics are urged to challenge systems that degrade human life.
Families at the Center
This year’s UN theme aligns closely with the Church’s vision of the family as the “domestic Church.” The call to end the stigma faced by families in poverty—particularly within welfare offices, clinics, and child protection systems—echoes Christ’s insistence on mercy over judgment.
According to Vatican News, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) outlines three practical shifts to combat this stigma:
- From control to care: building services rooted in trust rather than suspicion.
- From oversight to empowerment: prioritizing family-strengthening programs like safe housing, income support, and childcare.
- From imposed to inclusive solutions: ensuring families experiencing poverty have a voice in the decisions that affect them.
These changes mirror the Catholic principle of subsidiarity—that those closest to the problem should have a say in the solution. When families are respected and empowered, communities thrive.
A Call to Conversion
The Church must continue to be both advocate and sanctuary for the poor. Pope Francis urges Catholics to practice what he calls a “culture of encounter”—to meet the poor face-to-face, to listen, and to act.
As we observe this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, let us remember that eradicating poverty means more than raising incomes—it means restoring dignity. It means moving, as the UN calls us to, “from control to care” and “from oversight to empowerment,” so that every family may live not in survival, but in hope.
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