Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

“The Church’s love for the poor is inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes, by the poverty of Jesus and his love for the poor.” Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, #184

Migrant receives assistance emphasizing importance of assisting poor and vulnerableDiscover a powerful collection of resources focused on the Catholic Social Teaching principle of the preferential option for the poor and vulnerable. This principle calls individuals and communities to prioritize the needs of society’s most marginalized members, recognizing their dignity and working toward justice and equity.

On this page, you’ll find:

  • Prayers and Reflections: Spiritual resources to inspire compassion and solidarity with the poor and vulnerable in light of Gospel values.
  • Lesson Plans and Educational Materials: Engaging tools for teaching about economic justice, human dignity, and the Church’s call to uplift those in poverty.
  • Multimedia Content: Videos, articles, and infographics that highlight the lived realities of marginalized communities and the Church’s response to their struggles.
  • Advocacy Guides: Practical resources for promoting policies, actions, and systems that prioritize the well-being of the poor and address systemic injustices.

These resources provide educators, faith leaders, and advocates with the tools to reflect on their role in creating a just society where the needs of the poor are met with compassion and action. Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching, they inspire a deeper commitment to walking with the vulnerable and advocating for systemic change.

Domestic Poverty and the 2012 Elections

Amidst the heated rhetoric of the 2012 election season, people living in poverty seem all but forgotten. This bulletin insert includes updated statistics on domestic poverty, reflections from...

Option for the Poor: A Place at the Table

A Place at the Table: A Catholic Recommitment to Overcome Poverty and to Respect the Dignity of All God’s Children was issued by the USCCB in 2002. Ten years later, after a world-wide economic...
Prayer Service

Prayer Service: United Nations Day for the Eradication of Poverty

This three-page resource is a formatted, ready-to-use prayer service commemorating the UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.  Included is a handout of images of children, women, and...

Saint Francis of Assisi

The feast day of Saint Francis is celebrated on October 4th. This resource explores the linkages between climate change and poverty.

Remembering the Medellin Conference

This two-page resource provides background on the Latin American Bishops' conference held in Medellin, Colombia in 1968. The conference marked a sea-change in the Latin American church, denouncing...
Lesson Plan

A Timeline on Migration, Labor, and Immigration Laws, Part One

This four page resource reviews key events in migration patterns and immigration laws in the U.S up until 1903. It raises central questions about the relationship between the need for labor and...
Quiz

U.S. Poverty Quiz 2012

This much beloved EfJ resource has been updated for 2012. Designed as a print-ready quiz, it also makes a great educational ice-breaker for social justice presentations. Or, simply use the great...
Prayer Service

Prayer Service for Migrants

Invite your community to prayerfully reflect on the needs of migrants with excerpts from relevant papal and episcopal statements. Participants are challenged to welcome migrants, and to offer them...

A Revolution of Hope: Occupy Advent and the Vatican

This two page reflectionby guest writer Alex Mikulich, Ph.D., explores how the Occupy protestors embody the season of advent. Includes active links to background resources.

Faith Communities Respond to Unemployment

Continued high rates of unemployment have spurred many congregations, including Catholic parishes, to organize support for the emotional and material needs of workers. Chicago-based Interfaith Worker...

The Spirituality of Justice: Option for the Poor & Vocation

Fr. Peter Hinde, O.Carm has lived out the Church's call to make a preferential option for the poor.  In this interview, learn about the early influences and encounters that led not only to his...
Quiz

Poverty Quiz - Based on 2010 Census Results

Poverty in the U.S. has hit record levels in light of the current economic crisis.  New Census Bureau data details the extent of the reality. This poverty quiz tests the participant's knowledge...