International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

The United Nations has declared October 17 as the international day for the eradication of poverty.  The world calendar of events and other information promoting the initiative can be found here.

This is a good time to remind ourselves that almost half of the population of the world lives on an income of less than a dollar a day and that every five seconds a child dies of hunger and other related causes.  In the words of Alfredo Becerra V., C.M., "May the Lord give us the strength and courage to commit ourselves every day to the eradication of poverty around us!"  (Fr. Becerra's letter to all members of the Vincentian family on this subject, including the World Bank statistics cited above appear on the famvin website here.)

Update: Zenit news reports that Pope Benedict XVI will participate in the international day for the eradication of poverty.  It also reports that a Declaration of Solidarity, which will be delivered to the Secretary-General of the UN on Oct. 17, can be signed on-line here.