Cardinal Tagle’s Message

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila
121 Arzobispo Street, Intramuros, P.O. Box 132, Manila, Philippines, Tel. No. 5277631 Tel./Fax 5273955, 5273850

MESSAGE

The poor love the Church. The anecdote in this book of the poor old woman who saved 100 pesos to give to the Church for the time when a priest would come to bless her home shows how purely the poor love the Church. There is no hidden agenda in their love for God, their love for the Church.

There is no doubt, too, that the Church loves the poor. This book chronicles the many ways, the many documents, and the many actions that show her love for the poor. But there is still one way by which the Church must completely love the poor. The Church must be poor.

Jesus Christ beckons the Church, calls out to us to “sell what you possess and give to the poor” and to “follow me.” Pope Francis has called on us to open our hearts to the poor. He even has given us a special time, the Holy Year of Mercy, to reflect on the Father’s mercy and to be merciful like Him. It is His mercy that directs us to see the poor, to love and serve them. It is His mercy that prompts us to embrace poverty, a space in our hearts and lives that opens up to God’s love and providence.

Fr. Jude has scholarly and personally expounded on the “Poor Church for the Poor.” Indeed it reveals the poverty in our nation today. And he shows ways on how we can be the poor Church for the poor. May our study of the poor make us poor so we can truly follow Jesus.

 

+Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle

Archbishop of Manila

 

 

 

Bishop Navarra’s Message

+VICENTE M. NAVARRA, DD

Bishop, Diocese of Bacolod

Bacolod City, Neg. Occ., Philippines

THE FIRST BISHOP OF KABANKALAN

 MESSAGE

            I write this message, as requested by the author, Fr. Jude M. Garceniego, coincidentally, this 3^rd day of December 2015, the feast day of St. Francis Xavier, the Patron Saint of Kabankalan Diocese, my first and former diocese.

I therefore ask St. Francis Xavier to bless with his prayers the book of Fr. Jude M. Garceniego, entitled: POOR CHURCH FOR THE POOR. In many instances the book resonates with the life and missionary travails of the Patron Saint of the Missions, who offered his life and his all for the then fledging Church of India-among the poorest of the poor.

In the example of St. Francis Xavier and endorsed by the author of this book, FAITH IN GOD, HUMILITY AND CHRISTIAN HEROISM are needed to establish the Church of the Poor precisely in the Hearts of the materially poor and of “those blessed, who are poor in spirit.”

I exhort everybody to read this book especially the priests working in the parishes and all BEC leaders.

Fr. Jude, congratulations! I ask the Good Lord, through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier to bless you and your priesthood.

Please pray for me.

93 Copies in MILAN, sold-out!

Thank you so much to all of you for supporting and promoting the book #PoorChurchforthePoor  – May God Bless you always and your whole family! MORE COPIES FOR MILAN SOON…