HEAR THE CRY OF THE POOR, FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY

VATICAN CITY, OCT 16, 2005 (VIS) - At midday today, after praying the Angelus, Benedict XVI referred to the World Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which will be celebrated tomorrow. The Day was established by Fr. Joseph Wresinski, founder of the movement "ATD, Aide a Toute Detresse - Quart Monde."

  "Poverty is plague against which humanity must fight without cease," said the Pope. "We are called to ever greater solidarity to ensure that no one remains excluded from society."

  The Holy Father gave assurances that his prayers were with "the poor who fight courageously to live with dignity, caring for their families and the needs of their fellows." He also greeted "everyone who puts themselves at the service of people in need."

  Finally, Benedict XVI called on the leaders of the international community "to hear the cry of the poor and intensify their activities in the fight against poverty."

  Later, Benedict XVI received a delegation from the Institute for the Rights of Man, of Auschwitz, Poland, for the occasion of awarding the John Paul II Prize. The prize was instituted following John Paul II's visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1979 and aims to defend and spread the papal message of peace and defense of human rights, recognizing people in the modern world who put these values into practice in their daily lives. The prizewinner is chosen by a jury, presided this year by Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, archbishop emeritus of Krakow, Poland.

  The prize has been awarded this year to Bishop Vaclav Maly, auxiliary of Prague, Czech Republic, who was a member of the dissident movement "Charter 77" during the years of the communist regime, and to Stefan Wilkanowicz, president of the ZNAK Foundation of Christian Culture of Krakow.
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