Preferential Option

for the
Poor and Vulnerable
 DEFINITION

• It is the choice to put the needs of society’s most poor and vulnerable members
first among all social concerns.
• Preferential Option for the poor and vulnerable is when we reach out a helping
hand to those who need it, whether they are living on the street or not, part of
our community or not, different nationalities. No matter what, we need to help
those who want a helping hand or a shoulder to lean on.
• Looking at unfair situations from the perspective of those who are suffering
from the injustice.
 Two Major Points

• The option for the poor and vulnerable means a commitment to take action to transform any
injustices that prevent them form realizing their God-given dignity. If social policies or
community attitudes prevent people from moving out of poverty or keeping a certain group of
people on the fringes of society then we as humans need to advocate their rights and we need to
become a “voice for the voiceless”.
• It involves freely choosing to become friends or partners with those who are poor and taking on
their problems as our problems. Christians are called to see Christ in all people, but especially
those who are poor and vulnerable. This is the choice to think of the poor as part of “us” than
“those people”. For those who are themselves poor or vulnerable, this choice means standing
by other people in the same situation rather than trying to take advantage of them and getting
ahead.
PURPOSE

• The primary purpose of this special commitment to the poor is to enable

them to become active participants in the life of society. It is to enable
all persons to share in and contribute to the common good. The “option
for the poor,” therefore, is not an adversarial slogan that pits one group
or class against another. Rather it states that the deprivation and
powerlessness of the poor wounds the whole community.
EXAMPLES
Saint Francis of Assisi, as what we all know stripped all his
wealth and abandoned being rich when God called him to
build his church. St. Francis of Assis is a perfect example to
this principle because of how he treats those lepers in their
town. Lepers as what we all know are separated from the
society because they have communicable disease and that the
townspeople do not want to see them because they feel that
those people are very dirty. St. Francis just like the others fear
the lepers and every time that they would hear a bell it means
that a leper is on its way. One time, he encountered a leper
and what he did was truly remarkable. When he saw the leper,
he felt that something is telling him to console the leper that is
why he hugged, kissed, and stayed with them to make them
feel that they are not alone nor abandoned by everyone else
and that God will always be there guiding them always.
 EXAMPLES
• WFP (World Food Programme)
WFP is the world’s largest
humanitarian agency, fighting hunger
worldwide, delivering food assistance
in emergencies and working with
communities to improve nutrition and
build resilience. Each year, WFP assists
some 80 million people in around 80
countries, providing food and
nutritional support to the poorest, most
under-nourished people and working
towards the Global Goal of Zero
Hunger.
 How do we end poverty?
Corporal Works of Spiritual Works of
Mercy Mercy
Providing help for the Providing help for the
needs of the body. needs of the soul.

Examples: Examples:
- Feeding the hungry - Comforting the
- Giving water to the sorrowful
thirsty - Prayer
- Providing shelter to - Educating the
the homeless ignorant
- Providing medicine
for the sick
 How is our principle still relevant today?
A lot of people are still suffering from having no food to eat, no
clothes to wear, and no shelter to protect them from rain or sunlight.
Which means that the call for reaching out and helping those that are
in need is still active up to this day.

Why should we care about this principle?

It allows us to work together in order to create a better environment
that we will all benefit to.
Thank You!!!