We were recently blessed with the opportunity to sit with Archbishop Charles Thompson of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, who joined our board earlier this year. Here is a snippet of our conversation about serving the poor.
Cross Catholic Outreach: In this Jubilee Year of Hope, how can followers of Christ see the poor as not just objects of charity but protagonists of hope, and how can we model hope in our lives?
Archbishop Thompson: It’s not just serving the poor. It’s including them at the table in the discussion and the dialogue and making sure we’re learning from them and listening to them. [When they have a voice], they can be their own protagonists of hope. Jesus chose to be one with the poor, and he was poor himself. Where do we find hope? We find hope in the poor and where Jesus chooses to be.
Cross Catholic Outreach: Our Box of Joy ministry, which benefits children in the developing world, celebrated 10 years of spreading God’s love to children in poverty. What would you say to both parents and pastors about the special teaching opportunity that Box of Joy provides to do something for children in poverty?
Archbishop Thompson: Box of Joy is a wonderful way to connect how our faith can be lived out in service to others. It connects us in a beautiful way. It’s a reminder to us that the poor don’t just need sustenance. They need joy too. Pope Francis often reminded us about “the joy of the gospel.” Children in poverty need that joy!
Watch the full 30-minute interview with Archbishop Thompson at CrossCatholic.org/interviews.
