We should be highly grateful to the Lord for appointing Pope Francis, a Church leader who thinks, acts and talks in a contemporary practical manner for the benefit of all humanity – but with a particular emphasis on the needs of the poor and the downtrodden.

Pope Francis in his illuminating homilies never tires to mention the need for the clergy and the better off members of society to go out on the streets to seek and attend to the poor and those in need of help.

It is also highly interesting to note and observe the Pope’s appeal to the clergy to deliver more interesting and instructive homilies.

It is the duty of every government to improve the lot of the needy and to bridge the wide chasm separating the haves and the have-nots in certain sectors of society.

This in itself is not just a desirable Christian act of charity but also a basic meaningful social obligation the nation owes those who are less fortunate than us.