Poverty, and Homelessness which is not lifestyle choice.
Poverty is a Trauma. The poet and priest John Donne famously wrote: “No man is an island, Entire of itself, Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main.” For the homeless, refugees, and the displaced, their poverty forces them to the edges of society, marginalised and oppressed. The poor, who know powerlessness, are often dismissed. Franciscan spirituality and other Faiths say that we need to come to know and alleviate poverty, sharing gifts and needs, and through this way encountering a Mystery.
A Headmaster said in an Address to the York Minster School in York Minster, “The privileged have responsibilities and need integrity”. “We overthink and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness.” Charlie Chaplin. I was asked by a York clergyman if I could assist the poor through my art. Through Lucy Moore’s (Woolworths) kindness I have already been able to donate to various York Charities who support the most vulnerable.
Sue McMullen 