Today, Thursday, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II held the annual meeting with the fourth group of social care priests, who are the dioceses and the pastoral sectors in the governorates of Cairo with a total of 14 pastoral sectors in addition to the Diocese of Maadi.

The SAIB Bank delegation made a presentation in which it explained some financial issues such as financial inclusion and real estate financing projects for low and middle-income people, and other topics to benefit the Social Care service from the facilities provided by banking services.

H.G Bishop Yolios, General Bishop of Coptic Cairo, Manial & Fom ElKhalig, and the Bishopric of Services, spoke about the efforts of the Bishopric of public and social services in the service of Social Care.

Fr. Bishoy Charles, Secretary of the Social Care Service, gave a presentation in which he talked about the “The King’s Girl” project, which is concerned with covering the needs of girls and their future marriage, as well as the “Educate your son” project, which takes care of small study groups for students to support their academic level. As well as the “Baraka Bag” project, noting that it takes care of thousands of families, as well as the educational expenses project for schools, especially during the pandemic.

In his speech, His Holiness addressed two verses and one father’s saying, whose content bears important principles in caring for the needy, namely:
First: “Blessed is he who sympathizes with the poor” (Psalm 40:1).
His Holiness pointed out that some people sometimes forget this meaning (sympathy for the poor) and said: We must not forget that “our Lord is covering all of us,” so we must cover our children in the field of service and meet their needs. We must not return the poor, and we thank God that we currently have many ecclesiastical bodies ready to serve and help these.” He asked: “Where does the needy go, especially in conditions of illness or epidemic…etc.”

Second: “The poor are with you at all times” (John 12:8):
What is meant by it is poverty in its broad sense, as there is poverty in knowledge, proper behavior, feelings, and management…etc. besides material poverty, and when the Lord Christ said this verse, he meant that we should be fully responsible for them, what is the most difficult need, my brothers. And do not forget Jesus was born into a poor family and in a poor place.

Third: “The poor are the guardians of the kingdom.” St. John Chrysostom:
Do not forget that the poor are the crossing to heaven.

His Holiness also spoke of three characteristics that a social welfare servant should possess:
1- Be a good shepherd: Take care of the large family that is the scope of your service, and be merciful, for man is weak by nature, and needs mercy. Every work you offer to humans will be like a crown in heaven for you, and it is good for you to return home at the end of the day happy that you were able to meet a human’s need.

2- Be a partner in success: and here I mean the social welfare service system within the scope of your service, be active in supporting it and a partner in its success, and the database is one of the most important tools for the success of this service.
His Holiness affirmed that the Social Care Committee in Cairo works with all seriousness, discipline, and concern for everyone and meets many needs under the leadership of H.G Bishop Maximus. As well as the social welfare Committee in Alexandria led by H.G Bishop Kyrelos. He pointed to the fact that organized work achieves better results, and indicated the miracle of crowd satisfaction in which Christ asked to organize the five thousand people into teams of fifty, fifty.

3- Be creative and thinking: that is, renew your thinking to increase the effectiveness of the service you provide to your children. There are simple and innovative ideas that are suitable for small projects that generate income on the one hand and meet the needs of the local community. Think and choose the appropriate ideas that benefit our children. With thinking and creativity, we serve our children.
And he concluded: “I remind you of the verse: “Do not withhold good from those who have it, when it is in your power to do it” (Proverbs 3:27).
The meeting was attended by the pontiffs of the Church, H.G Bishop Daniel, Bishop of Maadi, Basatin & Dar Elsalam, Secretary of the Holy Synod, and the Bishops of the General Supervising the pastoral sectors in Cairo.

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