IEC 2016 calls for World War III against poverty

The delegate of Pope Francis to the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in the Philippines has called on Christians to wage a third world war against poverty by committing themselves to justice and devoting time to help the poor.  "The Eucharist calls for a third world war," Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon, Myanmar, told thousands of people gathered for the opening Mass of the international gathering in Cebu City in the central Philippines on Sunday.   The Jan 24-31 International Eucharistic Congress has as its theme, “‎ “Christ in You, Our Hope of Glory.”   

Cardinal Bo lamented that while dogs get sumptuous organic food, more children have no food on the table, while more weapons are produced, more than half a billion don't have enough food.   Myanmar’s first ever cardinal cited data from the United Nations Children's Fund saying some 20,000 people die of starvation and malnutrition everyday.  Cardinal Bo said described malnutrition and starvation as "mass genocide," adding that in an unequal and uncaring world, "the Eucharist calls us to justice" because the Eucharist and poverty are inseparable.  "The Eucharist is a beacon of human dignity for the poor," he said, adding "no other religion elevates the poor to this level," he said.

Cardinal Bo emphasized the need to proclaim the "Gospel of life" in the streets while warning against the dangers posed by abortion, death penalty, and euthanasia.   "Devotion,” he said, “is good but not enough." "Christ is calling us to be disciples to carry his cross," he said.  Real fasting, he said “is breaking the chains of injustice" by removing oppression, sharing food with the hungry, and sheltering the homeless.  (Source: UCAN)