Priest urges faithful: See reality from poor’s eyes before prejudging them

Before they prejudge the poor for their situation, those who have more in life should spend some tmie with the poor and see reality from their viewpoint.

This was the advice of Fr. Pete Montallana, who chairs the Save Sierra Madre Network, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said.

"The first moment toward change is to see reality from the perspective of the poor, otherwise, we will be hooked up with our own hidden agenda. We should no longer pre-judge the poor with arguments that simply blame them for their situation," Montallana said, according to an article posted on the CBCP news site.

He added those who have more in life should experience being with the poor, and listen to them narrate what happened to them.

This could be a "privileged moment to discover the wounded hands and feet of the Risen Lord among the poor," he said.

"Such painful realities can become the source of courage to leave one’s comfort zone and embrace the dirty poor as truly kapatid,” he said.

“Solidarity among the farmers, the workers, the urban poor, the indigenous people, and networking with the civil society, especially with the democratized social media will create the groundswell needed to change,” he added.

Montallana lamented what he called unjust structures entrenched in the government. He said no substantial change is likely if Filipinos do not learn to rely on another.

The priest particularly reminded the faithful to act and respond with mercy and compassion - the theme of Pope Francis' recent visit to the Philippines.

He said this means "not to dole out crumbs but reform unjust structures.”

Also, he called for a “compassionate presence” with informal settlers within one’s parish, which can help lessen the suffering of the urban poor. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News