Caritas Poland and partners: support for the elderly is the heart of the Lent 2021 initiative

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Helping the elderly affected by the pandemic and promoting personal development in the spirit of love for neighbor: these are the two most important objectives of Caritas Poland’s “Time of Mercy” initiative for Lent 2021, which begins on February 17.

For 15 years Caritas Poland together with partners of other Christian churches such as Eleos of the Orthodox Church, Diaconia of the Evangelical-Augusta Church and Evangelical Reformed Church, has been organizing similar initiatives on the occasion of Lent.

The fundraising campaign this year is dedicated to the elderly, a social group that has suffered particularly during the epidemic. From Ash Wednesday (February 17) to Mercy Sunday (April 11) –  founds in about 350.000 paper piggy banks will be raised in many schools and parishes.

The main objective is to draw public attention to the situation of the elderly and the suffering during the pandemic, to support them financially through the donations collected, but also to develop a certain social sensitivity towards those who are in need and who are often right next to us. “The initiative also has a spiritual dimension – almsgiving as a sign of mercy” – said Father Marcin Iżycki, director of Caritas Poland.

Every Sunday of Lent Caritas Poland will publish on its social channels volunteering proposals, to help people in difficulty or lonely so that they are not limited, in the best of cases, to only donating money.

This year’s action was called “Time of Mercy” to remind us that Lent and the Week of Mercy that follows are a special time of the year of sharing for all Christians.

The virus has separated us from our neighbors but it hasn’t stopped Christian love. “Love is the most perfect vaccine” – said Father Doroteusz Sawicki, director of Eleos of the Orthodox Church.

“Mercy is a gift of the heart” – said Wanda Falk, director of Diakonia of the evangelical-august church.