Pope Francis Center For The Poor Calls For Donations

The Pope Francis Center for the Poor has launched the Supporters Association Membership in order to generate fund for its daily operations.

Each member who will register will be asked to donate USD 1 every month. According to Palo Archbishop John Du, this is a small amount, but can change lives of those who are living in the center.

“With that amount, they are doing all the works for us. They are the ones who take care of the elderly and the abandon children,” Du said.

The donations will also finance the construction of a clinic with dialysis machine for poor patients.

The center is targeting to keep under their care 150 less privileged disaster victims, which consists of 50 elderly male, 50 elderly female and 50 orphaned children.

The Pontifical Council Cor Unum funded the construction of the Php68-million facility. This was pushed through after Cardinal Robert Sarah visited the Archdiocese of Palo as part of preparations for Pope Francis’ visit.

The Pontifical Council Cor Unum for Human and Christian Development is a dicastery of the Roman Vuria of the Catholic Church. It was established by Pope Paul VI in July 1971 and is based in Rome.

The facility, located inside the compound of Archbishop Palace, was among the places toured by Pope Francis in his visit to Leyte on Jan. 17, 2015.

The center is under the supervision and management of Korean priest Philip Park and Korean nuns with help from Filipino volunteers and missionaries.

Currently, the center has 14 occupants, consists of an elderly male, a child and 12 elderly women who were assessed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. (PNA) SCS/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR