Poor church and for the poor Program of ecclesial reform in the globalization of indifference

Abstract

At the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis expressed his desire for a «poor Church and for the poor». This article addresses some of the implications of this phrase. The text is divided into three parts. In the first part, the expression «Poor Church» is analyzed, understanding that pope makes an invitation to advance in reforms that seeks to give a poor face to the ecclesial community, thus avoiding the worldliness. The second part deals with the other term of the phrase, that is, “for the poor” and emphasizes that Francis is giving priority to the poor, and also to the poor peoples and their cultures. Finally, in the third part a re-reading of the phrase becomes «poor church and the poor», noting that it refers to a means, being «poor church», and to an end, being «for the poor», still more, Church of the poor and with them. Thus, the medium arises when one has in mind what the purpose is. Hence the need to re-launch the reform of the Church to avoid self-referentiality inside it, which, in the context of the “globalization of indifference”, must do its best to serve the poor and the poorest people, accord- ing to a preferred option that is christologically based.