Love of the poor at the root of church teaching, Cardinal Orlando Quevedo tells eucharistic congress.

Manila: (UCAN) – Manila: 

A Filipino cardinal who is known to advocate for social justice issues told Catholics attending the International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu to "practice what you preach" and to love the poor.
"Our faith is focused on externals and rituals, processions and private devotions," Cardinal Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato told some 12,000 congress delegates, comprised of priests, religious, and lay church leaders.
He reminded delegates that the Eucharist is "the deepest kind of union" that shares in the mission of Jesus "to the poor, the oppressed and marginalized, to all who are needy and in need of love and service.
"What does the Holy Eucharist really mean? How should we participate? What does it tell us about how we should live?" said Cardinal Quevedo.
The prelate said "living eucharistically" means addressing the issues confronting the poor and the oppressed.
"We cannot be indifferent to them," the cardinal said.
A missionary who has been living in the Philippines for 21 years, meanwhile, said financially poor people seem to be more excited to receive Christ than the rest.
"Jesus is alive in the peripheries where no one wants to go," said Argentine Father Luciano Ariel Felloni, who lives in a slum on top of a huge open dump outside Manila.
The priest admitted that he used to look down on what he called as "superficial sacramentalism" of many Filipinos.
"In 21 years the poor have taught me to eat my words," he said. "I realize this is what Pope Francis calls spirituality of the people," said Father Felloni.
He said many times the poor, not the priests, make the presence of the church felt. "Many times, even we have no courage to live among them," Father Felloni said.
Discussions at the weeklong International Eucharistic Congress, which entered its fourth day on Jan. 27, focused mainly on how the Eucharist relates with realities confronting Catholics in the modern world.

A Filipino cardinal who is known to advocate for social justice issues told Catholics attending the International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu to "practice what you preach" and to love the poor.
"Our faith is focused on externals and rituals, processions and private devotions," Cardinal Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato told some 12,000 congress delegates, comprised of priests, religious, and lay church leaders.
He reminded delegates that the Eucharist is "the deepest kind of union" that shares in the mission of Jesus "to the poor, the oppressed and marginalized, to all who are needy and in need of love and service.
"What does the Holy Eucharist really mean? How should we participate? What does it tell us about how we should live?" said Cardinal Quevedo.
The prelate said "living eucharistically" means addressing the issues confronting the poor and the oppressed.
"We cannot be indifferent to them," the cardinal said.
A missionary who has been living in the Philippines for 21 years, meanwhile, said financially poor people seem to be more excited to receive Christ than the rest.
"Jesus is alive in the peripheries where no one wants to go," said Argentine Father Luciano Ariel Felloni, who lives in a slum on top of a huge open dump outside Manila.
The priest admitted that he used to look down on what he called as "superficial sacramentalism" of many Filipinos.
"In 21 years the poor have taught me to eat my words," he said. "I realize this is what Pope Francis calls spirituality of the people," said Father Felloni.
He said many times the poor, not the priests, make the presence of the church felt. "Many times, even we have no courage to live among them," Father Felloni said.
Discussions at the weeklong International Eucharistic Congress, which entered its fourth day on Jan. 27, focused mainly on how the Eucharist relates with realities confronting Catholics in the modern world.