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INTENTION : |
That volunteers may give themselves generously to the service of the needy.
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Unpaid work qualifies as voluntary when it benefits others rather than the workers themselves. Even though a lot of unpaid work exists, these jobs are not necessarily all voluntary activities.
The phenomenon of volunteerism is very different. It is uncertain how many people do voluntary work in the world although it is estimated there could be around 140 million people involved. Volunteers perform various tasks for others free of charge. They are normal, ordinary people living in our midst, with distinct responsibilities and different ages and levels of education. Different countries have various levels of volunteerism due to cultural reasons.
Volunteers participate through Non-Governmental Organisations, youth groups or clubs and other forms of associations. Each of these institutions, in turn, have different objectives, working with the disabled, or with children, with socially at-risk youths and with the sick or the elderly. Some work in hospitals, some in schools, and others work with migrants or in support of children or prisoners.
In general, voluntary workers support various social groups needing assistance. Volunteers will also flock to help in exceptional situations, such as natural disasters or large charity campaigns.
Volunteers converge where there is need, and where the everyday structures of society are not sufficient. They cover informal areas which are enriched by their presence. Their presence, although it may be subtle, unpublicised and unrecognised, is fundamental to the daily smile of many human beings.
This month the Holy Father invites us to pray for all these people, so they may serve others with generosity, and why not, perhaps I can include a prayer so that I too may carry out some kind of volunteerism to benefit my brothers and sisters.
Fr Juan Cristobal Beytia, SJ
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