Pope: Don’t judge the poor, often victims of injustice

By FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is decrying society which “hurries past” the poor, judges them and leaves them to their fate. The pontiff on Sunday made the appeal against what he called “growing indifference” to the indigent as he celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica attended by some 2,000 poor people and charity workers who assist them. Saying many people are forced into poverty by injustice, Francis added that they shouldn’t be judged, but rather shown concern and tenderness. Francis has used his papacy since 2013 to draw attention to those living on society’s margins. The Catholic Church dedicated the day to the world’s poor.