Working for free

The Year of Mercy finds a surgeon and a retired official giving a hand.

Carolyn Moynihan | Apr 20 2016 | comment

Doing good without expecting anything in return. This is what the Father did with us and we must do the same. Do good and carry on! (Pope Francis, Audience, 15 September 2014).

Following up on Pope Francis’ announcement of the Year of Mercy, some people are actually doing something about it.

In the video above – the first of a series called Just Start: Ways to Help People – a Brazilian plastic surgeon works for free to enable a severely burned young girl to resume normal life. He says the physician is a “point of contact with love” for a suffering person.

And a former municipal employee in Germany helps young immigrant men to get their paperwork in order and land good jobs.

Both are among a variety of people around the world inspired by the recently-beatified Prelate of Opus Dei, Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, who encouraged many such initiatives.

Just two examples of what is surely a lot of hidden “works of mercy” happening every day

- See more at: http://www.mercatornet.com/above/view/working-for-free/17940#sthash.ctURGyBL.dpuf

Last week we invited readers to nominate their favourite books about heroes and heroines of conscience, using a Google form that makes it simple to do. From the responses we have chosen ten, which we have published today. Thanks to those who contributed. If your choice didn't make the cut it will have given us ideas for future lists. Send us your ideas anyway.

Sheila Liaugminas is dismayed at the mere lip-service being paid to the issue of genocide against Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East. It seems that even in the refugee camps they are discriminated against, so many remain outside them, exisitng in great insecurity.

By contrast there are many individuals working generously to help their needy neighbours, as Pope Francis is urging us to do, and as you can see in the inspiring video, Work for free.