MANILA, Philippines — Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown has issued a pointed appeal to wealthy Catholics in the Philippines, urging them to use their resources not simply for personal comfort but to help people living in poverty and on the margins of society.
Brown, the Vatican’s representative to the Philippines, emphasized the Christian responsibility to recognize the dignity of the poor and translate faith into concrete acts of service.
The appeal comes as the Catholic Church continues to emphasize that evangelization cannot be separated from concern for people experiencing poverty, abandonment and other forms of social hardship.
According to the Manila Standard, Brown urged affluent Catholics to use their wealth to help the poor, framing generosity as part of the Christian vocation rather than merely an optional act of charity.
The message is consistent with Brown’s recent public statements about the Church’s mission.
Brown: The Church’s “True Treasure” Is Christ
In July, Brown told nearly 4,000 participants at the 12th Philippine Conference on the New Evangelization at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila that the Church’s true treasure is Jesus Christ.
Drawing from the Gospel parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, he said the Church’s mission is to reveal Christ while also recognizing the dignity of people whom society often overlooks.
Brown specifically identified the poor, people struggling with addiction and those who have been abandoned as people of profound worth in God’s eyes. He stressed that evangelization involves more than preaching—it must also result in concrete acts of charity.
That message provides important context to his latest appeal to wealthy Catholics: material resources, in the Christian understanding, should ultimately serve a greater purpose than personal accumulation.
A Call That Goes Beyond Giving Money
Brown’s appeal should not be understood simply as a call for donations.
Catholic social teaching has long connected faith with responsibility toward vulnerable communities. Helping the poor can involve financial assistance, but it can also mean creating opportunities, supporting communities, defending human dignity and addressing conditions that keep people trapped in poverty.
The Vatican envoy’s recent remarks similarly place the poor at the center of the Church’s missionary responsibility.
In his July address, Brown described marginalized people as “pearls of great price,” emphasizing that Christians should see their dignity rather than simply their circumstances.
This makes his latest message particularly significant in a country where the Catholic Church remains a major social institution and where poverty continues to affect millions of Filipinos.
Brown’s Broader Message to Philippine Catholics
Brown has repeatedly spoken about the need for Catholics to move from simply being churchgoers to becoming active witnesses of the faith.
In July, during celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Capiz and its 50th anniversary as an archdiocese, he also called on the Philippine Church to prioritize young people while maintaining its longstanding concern for the poor.
He warned that the future of the Church depends on what Catholics do today, particularly in passing on faith and becoming active evangelizers.
His recent statements therefore point to a consistent theme: Catholic faith must be lived, not merely professed.
Why the Message Matters
The appeal to wealthy Catholics carries a broader social question.
In a society where some families and businesses possess considerable resources while many others struggle to meet basic needs, the Church is asking whether wealth should be viewed primarily as private property—or also as a responsibility toward the wider community.
Brown’s message does not condemn wealth itself. Rather, it challenges Catholics who have been given greater material means to consider how those resources can serve people who have less.
The underlying principle is familiar within Catholic teaching: faith should produce tangible concern for one’s neighbor.
And for Brown, that concern cannot stop at words.
The challenge now is whether those with the greatest resources will turn the appeal into action—and whether their generosity can reach the people who need it most.
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