TRANSFORMED BY THE SPIRIT

The Spirit is ... the energy which transforms the heart of the ecclesial community, so that it becomes a witness before the world to the love of the Father, Who wishes to make humanity a single family in His Son. (19)

EXPRESSION OF LOVE

The entire activity of the Church is an expression of a love that seeks the integral good man: it seeks his evangelization through Word and Sacrament, ... and it seeks to promote man the various arenas of life and human activity. 19)

THE SERVICE OF CHARITY

Love is ... the service that the Church carries out in order to attend constantly to man's sufferings and his needs, including material needs. 19)

LOVE IS A RESPONSIBILITY

Love of neighbor, grounded in the love of God, is first and foremost a responsibility for each individual member of the faithful, but it is also a responsibility for the entire ecclesial community at every level ... (20)

CAN'T NEGLECT

The Church cannot neglect the service of charity any more than she can neglect the Sacraments and the Word. (22)

"GOD'S FAMILY"

The Church is God's family in the world. In this family no one ought to go without the necessities of life. (25)

"UNIVERSAL LOVE"

The parable of the Good Samiritan remains as a standard which imposes universal love towards the needy whom we encounter... (25)

"LOVE IS THE LIGHT"

Love is the light ... that can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working. Love is possible, and we are able to practice it because we are created in the image of God. (39)

(Source: Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, issued 12/25/05)