For most of us, birthdays are the best times to spend plenty of money for ourselves, or to party with friends, family and other people we love.
For Cardinal Orani Tempesta of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, however, his 66th birthday served as an opportunity to reach out to a group of people often ignored by others: the homeless.
Setting an example on how to follow Jesus Christ's teachings to help the needy, the Roman Catholic official went to an area in downtown Rio de Janeiro before midnight on June 22 to spend some time with and give gifts to residents without shelter.
"The cardinal offered gifts, blankets, milk and coffee, and listened to their stories," a news brief released by the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro stated, as quoted by the Catholic News Agency.
The news brief added that after his birthday celebration with the homeless, the cardinal was able "to learn up close about the reality of those who live and sleep on the streets."
The cardinal's exemplary efforts to interact with and provide assistance to homeless residents - a concrete reflection of the corporal work of mercy: shelter the homeless - came at a time when the Roman Catholic Church is observing the Holy Year of Mercy.
In March last year, Pope Francis declared 2016 as the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, calling on the Catholic faithful to reflect on God's forgiveness and compassion.
Cardinal Tempesta was born in a different town in Brazil, São José de Río Pardo in the state of São Paulo, on June 23, 1950.
The Brazilian prelate made his final profession in the Cistercian Order in February 1969, and was ordained a priest more than five years after on December 7, 1974.
In 1997, Tempesta was ordained bishop for the Diocese of Rio Preto. He subsequently served as Archbishop of Belém do Pará before becoming Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro in April 2009.
