As pope warns of ‘pandemic of loneliness,’ Caritas Lithuania offers a Catholic answer

When Pope Leo XIV warned in both May and June about the growing loneliness and abandonment experienced by the elderly, he highlighted a challenge confronting much of the modern world. In Lithuania, the Catholic Church has already been responding to this problem.One year ago, Caritas Lithuania launched “Caritas Listens,” a free emotional support hotline aimed at combating loneliness among older adults. Staffed by trained volunteers, the helpline offers a compassionate listening ear, a need many callers say they lack.While the…