If you read the Pope's Encyclicals, it's clear he doesn't believe people can be saved without faith, but rather that good works prepare the way for one to receive faith, as we see in the case of Cornelius in Scripture. Also, after faith, good works nourish, nurture and increase indwelling grace. Thereby, the meritorious and satisfactory value of all one's prayer and actions, as well as their impetratory effects, are also increased. The Apostle says, "the continual prayer of a just man availeth much." (Jam 5:16). To be just therefore in the sight of God is necessary for one's prayers to be efficacious.
Contrary to what some people claim, The Holy Father is very much like his saintly namesake in all that regards love and compassion for people generally; he has shown time and time again that love for the poor and concern for the suffering is inseparable from a practical Christian life. and the true, interior and deeply lived practice of the physical works of mercy cannot be neglected by all who sincerely desire to grow in grace and merit every day. To reiterate what I wrote elsewhere, Monks like St. Francis of Assisi took care of people no one else would take care of, as did St. Vincent De Paul. Government is not necessarily an impediment. Priests as well in my opinion should be formed also by the physical works of mercy, because without love and sacrifice, even Divine Office and Holy Mass will not be as powerful in their effects as they otherwise would. Jesus lays so much emphasis on seeing His face in the poor and the sick, in the oppressed and the downtrodden, saying Mat 25:35 "For I was hungry, and you gave Me to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave Me to drink: I was a stranger, and you took Me in: 36 Naked, and you covered Me: sick, and you visited Me: I was in prison, and you came to Me." We could say not only do unto others as you would have them do unto you, but based on this text, do unto your neighbor as you would do unto God. I.e. see the face of Christ in all, especially the suffering, because He is there. That's what St. Francis lived and what Catholics, especially those with vocations, need to rediscover and deeply live again imo. All Christians imho should try to practice the physical and spiritual works of mercy as often as God gives us opportunity in our day to day lives.
The 7 works of mercy are based on that passage in St. Matthew, "The works include:
1. To feed the hungry.
2. To give water to the thirsty.
3. To clothe the naked.
4. To shelter the homeless.
5. To visit the sick.
6. To visit the imprisoned, or ransom the captive
7. To bury the dead.
The last from Tobith, whose father is praised by St. Raphael for so doing; because he got up from his dinner to do so, he merited to receive special favors from God, and St. Raphael was sent from God to aid him and his son.
There were many Christian Knights dedicated to the relief of the sick and the ransom of captives. They took vows like, "to become a slave in the hands of the Islamists, if it is necessary to deliver the faithful of Jesus Christ". Priests like St. Vincent De Paul did by their own efforts and the societies and orders they inspired more for the relief of suffering humanity than whole nations have done.
