Catholic organizations aid Philippine victims following typhoon
Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Catholic charitable organizations are stepping up to help victims in the Philippines after the worst flood in decades hit in late September. “Many of the people who have lost everything are sleeping in schools right now,” said Luc Picard, Catholic Relief Services’ country representative in Manila, Philippines. “They’re calling this the Katrina of the Philippines.” Picard told Catholic News Service in a telephone interview this week that rescuers were still searching for survivors from the flooding and mudslides. The flooding followed Typhoon Ketsana, or Ondoy, as it was referred to in the Philippines. Picard told CNS that after the storm more than 100,000 families were sheltered in temporary housing, elementary schools and churches. While some families will be able to go back home soon, others have lost everything, he said. In a statement, CRS said it was providing immediate food aid, blankets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats and soap, among other basic necessities. “With CRS’ initial funding, we’re helping 5,000 families through Caritas. All the food and other items being distributed are getting to people via CATHOLICS AID, page 10
(CNS PHOTO/REUTERS)
By Sheila Archambault
Residents use a boat to transport a motorcycle and pedicab through floodwaters in a town south of Manila, Philippines, Sept. 28. The Philippines appealed for international aid to help tens of thousands of people marooned by floods associated with Typhoon Ketsana.
Leaders of Catholic Charities seek ways to cut poverty in half by 2020 By Catholic News Service PORTLAND, Ore. – Following news in mid-September that U.S. agencies of Catholic Charities served 10 percent more people in 2008 than in the previous year, leaders from the Catholic Church’s main network for domestic social services gathered in Portland Sept. 24-26 to devise ways to cut U.S. poverty in half by 2020. The Catholic Charities USA convention called for unprecedented cooperation among anti-poverty groups, businesses and government to address the issue, plus a plan to persuade and inspire the public about it via digital media. It’s a major step for the more than 170 diocesan and other Catholic social service agencies that make up the umbrella organization and deliver day-to-day services while also working for systemic change. “We must think and act anew,” said Father Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, which is based in Alexandria, Va. Urging resolve, he reminded agency leaders that it took President Franklin D. Roosevelt four or five years to get New Deal policies in place during the Great Depression. Catholic Charities has faced an unprec-
CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA saw a 10 percent increase in need for assistance overall in 2008, with the highest increase coming from recession-related housing needs. PEOPLE ASSISTED
PERCENTAGE CHANGE
2007
2008
food
6,533,000
6,288,000
3.8
strong communities
3,482,000
3,646,000
4.7
basic services
1,569,000
1,742,000
11.0
strengthening families
1,156,000
1,071,000
7.3
housing
533,000
599,000
12.4
Source: Catholic Charities USA
edented workload during the nation’s economic crisis. Americans are still losing jobs, creating new and large categories of people coping with hard times. “You are trying to do more with less,” Father Snyder told the social workers gathered Sept. 24 in a Hilton Hotel ballroom in downtown Portland. “We are living in a 1930s-type era.” By federal counts, 40 million Americans live in poverty and 15 million are unemployed. Last year, Catholic
©2009 CNS
Charities agencies in the U.S. served 8.5 million people. “Unlike McDonald’s, our goal is not to increase the number of people served,” Father Snyder said. Yet Catholic Charities sees this economy as an opportunity, as the priest put it, to “build a better nation that leaves fewer behind.” And the Catholic Church is right to help with the job, said Father Snyder, noting that two priests who helped found
the movement in 1910 later played a role in developing Social Security. Catholic Charities workers seemed fueled by the goal to reduce poverty, but unsure just how to proceed yet. “Everyone wants to do it,” said Deacon Brian Escobedo from Catholic Charities in Albuquerque, N.M. “It’s not a matter of whether, but how you are going to do it. We won’t back off.” CNN contributor and presidential adviser David Gergen challenged the charity agency executives to be leaders in this time for change. He called for socially innovative ways to tackle poverty and other vexing issues. “If you want to go first, then go alone,” he said. “If you want to go far, then go together.” One member of a panel looking at strategies for reducing poverty noted that more activity, or even more money was not the answer – stressing a need for more collaboration. The panel noted that Oregon alone has 15,000 nonprofit groups addressing poverty, while in Washington state, there are 24,000. Kevin Walker, who runs a Minnesota foundation that aims to reduce poverty in eight states, said the general public CUT POVERTY, page 9
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION News in brief. . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 CCHD funding pulled . . . . . 8 Natural family planning . 11-13 Journal and commentary .14-15 Year for Priests . . . . . . . . . . 17
Immigration reform ~ Page 3 ~ October 2, 2009
Notre Dame de Namur ~ Page 8 ~
Books and film . . . . . . . . . . 20
Pope visits Czechs ~ Page 18 ~ ONE DOLLAR
Service Directory . . . . . . . . 22
www.catholic-sf.org VOLUME 11
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