The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Campaign for Human Development, and Catholic Charities U.S.A. to work together to alleviate poverty in the US.ST. LOUIS – Oct. 29, 2004 — In response to urgings of Pope John Paul II for greater cooperation among Catholic organizations engaged in social justice and charitable ministry, to assist both the leadership and faithful of the Catholic Church to more actively fulfill its social mission, the executive leadership of Catholic Charities U.S.A., the Campaign for Human Development, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul have joined together in a groundbreaking step towards fulfillment of this mandate in the United States.
Thomas DeStefano, executive director of Catholic Charities U.S.A. said, “One of the underlying values of the Gospel is unity. Collaboration between Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Saint Vincent de Paul and Catholic Charities U.S.A. is an opportunity to witness that unity in how we embrace our ministries.”
Father Robert Vitillo, executive director of Catholic Campaign for Human Development stated, “For thirty-five years, the Catholic Champaign for Human Development has enjoyed strong partnerships with community-based, self-help organizations, initiated and led by poor and low-income people who are engaged in the struggle against poverty in the United States. The Campaign is grateful now to enjoy a renewed and intensified collaboration with these two sister Catholic organizations serving and advocating on behalf of poor and low-income people. Let us hope that our work together will be successful in eliminating poverty in this, the richest of nations.”
Roger Playwin, executive director for the National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul said, “This is a unique opportunity for three individually very effective national organizations to collaborate by bringing the respective skills, talents and resources together to impact, in a positive way, the major justice issues and causes of poverty.”
All three organizations advocate the words of Pope John Paul II: “Charity must lead to efforts to remedy justice. Charity and justice go together. No society can accept indigence as if it were simply a fatality without damaging its honor.”
In fidelity to their mission and strategic plans, and in the tradition of St. Vincent de Paul, the proclaimed universal Patron of Charity, Catholic Charities USA, the Campaign for Human Development, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul endorse the inseparable twinning of charity and justice and the practice of both virtues with and for suffering humanity.
Catholic Charities U.S.A., the Campaign for Human Development, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul believe that this is the opportune time in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States that divine providence has ordained for the three national organizations to join in solidarity for the better service of suffering brothers and sisters in this country.
The leaders invite others to join them in collaboration in the fight against poverty and its causes.
For more information about the dimensions and impact of poverty in the United States, consult www.povertyusa.org. Poverty in America Awareness Month is observed during the month of January each year; the leaders asks that others join with the organizations sponsoring this press release to struggle against poverty and to propose creative and effective solutions to break the
cycle of poverty.
CONTACT:
Victoria Berger
Society of St. Vincent de Paul National Council
58 Progress Parkway
St. Louis, MO 63043-3706
PHONE. 314-576-6755 ext213
FAX. 314-576-6755
EMAIL: vberger@svdpusa.org
