Collection aids world's need

BY PAT PASTERNAK
STAFF WRITER

On March 1-2, Catholics in the Albany Diocese will be asked to donate to Catholic Relief Services through a second collection at Masses.

CRS, the overseas aid agency of American Catholics, has a worldwide network that provides humanitarian relief and development assistance to the poor and marginalized.

In a pulpit letter read last weekend at Masses, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard invited Catholics to consider reaching out with love and generosity to those who suffer from poverty, conflict and marginalization around the world.

CRS "supports Catholic Church organizations that carry out international relief and solidarity efforts," the Bishop said. "This collection enables CRS to provide shelter, water and sanitation, food, and education to thousands, as well as essential services to refugee families and immigrants. It implements evangelization and pastoral care by assisting victims of natural disasters and emergencies worldwide."

Fleeing Guatemala

To raise awareness about hunger, relief and development, Lucrecia Oliva recently visited the Diocese.

She and her husband were forced to flee their homeland and migrate to the U.S. from Guatemala 18 years ago after receiving death threats from militia for their humane work with the marginalized during the internal Guatemalan conflict.

The couple settled in Chicago, assisted by a Catholic parish. She soon became involved in helping others who had fled oppression in Central America, and eventually helped form an organization to promote human rights and raise awareness about the violent situation in Guatemala.

Human trafficking

In 1998, after peace was established in her homeland, Mrs. Oliva returned. Since 2003, she has served as the CRS coordinator for migration, trafficking in human persons and human rights advocacy in Guatemala.

"I am sharing my own story with Americans, but also the stories of many that are current victims of human trafficking, a growing concern among Guatemalans," she said during her visit to Albany.

"Human trafficking is linked to migration because these refugees stream through our country on their way to Mexico and the U.S. Often, the victims are minors who have no idea that they have human rights. We are very interested in not only helping the victims and in prevention, but also in raising awareness of the plight of these innocent people."

In his letter to Catholics, Bishop Hubbard wrote: "In the story of the Last Judgment, Jesus reminds us to care for those in need. If we ignore those who are hungry, thirsty, ill, without clothes, or in prison, we turn away from Christ. When we act with compassion, generosity and commitment to justice for the 'least among us,' we act as true disciples."

(For more about CRS, visit www.catholicrelief.org.)

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