April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
EDITORIAL

Helping the poor up to us

One of the sad truths of difficult times is that we, when consumed with our own woes, do not always rush to help our neighbors. Hey, it's hard all around. And if you're distracted by a mortgage or utility bill you can't pay, the food you don't have, a job you lost or could lose, or your child's giant dentist bill, then reaching into your pocket or personal time to help others may seem out of the question.

During the current political season, many people are so busy yelling about health care or government or the cable bill or taxes or creeping socialism, fascism, secularism, theocracy - take your pick - that we neglect two facts.

One is that our neighbors need our help. One in five Americans lacked money to buy food last year, and 38 million currently receive food stamps. Catholic Charities, which is now pushing a major anti-poverty initiative, reports whopping increases in requests for help with rent or mortgages (79 percent), utilities (77 percent) and plain old cash to survive (53 percent).

The other fact is that it's our job. "Local problems will need local solutions," said Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, at a statewide meeting recently in Colonie.

That means you and me, bub.

At the session, one participant said people should take in a homeless person or offer their yard as a community garden to grow food.

In its effort, Catholic Charities wants us to cut the poverty rate by half by 2020. To do so, they want to concentrate on five areas: housing, health care, food and nutrition, job training and education, and economic stability. (At a later date, The Evangelist will take a look at each of those from a local, personal perspective.)

These areas coincide with the corporal works of mercy, enjoined on us by Christ. "Do we still aspire to those values?" asked Father Snyder. "Or, as a society, do we become complacent about creating a permanent underclass where millions are left behind?"

Are we becoming that society? Nationally, we don't always support the merciful and proper measure. "It's an embarrassment that in polls, Catholics oppose comprehensive immigration reform at a higher level than the general population," said Father Snyder. Ditto for many Ameri-cans when it comes to extending health coverage to those without. We can argue about those proposals, but not the fact that we all need to adjust our personal lives and priorities.

In a corridor under the state Capitol during the annual Public Policy Day, organized by the state Catholic Conference, one local woman wondered what was behind the economic troubles. After a long pause she said bluntly, "Greed; it's greed." We want and have more than we need while others do without.

Nationally, it is possible to make progress, even as we claw our way out of a recession. As Father Snyder noted, the U.S. halved the poverty rate from 22 percent to 11 percent in the period 1958-71. Personally, we remember whom we serve when we love our neighbor.

In a rousing homily at the lobbying day, Archbishop Timothy Dolan reminded us.

"The Son of God was born in a cave, so we are concerned about the homeless. The Son of God was arrested and imprisoned, so we are concerned about men and women in prison." And on he went, ever reminding us that no human trouble is foreign to us, and that each of our fellows - even the ones who smell bad and act funny - bears Christ within.

(03/18/10) [[In-content Ad]]

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