Priest comes to Albany Diocese to promote efforts to aid poor

"Jesus taught us that we can't turn our backs on those whose need is greatest. A commitment to justice and peace is a necessary condition for celebration of this Jubilee year."

With those words, Rev. Robert Vitillo, national executive director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) based in Washington, D.C., encouraged priests of the Albany Diocese to promote the annual CCHD collection, to be taken up in parishes Nov. 18-19.

Father Vitillo made his remarks when he met recently with Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, representatives of diocesan Catholic Charities and clergy at the Schuyler Inn in Menands.

Self-help

Father Vitillo, a priest of the Diocese of Patterson, N.J., said that "$2,656,000 has been donated by the people of the Albany Diocese since 1970 when the campaign began. This is something to be very proud of. We anticipate, however, that requests for funds from the 2000 collection will again outpace the available monies by at least 100 percent. The need is so great."

Now in its 30th year, CCHD was established by the U.S. Catholic bishops to fight the root causes of poverty as a means of reinforcing both Scripture and the Church's social teaching.

Goals

CCHD's mandates are two: to raise funds to support organized groups of poor and low-income people in developing economic strength and influence in the community; and to promote awareness among Catholics of the social and economic problems that exist in the U.S.

CCHD projects create jobs, encourage self-sufficiency, ensure decent wages, provide affordable housing, improve schools, fight crime and organize for change. According to Father Vitillo, however, the most important thing that CCHD does is to help the poor help themselves.

"CCHD provides funding for community based, self-help groups that foster welfare-to-work initiatives, immigrant empowerment programs, religion/labor coalitions and criminal justice action," he said. "Because these groups are locally initiated and controlled by the same poor and low-income people they serve, the projects engender real change and give the participants skills to build a better future."

Father Vitillo cited the fact that in 1998, nearly 13 percent of the U.S. population (about 34.5 million people) was living at the poverty level. This group includes farm families, immigrants, the working poor, undereducated adults, the disabled poor and children of all ages.

Local assistance

Two local agencies have been chosen to receive grant monies this year through the sponsorship of Catholic Charities:

* The New York State Tenant and Neighborhood Information Service plans to use its grant to consolidate efforts in organizing public housing for residents of low-income neighborhoods in the Capital District. They center attention on such issues as quality housing, security, crime and neighborhood quality-of-life. Efforts are also being made to increase pressure on local, county and state policy-makers who decide the future of federally assisted and public housing recipients.

* ARISE is a regional, interfaith, congregation-centered organization that includes Albany, Schenectady and Troy churches. The 30-congregation group acts as an organizing effort for people to become part of the economic and political decisions that affect their lives. This is done through lobbying and community awareness.

Changes made

Bishop Hubbard, a member of the national CCHD committee for 21 years, has seen the campaign change as the need for funding has grown over the years.

"I've had the opportunity to see this campaign take on new manifestations," he said. "Initially, it began as a way to fund projects. Then it grew into educational opportunities and finally into economic development that now provides ways to empower the poor. But the main thrust of this campaign is the community-based organizations that, together, bring about structural change for long-term benefits within that community. It is unique."

In addressing the pastors who will be presenting information to their parishes on the campaign, scheduled for the weekend before Thanksgiving, Father Vitillo said, "Your promotion is essential. I ask you to get up and tell your parishioners it's a good thing that they will do. One-fourth of what is donated by parishes will be returned to the Diocese in funding for use by local agencies."

(11-16-00)