WAR EFFECTS: Catholic organizations see impact on issues

"I'm frustrated, because I can't even articulate the effects of a lack of a supplemental [state] budget," she told The Evangelist.

Sister Maureen is executive director of diocesan Catholic Charities, one of the largest sources of aid for the needy in upstate New York. Catholic Charities serves the poor, children, battered women, minorities, persons with disabilities, the elderly, those recovering from addictions or struggling with mental illness, people with HIV and AIDS, pregnant mothers, and teenagers.

Scraping bottom

"When the state passed the bare-bones budget, it was designed to be insufficient," explained Dennis Poust, associate communications director for the New York State Catholic Conference, which advocates for the state's bishops on public policy matters. "Then Sept. 11 happened. Now they're telling us we have to live with this budget. But there are numerous organizations, including Catholic organizations, that do not have adequate funding this year."

For example, Sister Maureen is worried about the coming winter, and whether Catholic Charities will be able to help low-income families heat their homes. She worries about whether Community Maternity Services, a Catholic Charities agency, will get any state grants at all to find care for children whose parents are HIV-positive.

Falling short

"It's completely inadequate," said Mr. Poust. "That's a big problem for our schools."

Also underfunded is the Maternity and Early Childcare Foundation (MECF), a state-funded foundation that provides grants to organizations -- including Catholic agencies -- that help pregnant women. Last year, said Mr. Poust, MECF received $1.9 million in funding; at a time when more funds are needed, the bare-bones budget only provides $1.3 million. As a result, some agencies will probably have to cut staff and services as their funds are exhausted.

Missing issues

The laws demand the harshest sentences in the U.S. for drug offenders, most of whom have never committed a felony. Bishop Howard J. Hubbard has been among the most vocal proponents of reform, saying that "treatment is significantly more effective than mandatory, long-term sentencing."

But since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks pulled lawmakers' attention away from the issue, Mr. Poust believes the chance for reform may be gone.

"It would be tragic if nothing happens this year," he stated. "We had an opportunity to right some wrongs. It would be sad if that passed us by."

At risk

Until Sept. 11, he said, the Conference's efforts were paying off: Gov. Pataki proposed a three-year cost-of-living increase for mental health workers. But the Senate and Assembly couldn't agree on how to finance the increase, and the issue was lost.

Without a budget to work from, Sister Maureen told The Evangelist that her office can't even set its agenda of public policy issues to advocate for in the coming year.

The Catholic Church, she said, should advocate for those who don't have a voice -- for example, the homeless. But the current budget has left Catholic Charities confused about who will be most in need of aid. If state lawmakers meet again before the end of this legislative session, Sister Maureen said, being informed about their agenda is "the least we as citizens of New York State should expect."

Donations

While Sister Maureen said there's no evidence yet of a decrease in donations to Catholic Charities, she said that it is a major concern.

"We've seen a real shift in people's minds as to what's important to them," she noted. Whether this causes people to become more frugal or more charitable toward the needy, she said, remains to be seen.

The director remarked that it's difficult to remind people of other needs when they're being generous to the World Trade Center victims' families. "For people who can only give once, I don't want to discourage them from giving to people in New York City," she said.

Choices ahead

"People are afraid for their lives," she stated. "There could be an overreaction."

Mr. Poust said it's important not to forget those who were in need before the tragedy of Sept. 11.

"Many privately-funded Catholic charitable organizations expect a severe drop-off in donations, which could cause programs and personnel to be cut," he stated. "There is the real possibility of World Trade Center charities siphoning gifts from charities, religious orders et cetera who depend on donations for their very survival."

(10-25-01) [[In-content Ad]]