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CHARITIES-SNYDER Feb-27-2006 (900 words) With photos. xxxn
Despite difficult year, Catholic Charities chief sees signs of hope
By Nancy Frazier O'Brien
Catholic News Service
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CNS) -- It hasn't been an easy first year for Father Larry Snyder as president of Catholic Charities USA.
There have been battles over immigration reform and the federal budget, struggles to keep the needs of the poor and vulnerable in the public eye, and, looming over everything for the past six months, the tragic effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Gulf Coast region and the massive reconstruction effort now under way.
But through it all, the priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has found signs of hope, gratitude for the world's generosity and a renewed appreciation for the tens of thousands of Catholic Charities staff members and volunteers around the country who have stepped up to the new challenges.
"They say that a tragedy tests the moral fiber, and Katrina and Rita tested the moral fiber of this country," Father Snyder said. "But it also tested the church and the Catholic Charities network, and we came out of it looking pretty good."
The priest, who has headed Catholic Charities USA since Feb. 1, 2005, spoke to Catholic News Service at the organization's headquarters in Alexandria Feb. 23, the day the Bush administration released its report on "lessons learned" from the federal response to Hurricane Katrina and the flooding that followed.
Father Snyder said he was pleased that the report included several recommendations made by Catholic Charities -- that the government ensure better lines of communications after a disaster, for example, and that there be "bureaucratic accommodation" to allow for quick response to human needs in an emergency situation without too much government red tape.
He cited the case of New Orleans' Second Harvest agency, which operates under the Catholic Charities umbrella there and had "warehouses full of food" that had been given by the government for seniors. After Katrina hit, the agency petitioned the government to distribute the food to hurricane victims, but got no response.
Eventually the agency decided to distribute the food that was so desperately needed, Father Snyder said. "After the food was all gone, the permission from the government finally came through," he said.
Since the hurricanes hit last August and September, Catholic Charities has assisted more than 300,000 victims of Katrina and Rita -- including 87,000 children and 10,000 seniors. More than $69 million has been allocated to 76 local Catholic Charities agencies and other Catholic organizations helping families and individuals affected by the hurricanes.
In all, Catholic Charities raised a record $154 million to assist in hurricane recovery efforts, including substantial donations from Catholic charitable organizations worldwide, including Korea, Canada and Germany.
The hurricanes taught the nation one lesson that Father Snyder and local Catholic Charities workers have always known -- the poor are the hardest hit when disasters strike.
In New Orleans, 30 percent of the poor didn't have cars to leave the city, the priest noted. Although there was an emergency evacuation plan in place, "many pieces fell apart," he added. Even though buses were available to evacuate the poor, for example, many of the bus drivers had already left the city.
Father Snyder also works to bring the voice of the poor to the halls of Congress and the White House, often through letters issued jointly with leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Health Association or other organizations.
But recently the "victories we've celebrated" in that arena have been things like "being able to reduce the (proposed) cuts by half," he said.
"Right now ... the government is not making balanced decisions," Father Snyder said. "To take money from health and human services, student loans and things like that and then the very next day to vote to continue tax relief for the very wealthy, that's not balanced.
"I'm not saying there shouldn't be tax relief, but not at a time when we're having to cut very necessary funding to the most vulnerable in our society," he added. "It's like, all things in the proper time, but we're not doing the right thing at this time."
Another "huge fight" on the horizon is immigration reform, Father Snyder said, adding that he has been happy to see the U.S. bishops taking a leadership role through their Justice for Immigrants campaign in calling for reforms that are "honest and just."
Unlike some other issues, such as an increase in the minimum wage, immigration reform has found Catholic leaders on the same side as business groups, such as the Chamber of Commerce, because "there are religious, moral grounds (for reform), coupled with the economic realities," he said.
"But all of that gets lost in unfounded concerns about security" since Sept. 11, 2001, Father Snyder said. "There are legitimate concerns about security, and then there are unfounded concerns."
Under an immigration reform proposal that the Senate was to take up in March, Catholic agencies that assist even one undocumented immigrant could lose all federal funding, and undocumented children would lose the right to go to public schools, he said.
During the past 12 months, Father Snyder has visited 32 local Catholic Charities agencies in all parts of the country, which he called "an incredible experience."
"Each is unique to its own community," he said, "but in each one there is a commitment and a quality of services that I always find remarkable."
END
Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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