USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - U.S. Catholic Community Rededicating Itself to International Social Mission

U.S. Catholic Community Rededicating Itself to International Social Mission

Agency Officials from Organizations Benefiting from Next Weekend's $15 Million Catholic Relief Services Collection Available for Questions at a Tele-press Conference March 21st

Baltimore, MD March 17th, 2006 -– Catholic Relief Services and three other agencies benefiting from the upcoming Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Collection will hold a tele-press conference Tuesday, March 21, to launch this year's collection. The annual appeal, to which Catholics contributed more than $15 million to in 2005, will be held in most U.S. dioceses the weekend of March 25-26. The CRS Collection supports agencies that build the international social ministry of the Catholic Church through advocacy on behalf of powerless and impoverished people and relief, recovery and resettlement services to victims of earthquakes, floods, war, and religious and ethnic persecution.

The tele-press conference will be held at 11:00 a.m. (EST), and will provide media an opportunity to learn about the various agencies and programming that benefit from the CRS Collection as well as ask questions regarding the Collection.

Tele-press Conference Details

DATE: Tuesday, March 21, 2006

TIME: 11 a.m. EST (Participants will speak for approximately 20 minutes, with an additional 20-30 minutes available for media questions).

PARTICIPANTS:

Rima Kamal, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC)
Brian Backe, Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
Jim Kuh, Migration and Refugee Services (MRS)
Joan Rosenhauer, Social Development and World Peace (SDWP)

HOW TO PARTICIPATE: Call (410) 468-3928 to access the tele-press conference. Once you call, simply follow the prompts to participate. There are a limited number of lines available to call in. If you'd like a guaranteed line into the tele-press conference, please contact Jeffrey Griffith at 410-951-7245.

About the CRS Collection – More details available at www.usccb.org/crscollection

The CRS Collection, which supports emergency relief, human development, and peace initiatives in 99 countries around the world, will be taken up in most U.S. dioceses this weekend, March 25 and 26.

The CRS Collection asks Catholics to see "Jesus in disguise" in the faces of the poor, the hungry, and disadvantaged, and to support ongoing efforts to meet the increasing needs of the Church's international social ministry. Examples of how funds are used include:

Supporting the Orphans and Vulnerable Children program, run by the Diocese of Solwezi, which assists more than 2,250 children whose parents suffer from or have died from AIDS.
Resettling refugees from countries like Afghanistan and Liberia who have fled persecution and threats of torture.
Providing life-saving legal services to victims of torture and oppression by providing them with asylum in the United States.

For 60 years, generous support from Catholics for this appeal has provided core funding for the work of U.S. Catholic social ministry agencies engaged in international emergency relief, refugee resettlement, immigration, peacemaking, pastoral care, and advocacy for a more just and peaceful world.

Organizations that Benefit from the CRS Collection

Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), is in its first year of funding from The Catholic Relief Services Collection. It provides a full range of legal and support services to Catholic programs directly representing poor immigrants. Its focus is reunification of families and protection of those fleeing persecution or civil unrest. To learn more, please visit www.cliniclegal.org.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian organization of the U.S. Catholic community. The Baltimore-based agency provides assistance to people in 99 countries and territories based on need, not race, creed, or nationality. To learn more, please visit www.crs.org.

Migration and Refugee Services (MRS), an office of the USCCB, serves and advocates for immigrants, refugees, migrants, and people on the move through advocacy, resettlement services, and pastoral care. To learn more, please visit www.usccb.org/mrs.

Social Development and World Peace (SDWP), a department of the USCCB, advocates on behalf of the Church for public policies that protect the poor and vulnerable and advance peace and justice throughout the world. To learn more, please contact Joan Rosenhauer at (202) 541-3381 or visit www.usccb.org/sdwp.

The Holy Father's Relief Fund assists victims of natural disasters and emergencies worldwide.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency provides assistance to people in 99 countries and territories based on need, regardless of race, nationality or creed.