New Video from USCCB Explains Work of Catholic Campaign for Human Development

WASHINGTON (November 11, 2010) — With the National Collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) coming up the weekend of November 20-21, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued a video for use at the diocesan and parish levels, to help explain the work of CCHD and the work it funds to help low-come people address the causes of poverty.

“Meet Mary: About the Catholic Campaign for Human Development,” is a three-minute animated video that follows a school teacher named Mary, who lives in a neighborhood caught in the cycle of poverty. Mary encourages her neighbors to come together to address community issues starting with the safety of children after school. As the neighbors begin to work together, they apply for and receive a grant from CCHD. The video explains the process and principles behind CCHD and, with the fictional Mary, gives an example of the community transformation it funds.

“Many Catholics don’t understand the work of CCHD and how it plays a unique and vital role in complementing the other anti-poverty efforts of the Church, such as education and direct assistance,” said Susan Sullivan, associate director of education and outreach for the USCCB’s Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development. “This video captures the work of CCHD in an easy-to-understand way that can be shared by parish and diocesan leaders to help spread the good news of this work, work that is at the heart of the mission of the Church. Our call to love God and neighbor includes a special responsibility for those most in need. CCHD addresses that need with the ‘institutional path’ of charity that Pope Benedict XVI speaks about in Caritas in Veritate.”

“Meet Mary: About the Catholic Campaign for Human Development” can be found online at: www.usccb.org/about/catholic-campaign-for-human-development/videos.cfm

Parish and diocesan leadership are encouraged to share the video, publicly and privately, in explaining the work of CCHD and the accompanying collection.
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Keywords: Catholic Campaign for Human Development, CCHD, Meet Mary, video, animated, anti-poverty, low-income, neighborhoods, social justice, U.S. bishops, USCCB, National Collections