Catholic Leaders From Across Country Urge Legislators to Promote Peace

WASHINGTON—Hundreds of leaders in Catholic social ministry from dioceses, parishes, national Catholic organizations and universities of the United States urged their members of Congress to promote peace abroad through negotiations, humanitarian assistance and development and to work against poverty

WASHINGTON—Hundreds of leaders in Catholic social ministry from dioceses, parishes, national Catholic organizations and universities of the United States urged their members of Congress to promote peace abroad through negotiations, humanitarian assistance and development and to work against poverty in the United States. The meetings the afternoon of February 4 took place as part of the 2014 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering.

Participants in the Gathering broke up into statewide delegations and spoke with their Senators and Representatives in support of negotiations with Iran to ensure nuclear disarmament and peace, negotiations between Israel and Palestine and poverty-focused international assistance. They also urged Congress to fight poverty and promote human flourishing by supporting the Second Chance Reauthorization Act (S. 1690, H.R. 3465), which would help people leaving prison reintegrate into their communities.

Participants also called for family-based comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship as well as support for the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 7, S. 946), which would close loopholes in current law so that longstanding policy against federal abortion funding is permanent and government wide.

The Catholic Social Ministry Gathering is sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and 15 national Catholic partner organizations, including Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Catholic Charities USA, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Rural Life and the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

More information is available online at www.catholicsocialministrygathering.org
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Keywords: Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, Hill visits, Iran, negotiations, Israel, Palestine, Second Chance Reauthorization Act (S. 1690, H.R. 3465), No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 7, S. 946), USCCB, U.S. bishops, dioceses, parishes, CRS, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities USA
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