Pope Benedict XVI reminds us in his encyclical “Caritas in Veritate” that it is the love of God that impels us to solidarity with our fellow human beings.
Such a love began in the United States in 1727 when the French Ursuline Sisters opened an orphanage in New Orleans. Catholic institutions were also established in major cities along the east coast, providing homes and education for children whose parents were lost to disease and tragedies common in early America. With the rise of immigration in the mid-1800s, the demand for this “love of neighbor” increased dramatically. By the early 20th century, this charitable love was born into the Catholic Charities USA.
Catholic Charities has built its reputation as a strong and trusted network through more than 280 years of compassionate work in the United States. Today, Catholic Charities is recognized as one of the nation’s largest social service networks in the world. 2010 marks Catholic Charities USA’s 100 year anniversary and this week the Centennial Celebration culminates in Washington, DC as workers from across the nation gather to celebrate the good work begun so long ago and combine their voices to call upon the U.S. Congress to address the growing poverty in our nation.
In a time when the Catholic Church is criticized and castigated for her many faults, the Centennial Celebration of Catholic Charities should be an occasion of deep pride for Catholics. As more than 240,000 volunteers, staff, and board members continue the work begun centuries ago, they now comprise the driving force behind the Catholic Charities network that touches the lives of more than 7.8 million people of all faiths a year. Pope Benedict has wisely said: “Love needs to be organized if it is to be an ordered service of the community.” We congratulate Catholic Charities for organizing love in service to the nation for 100 years.
