Filling the gap
As it’s still early in Lent, it is good to be reminded of what it means to fast and keep a day of penance. The prophet’s description of fasting acceptable to the Lord sounds like a Catholic Charities job description: “…sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.” Knowing that, you who choose to receive these reflections probably already know how to do Lent properly.
Having worked in the Catholic Charities ministry for over 30 years, I have become comfortable in the belief that I have lived a life acceptable to the Lord based on this description from Isaiah. I have provided direct service or supervised others in shelters, food pantries, mental health services and thrift stores.
There is one phrase in the description of fasting above, though, that has bothered me for the past several weeks. Am I still sharing my food with the hungry? I think — perhaps like some of you — I have been satisfied that the U.S. government, through its foreign aid and development funding (USAID) sourced from my taxpayer contributions, has done a good job feeding the hungry of the world. Maybe it was not enough (could it ever be enough?), but it was certainly quite a bit. Consequently, I might not have given enough thought to the Catholic Social Teaching on global solidarity.
As the regional coordinator for Caritas North America, I have been afforded a singular view on how the demise of USAID is affecting the ability of the Catholic Church (Catholic Relief Services and other members of Caritas Internationalis) and other people of good will to feed, clothe and protect the health of the world’s poor. Tens of thousands have already lost their livelihoods. Millions will starve or die of illnesses for which we have the cure. Who will fill the gap?
Could the Catholic community in the US make up for the hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of aid no longer reaching those most in need? Perhaps not, but we can do something. This is the year to start making CRS Rice Bowl or another CRS donation a significant expression of our concern and solidarity. “Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!”
Besides her duties for Caritas North America, Jean Beil volunteers at Good Shepherd Parish, Alexandria, VA in the music ministry and as a funeral planner.