September 2, 2022

Inside this issue

• CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly
• Faith and the Common Good
• Trivia
• Connections

  CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly  
 
Overview: The CCUSA policy team sent an action alert to the network and our social media followers asking them to call on Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act. As the nation celebrates Labor Day weekend, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released a statement about building a just economy for women and families. The Biden administration announced a new effort, called Operation Enduring Welcome, for Afghan refugees. See details below.

Action alert: If you haven't already, please send a note to your members of Congress calling on them to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act. Click here for action alert.

Afghan refugees: The Biden administration announced this week a new effort to help our Afghan allies, called Operation Enduring Welcome. Starting Oct. 1., the administration will resettle Afghans who fall into one of three categories: family members of U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and Afghans already brought to the United States; Afghans who are eligible for special immigrant visas; and Afghans who have received priority referrals to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

A woman in Washington runs near the reflecting pool between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. The U.S. bishops' 2022 Labor Day statement touts two bills awaiting action in Congress as being helpful to children, women and families. (CNS photo/Al Drago, Reuters)

Labor Day: Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, released a Labor Day statement entitled "Building a Just Economy for Women and Families." The archbishop asks his readers to "reflect on how we can build a more just economy by promoting the welfare of working families through both charitable works and through advocacy for improved policies such as expanding the Child Tax Credit and passing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act." Read the whole statement here.

Nutrition: On September 28, the Biden administration will host the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The conference will bring government leaders, academics, activists, and Americans from all walks of life together to achieve the goal of ending hunger and reducing diet-related diseases in the U.S. by 2030 - all while reducing disparities among the communities who are impacted the most by these issues. The administration will announce a national strategy at the conference that identifies actions the government will take to catalyze the public and private sectors to drive transformative change and address the intersections between food, hunger, nutrition, and health. The CCUSA social policy team has been active in sharing its perspective and helping to publicize the conference. Click here to see how you can participate.

Infant formula: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending a key funding flexibility in the Women, Infants, and Children program that has allowed state agencies and their infant formula manufacturers to work together to provide more options for WIC families in need of formula. Under this flexibility - which is now extended through the end of October - USDA is covering the added cost of non-contract formula to make it financially feasible for states to allow WIC participants to purchase alternate sizes, forms, or brands of infant formula. More information about USDA's response can be found on Food and Nutrition Service's Infant Formula Shortage Response webpage.

Economy: In the week ending August 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial [unemployment] claims was 232,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 6,000 from 243,000 to 237,000. The 4-week moving average was 241,500, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 1,500 from 247,000 to 245,500. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 315,000 in August, and the unemployment rate rose to 3.7%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Notable job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, and retail trade.

Dealing with student debt webinar: Sept. 6, 2022 at 03:00 PM EST, CCUSA is collaborating with the Office of Students and the Community Affairs Section of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to host a webinar on student loan debt. Join our presenters to explore this relevant issue for our staff and the clients we serve in our network. Our discussion will include updated and current information on the following:

1) Student loan payment and repayment options
2) Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program and action steps required before October
3) US Department of Education and CFPB tools to assess the student debt load and repayment options
4) Debt, debt to income ratio, and the obligation to pay student loans.

Register in advance for this webinar here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
 
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  Faith and the Common Good  
 
The gospel for this Sunday's Mass (Luke 14:25-33) contains one of Jesus' so-called hard sayings: "If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple."

Even if we take these harsh words and try to put a positive spin on them - God gives us all, so we should give all to him - we can still feel dismayed. When we experience such a difficulty reading or hearing the Scriptures, it's a good sign that more prayer and discernment is needed.

A crucifix is pictured in a file photo inside the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid. (CNS photo from Reuters)

Without denying the seriousness of Jesus' words or the challenge they entail, it's important to read his words in the full context of the gospel. For example, we can see not only in Luke but also in the other gospels that Jesus often uses hyperbole to make a point. Indeed, it's often a tool he uses to get us to think. We also can conclude confidently from the gospels, and really the entire Bible, that the central message is to love God above all and to love our brothers and sisters as ourselves. Even Jesus, interpreting the law, says these are the greatest of the commandments and they fulfill the rest.

So, in the present case, "hating" our friends and family and ourselves, and all possessions too, means loving God first. It's more about the proper order of things; it's not about "hate" in the sense of wishing or doing someone harm. When we adore and love God above all, we are in a position to love everything else, not in competition with loving God, but flowing from that love.

Jesus illustrates his point with a couple of examples: a builder won't start construction without cash in hand and a king won't start a war without enough soldiers. Neither can we love well without first yielding to and pining for love itself, almighty God. 

Jesus' words shock us into considering our priorities. Is God first?  And do we work for the salvation of others? Is there anything or anyone distracting us from this goal?

If our goal is eternal life with God in heaven, then being disproportionately attached to anyone or anything else only frustrates the fulfillment of our goal. But when we keep God the priority, our love for others is supported and strengthened as we journey with them toward eternal life.
 
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  Trivia  
 
Q. Labor Day was made a federal holiday when and by whom?

Please send your answers to [email protected]. 

Last week's question and answer:

Q. There have been 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Which one was adopted (not ratified) on this date (Aug. 26) in 1920?

A. Thanks to Sister Christine, from St. Bernard's Church, for being first to send in the right answer: On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote, was formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution by proclamation of Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby.
 
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  Connections  
 
Please share the weekly with your friends, family and networks so that we can build a movement of solidarity for those most in need!

Be sure to text "CCUSA" to #50457 to receive our action alerts! 

You can also access advocacy opportunities through our advocacy and policy page.

Stay connected with our work to end poverty: Follow us on Twitter: @CCharitiesUSA.   

If you would like to help further Catholic Charities' commitment to alleviating, reducing, and preventing poverty, you can contribute here.
 
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