September 9, 2022

Inside this issue

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

  CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly  
 
Overview: With the rest of the world, the CCUSA Social Policy team extends prayers and consolation to the royal family in England at the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. 

This week, President Biden and members of Congress also expressed their sympathy to the royal family. Meanwhile, their focus has been on the upcoming midterm elections and passing a continuing resolution before the elections. 

Queen Elizabeth II talks with Pope Francis during a meeting at the Vatican in this April 3, 2014, file photo. Queen Elizabeth died Sept. 8, 2022, at the age of 96. (CNS photo/Maria Grazia Picciarella, pool)

Webinar on Hunger, Nutrition, and the Farm Bill: CCUSA is hosting with CRS and USCCB a legislative briefing on hunger, nutrition, and the Farm Bill that will be livestreamed on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. You will hear from a panel of experts from the USCCB, Catholic Charities West Virginia, and CRS about how organizations are using U.S. funding to respond to needs at home and around the world. Some of the questions to be answered: (1.) What does Catholic teaching have to say about the responsibility of public authorities to provide for the common good? (2.) How does this responsibility relate to investments in nutrition and food security (such as those authorized by the Farm Bill) to feed the hungry here and abroad?  (3.) How are these investments used responsibly by faith-based organizations such as Catholic Charities and CRS to provide life-affirming food security and nutrition assistance to the people they serve? REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR HERE.

Immigration: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a final rule on "public charge" -  i.e., conditions leading to a noncitizen becoming primarily dependent on the government for subsistence - to be published in the Federal Register on Sept. 9, 2022, and effective Dec. 23, 2022. 

The final rule provides clarity and consistency for noncitizens on how DHS will administer the public charge ground of inadmissibility. The rule restores the historical understanding of a 'public charge' that had been in place for decades.

DHS will not consider in public charge determinations benefits received by family members other than the applicant. DHS will also not consider receipt of certain non-cash benefits for which noncitizens may be eligible. These benefits include: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or other nutrition programs, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid (other than for long-term institutionalization), housing benefits, any benefits related to immunizations or testing for communicable diseases, or other supplemental or special-purpose benefits.

Read the DHS press release here.

Economy: In the week ending September 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial [unemployment] claims was 222,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 4,000 from 232,000 to 228,000. The 4-week moving average was 233,000, a decrease of 7,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 1,000 from 241,500 to 240,500.
 
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  Faith and the Common Good  
 
Today, Sept. 9, is the feast day of Saint Peter Claver (1580-1654), who spent 40 years serving the slaves that came through Cartagena, a port city in modern-day Colombia. St. Peter had come to Cartagena from his home in Spain, and he never returned home. The time was the early 17th century, when the slave trade was popular and profitable, despite the condemnation from two popes (Paul III and Pius IX).

Saint Peter Claver left Spain forever in 1610 to be a missionary to the slaves in Cartagena, a port city in the Caribbean. © 2022 Jesuits 

When the slaves arrived in port, St. Peter would tend to their needs, providing them with food and medicine. "We must speak to them with our hands before we try to speak with them with our lips," he said. After providing for the slaves, St. Peter would also offer catechism lessons and the sacraments to those who wanted to embrace the faith. But his services did not end there; St. Peter would keep in touch with slaves who remained in the area and he would beseech the slave owners to treat them kindly. All the while, he spoke out against slavery.

Not everyone appreciated St. Peter's efforts. Cartagena's public officials wished he would be quiet and go away, not to mention some of his fellow Jesuits who owned slaves themselves. However, many others were impressed by St. Peter's holiness. Some of the owners and leading citizens would offer hospitality to the saint, but he would choose to stay in the slave quarters, calling himself a slave to the slaves.

Separated as we are from St. Peter in time, we cannot know firsthand what he was like when he lived in Cartagena. But the details of his life reveal a person fixed on living like Christ in the world with his eyes set on heaven. He demonstrates the value of remaining committed to the love of God and neighbor despite opposition and seeming failure. Indeed, he did not witness the abolition of the slave trade, but he did pave the way. When faced with a seeming impossible situation, we can always keep in mind that following Jesus will always have eternal significance, even if it doesn't seem so in the moment.
 
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  Trivia  
 
Q. St. Peter Claver was canonized when and by whom?

Please send your answers to [email protected]. 

Last week's question and answer:

Q. Labor Day was made a federal holiday when and by whom?

A. Thanks to Rita Meyer for being first to send in the right answer: On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day official by signing it into law, designating the first Monday in September to always be Labor Day. The day honors the American labor force and the upholding of laws that make work conditions healthier and safer.
 
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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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