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Social Justice Consortium
Catholic Charities Social Justice Consortium promotes the social justice mission of the Catholic Church through a coordinated effort to work towards a comprehensive and consistent ethic of life for the pursuit of the common good.
New- Grant Opportunities through the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD)
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is one of the largest private funders of self-help programs for poor people in the United States. Twenty-five percent of the funds raised in an annual November collection remain in central and southwest Iowa to help us respond to needs in the local community. Parishes and other groups in the 23 counties of the Diocese of Des Moines can apply for grants from the local portion of the collection.
Download an application
W-9 form needed for applicant
CCHD seeks Catholic Young Adult Leaders working for social justice!
Help the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) honor young social justice leaders by submitting a nomination for the 2009 Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award, an annual award for Catholic young adults leading efforts to address the root causes of problems in their local communities. Please click here for a nomination form. Nomination Deadline: July 31, 2009.
Health Care Reform
Click here to read Bishop Pate's statement on Health Care Reform.
Catholic Charities urges health care reform consistent with Catholic teaching.
Meeting Minutes- Read minutes from the quarterly meeting including reports from members and comments from Bishop Pates.
April 1, 2009
August 19, 2009
Consortium Initiatives:
Respect Life: The Respect Life Program assists parishes in understanding and implementing the concept of the Consistent Life Ethic, whereby the respect and dignity of all persons is embraced from the moment of conception to natural death. A consistent life ethic means being pro-life across the board: opposing abortion, capital punishment, assisted suicide and euthanasia.
A New Beginning, Adoption and Pregnancy Counseling program provides assistance and support to women who are pregnant and need to explore their options to parent or develop an adoption plan. The St. Rita’s Project extends these services to women who are incarcerated.
Contact:Maggie DeWitte
A New Beginning Adoption & Pregnancy Counseling Program
Respect Life Coordinator
515-237-5016
Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD): Created by the U.S.C.C.B. in 1970 to address the root causes of poverty. CCHD funds projects that bring poor and low-income people together to work for change in their communities. Since its beginning, more than $280 million in CCHD grants have funded over 7,000 community-based self-help projects that create jobs, fight crime, ensure decent wages, reform schools, and provide affordable housing. Catholic Charities coordinates the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). This effort to end poverty and economic injustice is made possible through an annual parish collection on the weekend before Thanksgiving. The Diocesan Director evaluates and recommends local organizations that have applied for CCHD national grants. In addition an ad hoc committee advises the diocese on the distribution of local funds, which are a percentage of the overall local collection.
Click here for 2008 grant recipient announcement
Contact: Nancy Galeazzi
Executive Director, Catholic Charities
515-237-5053
Catholic Relief Services (CRS): Catholic Relief Services was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and disadvantaged outside the country and works under the auspices of the U.S.C.C.B. Catholic Charities coordinates the Parish Rice Bowl Collection and staffs an ad hoc committee which advises the diocese on the distribution of local funds, which are a percentage of the overall collection. A soup lunch for the Diocesan staff housed in the Pastoral Center has become a yearly tradition to raise awareness of global poverty.
Click here for 2009 local grant recipients from Operation Rice Bowl
Contact: Nancy Galeazzi
Executive Director, Catholic Charities
515-237-5053
Catholic Charities USA Poverty Campaign:
The Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America is a multi-year, multi-faceted approach to alleviating poverty in the United States. The goals of the Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America are: to reduce poverty in the United States by 50 percent by the year 2020, To call upon the government to do more to serve those who are poor, and to improve public policies that strengthen and support families, to educate policymakers and the public about the struggles of those living in poverty and the good work of those who serve them in local communities, to engage those who are most impacted by government policies to be active participants in developing solutions to reducing poverty, to work with individuals and organizations across the country to address poverty in our country, The campaign calls upon all in our nation to address the issues that impact the most vulnerable and act now to reduce poverty in our nation.
Endorse Catholic Charities USA, Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America by logging on to http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/poverty/endorsement
Contact: Pat Nestvedt
Associate Director, Catholic Charities
515-237-5019
Just Faith Ministries (Partnership with Catholic Charities): This ministry aspires to enable people of faith to develop a passion for justice, to express this passion in concrete acts of social ministry, and to expand the work of social ministry in their faith communities. Just Faith Ministries creates and supports faith formation processes and resources that emphasize the Gospel message of peace and justice, Church social teaching and the intersection of spirituality and action.
Contact: Celeste Egger
515-274-6483
Domestic Violence/ Sexual Abuse Advocacy: The Catholic Bishops of the United States continued to speak out against domestic violence in their 2002 statement, “When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women”.
Catholic Charities staffing includes advocates to help women who have experienced sexual abuse as well as a court advocate. The Phoenix House staff work to advocate on governmental funding issues to provide long term consistent funding for Domestic Violence programs in addition to legislative issues that impact victims.
Contact: Diane McKee
Phoenix House Program Coordinator
712-256-2059x6
Justice for Newcomers: The Justice for Immigrants campaign works "to unite and mobilize a growing network of Catholic institutions, individuals, and other persons of good faith in support of a broad legalization program and comprehensive immigration reform.” The campaign also strives to address the conditions that compel people to leave their homes including desperation and lack of opportunities. A diverse group of Catholic organizations with national networks support the Bishops' campaign, including Catholic Charities USA and Catholic Relief Services. The United States remains a nation of immigrants grounded in the firm belief that newcomers offer new energy, hope and cultural diversity
In collaboration with other organizations, Catholic Charities advocates for social justice issues relevant to new Iowans (and long-time immigrants and refugees who may still face discrimination) in order to reduce structural barriers to their full participation in their communities. We partner with community members to involve greater numbers of people at the grassroots level in civic life and decision-making processes. Catholic Charities works in partnership with AMOS, ISNET, Human Trafficking Committee, Interfaith Alliance.
Read recent statements released by USCCB:
Bishops address opportunities, challenges for new president, congress
Contact: Sol Varisco
Migration & Refugee Services Coordinator
515-237-5068
Emergency/Disaster Preparedness and Response Program: In the event of a local, regional, or national disaster, the Emergency/Disaster Response Program mobilizes the agency's services and resources and works in partnership with parishes to respond at the local level. The agency's efforts are also coordinated with those of other service providers in the government, not-for-profit, and health care sectors. This program may additionally provide assistance with, and information for, long term relief, such as support services and financial assistance.
Click here to learn about the Central Iowa Recovery Network (CIRN), a long term recovery committee working to help those affected by the Floods of 2008.
Click here to learn about help accessing new state funding (3/2009)
Contact: Trish Radke
Public Relations & Fundraising Event Coordinator
515-237-5078
Iowa Catholic Conference: Coordinate efforts and legislation concerns with the conference.
For more information go to www.iowacatholicconference.org.
Contact: Tom Chapman
Executive Director of the Iowa Catholic Conference
515-243-6256
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