The Catholic MomentMarch 15, 2015 Page 9

Our faith in Christ, whobecame poor, and was alwaysclose to the poor and the outcast,is the basis of our concern for theintegral development of society’smost neglected members.

— Pope Francis, apostolic exhortation

The Joy of the Gospel, n. 186

A s bishops who servethe people of God,our concern is for

everyone, regardless of theirreligious affiliation, race, eth-nic background, economic orsocial status. Christ came tosave all humankind. As hisministers, we have been giventhe responsibility to carry onChrist’s work in service to allour sisters and brothers herein the state of Indiana.

At the same time, we bish-

ops have a particular obliga-tion to care for the most vul-nerable members of God’sfamily. That is why we payspecial attention to theunborn, to the sick and theelderly, to prisoners, to thosewho suffer from various formsof addiction or mental illness,and to the education of peoplefrom many different back-grounds and circumstances.That is also why we care, in avery special way, for thosebrothers and sisters of ourswho are poor.

With this particular respon-sibility in mind, we bishopsaddress this pastoral letter tofaithful Catholics as well as toall people of good will here inIndiana. We want to call atten-tion to the poverty that existsright here within the state that

calls itself the “Crossroads ofAmerica.” We hope to help allof us better understand themany challenges facing ourbrothers and sisters here inIndiana and consider withyou how our Church shouldrespond.

The Gospels insist thatGod’s heart has a special placefor the poor, so much so thatGod himself has “becomepoor” (2 Cor. 8, 9). Jesus rec-ognized their suffering, andhe had compassion for theirloneliness and fear. He neverlooked away from their plightor acted as if it did not con-cern him. Always, our Lordstood with the poor — com-forting their sorrows, healingtheir wounds and feedingtheir bodies and their souls.He challenged his friends to

recognize the poor and notremain unmoved.

All disciples of Jesus Christare called to love the poor ashe did. As people of faith, weare invited to see the poor, toallow the Word of God to illu-minate the reality of poverty,and to respond with trans-formed hearts.

Using the simple formula ofSEE, JUDGE, ACT, we inviteand challenge everyone,beginning with ourselves, tobe more attentive to the poorin our communities, to identi-fy the systemic issues thatkeep individuals and familiespoor, and to take concretesteps to reduce the long-termimpact of poverty in our state,even as we reach out and helpthose who, here and now, suf-fer from its devastating effects.

A pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops of Indiana

Povertyat the

CrossroadsThe Church’s Response

to Poverty in Indiana

The Catholic MomentPage 10 March 15, 2015

SeeThere was a rich man who

dressed in purple garmentsand fine linen and dined sump-tuously each day. And lying athis door was a poor mannamed Lazarus, covered withsores, who would gladly haveeaten his fill of the scraps thatfell from the rich man’s table.

(Luke 16:19-21)

J esus tells the powerfulstory of a poor “streetperson” named Lazarus,

and the rich man whopassed by him each daywithout noticing him. It isapparent that the rich mancould not — or would not— see the poverty that wasright in front of his eyes. Asa result, he was blind to thepoor man’s need and — justas tragic — to the opportu-nities God gave him dayafter day to share his abun-dant gifts. At the conclusionof the story, we learn thatthis blindness cost the richman a place in the companyof Abraham.

How does this parable ofJesus speak to us today herein the state of Indiana?What are we not seeing as,day after day, we go aboutour busy lives? Are we inca-pable — or worse — havewe chosen not to see our sis-ters and brothers who arepoor? Are we blind to theimpact poverty has on fami-lies, neighborhoods andentire communities andunquestioning as to its caus-es?

We may not encounterpoor people as we go aboutour daily business, but theyare there just the same. Asan appendix to this letter,we include some soberingstatistics regarding poverty,homelessness, unemploy-ment and hunger right herein the Hoosier State. Most ofus have no idea how serious— and widespread — thisproblem is. Like the richman in Jesus’ parable, wefail to see what is rightbefore our eyes. In addition,we miss the opportunitiesour Lord gives us to recog-nize him in the face of thepoor.

Statistics can appear coldand impersonal. If thosefacts do not help us to “see”the poor in our midst, we

might want to consider adefinition of poverty interms of its impact oneveryday life. Father LarrySnyder, former President ofCatholic Charities USA,draws upon the experienceof Catholic Charities work-ers throughout the countryto explain that individualsare poor if:

• they cannot affordhousing that is clean, safeand in good repair;

• they cannot affordnutritious food for them-selves and their family on aregular basis;

• they cannot consistent-ly pay their utility bills eventhough it is a priority;

• their children are notadequately clothed forschool with clean clothesthat fit and are in goodrepair, and they do not haveproper clothing for work; or

• they cannot afford to goto the doctor for any kind ofillness for fear that the visitwill be beyond their meansto pay for it.

— Father Larry Snyder,Think and Act Anew: How

Poverty in America Affects UsAll and What We Can Do

About It, 42

Many Hoosiers live inthese circumstances. Whatare some of the realities thatwe are challenged to seeclearly as citizens of Indianaconcerned about humandignity, family life and thesocial and economic healthof our state?

We believe it is important

to point out that the conse-quences of the severe eco-nomic downturn that beganin 2008-2009, a period thatsome call the “Great Reces-sion,” caused many moreHoosiers to face the despairof poverty. A growing num-ber of our small towns andrural communities, whichhad been the backbone ofour state, have seen crucialindustries disappear. Thesocial and economic condi-tions caused by poverty inthese communities as wellas in our larger cities havehad serious consequences,including the breakdown offamily life; an increase inthe manufacture, sale anduse of drugs; violence in ourhomes and in our streets,and the resulting increase inour state’s prison popula-tion.

Multigenerational pover-ty, measured by the numberof individuals in economicdistress whose parents,grandparents and perhapsgreat-grandparents also suf-fered severe economic insta-bility, is a reality whoseimpact on human dignity,family stability and healthycommunities is immense.Members of families in thegrip of multigenerationalpoverty are far less likely topossess the internal, intangi-ble resources that wouldencourage them to acquirethe education, life skills andemployment opportunitiesthat are available to othermembers of their communi-ties and that are critical to

breaking the cycle of pover-ty. Without the skills andexperiences necessary tomake positive personal andemployment decisions, poorchoices appear predeter-mined and the vicious cycleof poverty remains intact.

Catholics in the five dio-ceses of Indiana remaincommitted to serving thosewho are in immediate needthrough our charitableagencies, parishes, schoolsand health-care organiza-tions. The generosity of ourpeople is extraordinary andevident through thousandsof hours of loving serviceevery week across thelength and breadth of ourstate. As bishops, we recog-nize the goodness of diversepeople and institutionsthroughout Indiana, and wethank God for the love andcompassion shown to somany of our brothers andsisters in their time of need.

Yet, this compassionateresponse does not absolveus from asking hard ques-tions. We believe it is essen-tial that we make a prayer-ful, honest assessment ofhow we arrived at wherewe are today. If we truly aregoing to identify the causesand manifestations ofpoverty and create a path-way for positive, long-termand sustainable change, wemust strengthen the founda-tions upon which individu-als and families build eco-nomic stability and realizetheir hopes for the future.

As Christians, we are

called to recognize Jesus inthe face of the poor. Seeingour brothers and sisters asthey are — members ofGod’s family who have giftsto share with us and whoseneed compels us to shareour gifts in return — is anessential element of Christ-ian charity. Seeing ourselvesas stewards of all God’sgifts is integral to authenticChristian discipleship.

In the account of theFinal Judgment in theGospel of Matthew (Mt.25:31-46), both the good andthe evil people are surprisedat how closely the glorifiedLord identifies with thepoor. Hence they ask: “Lord,when did we see you ...?” Ifwe truly seek to followJesus and to live as he lived,we will clearly acknowledgethe poverty of those aroundus, and we will respondwith open and generoushearts to their immediateand long-term needs.

Questions for reflection

Have you been surprisedto discover relatives, friendsor neighbors in distress as aresult of changes in ourstate’s economy over thelast five to 10 years?

Where do you see thereality of poverty in Indi-ana?

How are your parish,school and diocese nowresponding to the poor intheir midst?

Judge

Both Christian preachingand life are meant to have animpact on society.

— Pope Francis, Joy of the Gospel n. 180

I n his apostolic exhorta-tion, Pope Francisobserves: “No one can

demand that religion shouldbe relegated to the innersanctum of personal life,without influence on soci-etal and national life, with-out concern for the sound-ness of civil institutions.”He makes it clear that theChurch “cannot and mustnot remain on the sidelinesin the fight for justice,” butmust work with all peopleof good will to build a bet-

A pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops of Indiana

Poverty at the Crossroads

The Catholic MomentMarch 15, 2015 Page 11

ter world (cf. EvangeliiGaudium #183).

The root causes of pover-ty are complex, and must beaddressed effectively by aholistic and multifacetedapproach to social, econom-ic, cultural and spiritualdevelopment. While wemay be tempted to directour attention and charitableresources towards address-ing the immediate needs ofthe poor for food, shelterand health care, in justicewe cannot neglect the morethorny public policy issues.We need to face these, if wewish to address the funda-mental causes of povertyhere in Indiana, as well as inour nation and global com-munity.

As bishops, we claim noexpertise in the practicaldetails of political theory,economics or the social sci-ences. We must, however,emphasize some universaltruths — such as the dignityof every human person, thebasic human rights thatapply to all, regardless oftheir economic, social, racialor cultural circumstances,and the importance of reli-gious freedom for individu-als and communities. Aspastors, we wish to speakwith and for those who suf-fer from the dark effects ofpoverty here in Indiana,including victims of multi-generational poverty as wellas those who more recentlyhave found themselveswithout work and strugglefor the basic necessities oflife.

We see the followingareas as meriting carefulreflection and study byCatholics and all Hoosiers.We do not advocate anempty academic exercise,but rather a necessary steptowards making decisionsthat will lead to substantivechange. These key areas arefamily life, employment,education and health care.Although it is not possiblefor us to address theseissues in detail in this letter,we will offer some observa-tions that we hope wouldstimulate discussion andlead to positive action.

Family life

We Catholics believe thata crucial element in God’s

plan for humanity is mar-riage, which we understandas the union of one man andone woman who make acommitment to each otherfor life and become “oneflesh” (Genesis 2:24). Thissacred union forms the fam-ily, the basic unit of society,which is dedicated to thetransmission of new life(children) and to steward-ship of all God’s creation.The Church teaches that thefamily is a kind of “schoolof deeper humanity,” loveand hope for society (Vati-can II, Gaudium et Spes, 52).Our families teach us whowe are as individuals and asmembers of human society.The family is also where wefirst learn how to live —how to take care of our-selves, how to share ourgifts and talents with others,and how to collaborate andlive in harmony with ourneighbors whether close tohome or far away.

Without the family, chil-dren cannot grow beyond asterile isolation. Without thefamily, unity among peopleand nations loses its mostbasic catalyst and coexis-tence deteriorates into apragmatic sort of commerce— “conceivable only on thebasis of utility, on a calculusof fear, but not on the good-ness of living together, noton the joy that the merepresence of others can give”(Pope Francis, encyclicalLumen Fidei, n. 51).

Family teaches us that weare God’s children, brothersand sisters called to partici-

pate in the life of God him-self. This is where we learnto recognize the sacrednessof every human life as wellas the beauty and necessityof living together in peace.This is where we discoverthe fundamental principlethat grounds all humanrights and dignity: thatevery person, regardless ofsex, race, religion, or eco-nomic or social status, isdeserving of our respect.Experience teaches us thatthe family is the only last-ing, solid foundation onwhich healthy societies canbe built.

Family teaches us how tolive. In the family, we learnthe basics of economy, thevalue of work, the meaningof sexuality, the joy of self-giving, the importance ofbreaking bread together andhaving fun with familymembers and friends. Theseare not small things. Theyhave a huge impact on ourquality of life and on ourability to interact with oth-ers — extended family,neighbors, fellow citizensand even strangers (includ-ing “aliens” or “enemies”who are unlike us andwhose differences appear tothreaten our security).

We are keenly aware thatthis understanding of themeaning of the family repre-sents an ideal that rarely isachieved in its fullness. Asignificant brokenness canexist in families today (as inevery age), and each of uscan name the ways that fam-ilies fail to live up to the

grand vision that our Churchproposes for marriage andfamily life. Our own experi-ence of brokenness teachesus the value of compassionand forgiveness.

We believe that it isworth fighting for the fami-ly. We are convinced thatour individual lives and ourworld are enriched by “thesanctuary of life and love”that good families provide.We believe that every childshould grow up in thewarmth and protective careof a loving family. Wedeeply regret that the chal-lenges facing families todaythreaten the health and hap-piness of individuals andthe common good of humansociety.

As pastors, we witnessthe struggle that young fam-ilies, especially single-parentfamilies, have breaking outof the cycle of poverty inorder to provide food, cloth-ing, shelter, education andhealth care for their chil-dren. Finding (and keep-ing!) good jobs is muchmore difficult for teenageparents, especially if theyare not married, becausethey frequently lack the nec-essary education, skills andexperience to compete intoday’s job market. Add tothis handicap the costs asso-ciated with transportationand health care, and thechallenges can be over-whelming.

In addition, as the num-ber of underage and single-parent families continues togrow, the number of fathers

who are unable or unwillingto support their childrenalso increases. Strong mar-riages and healthy familiesprovide an environmentthat can help overcome themost severe economic chal-lenges. Unfortunately, thestress of economic instabili-ty, substance abuse anddomestic violence, com-bined with other social andcultural factors, contributesto the disintegration of mar-riages, disrupts stable fami-lies and often results in sub-stance abuse and otheraddictive behaviors.

Our society today permits— even encourages —behavior that works againsta healthy family life. Con-sumerism can promote reck-less spending and unsus-tainable debt. Promiscuity isfueled by attitudes that dis-respect the beauty of humansexuality and the sanctity ofmarriage and family life. Allsegments of our society suf-fer from the effects of cul-tural and economic threatsto the health and vitality offamilies, but the poor, espe-cially multigenerationalpoor, are especially vulnera-ble to negative social andeconomic influences thatundermine family life. It haseven been said that stablemarriages are increasinglythe luxury of the rich.

To address the long-termeffects of poverty in oursociety, we must strengthenmarriage and family life. AsSt. John Paul II wrote in hisapostolic exhortation on thefamily, Familiaris Consortio,“The future of humanitypasses by way of the fami-ly” (n. 86). When familiesare strong, society is strong.When families are brokenand unstable, all humancommunities suffer. At thesame time, we recognizethat instability of marriageand family life is intensifiedby poverty, which can pro-duce an intolerable stressthat limits human develop-ment. And, since single-par-ent families are increasinglythe norm for the poor, theChurch must make a specialeffort to understand theircircumstances and offer thewisdom of her tradition.

Employment

“The economy must serve

A pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops of Indiana

Poverty at the Crossroads

The Catholic MomentPage 12 March 15, 2015

people, not the other wayaround” is a succinct para-phrase of a crucial statementby St. John Paul II in hisencyclical, Laborem Exercens:“In the first place, work isfor man and not man forwork” (n. 6.6). Work is morethan simply a way to makea living; it is a continuingparticipation in God’s cre-ation. If the dignity of workis to be protected, then thebasic rights of workers mustbe respected; these includethe right to productivework, to decent and fairwages, to organize, to pri-vate property and to eco-nomic initiative.

For St. John Paul II, thispowerful statement — workis for man; man is not forwork — is the principle thatgoverns the success or fail-ure of all economic systems.The human person is whatis most important, not eco-nomic theory or social struc-tures. The human person,the one who works, is not ameans to an end, but theprimary beneficiary of his orher own labor.

Every worker has a fun-damental dignity because heor she is made in the imageand likeness of God. Work-ers are co-creators with Godin building the human com-munity. Workers are notcommodities. They are notinstruments of productionor tools in the hands ofowners or managers, whoare entitled to use them andthen set them aside at theend of the day or the com-pletion of a particular pro-ject.

Indiana is home to thou-sands of the so-called“working poor.” These arewomen and men who havejobs, but whose income isnot enough to sustain themor to cover the necessities oflife, including food, hous-ing, health care, transporta-tion and child care. Forthese families, full-time,year-round work by itself isnot enough to lift them outof poverty.

St. John Paul II teaches,“a just wage is the concretemeans of verifying the jus-tice of the whole socioeco-nomic system” (LaboremExercens, 19). Why? Becausethe laborer truly is worthyof his or her wage (cf. Luke10:7). And because a society

that cares forthe least of itscitizens —including theunemployed,the underem-ployed anduninsured —is a societythat willflourish in thesight of Godand in itsmaterial andspiritual well-being.

Education

There is anintimate con-nectionbetween fami-ly, employ-ment andeducation.Parents arethe first andprincipal edu-cators of theirchildren. Aswe notedabove, it is inthe familywhere we firstlearn the value of work, theimportance of collaborationand teamwork, and themoral principles that arekey to a faithful, productiveand successful work envi-ronment.

The Catholic Church isstrongly committed to edu-cation and, particularly, theeducation of the poor. Morethan two centuries of expe-rience convince us about thepowerful role that educationplays in breaking the cycleof poverty and helping fam-ilies, producing thriving citi-zens, workers and profes-sionals.

We also attest to the effectthat poverty has on a fami-ly’s ability to provide chil-dren with a quality educa-tion. Poor children are oftenhungry, undernourishedand prone to limited atten-tion spans. Crying for atten-tion, they frequently exhibitinappropriate behaviors.They may live in cars ortemporary shelters and sel-dom find sufficient physicalrest. Recurrent movesmeans that regular schoolattendance is difficult, if notimpossible. No wonderpoor children struggle tolearn, develop and test their

skills and abilities, and rec-ognize the importance ofcompleting their educationin order to compete withothers in demanding jobmarkets.

Our Catholic traditioncommits us to the educationof the whole person —mind, body and spirit. Werefuse to be fatalistic aboutthe future hopes anddreams of families and chil-dren who are poor, includ-ing the multigenerationalpoor. We have seen with ourown eyes the difference thata quality education canmake in the lives of childrenand their families.

As Pope Francis remindsus, to be truly “with and forthe poor,” we must provideall children — but especiallythose who are poor — “withan education that teachescritical thinking and encour-ages the development ofmature moral values” (Joy ofthe Gospel, 64). This is theway out of poverty for indi-viduals and families, andthe best way to build a soci-ety that is just, economicallyproductive and dedicated topromoting and defendingthe human dignity of all itscitizens.

Health care

Fordecades, theCatholic bish-ops of theUnited Stateshave beenunswervingadvocates forcomprehen-sive reformsthat will leadto health carefor all, espe-cially theweakest andmost vulnera-ble. Webelieve thathealth care isfundamentalto human lifeand dignity. Itis also a criti-cal compo-nent of ourChurch’s min-istry. In col-laborationwith profes-sionalsthroughoutIndiana, theCatholic

Church provides healthcare, purchases health careand tries to enhance thehealth-care system. TheCatholic community servesthe sick and uninsured inemergency rooms, homelessshelters and on thedoorsteps of our parishchurches. We bring bothstrong convictions and prac-tical experience to the chal-lenge of health care.

Many lower-income indi-viduals and families in ourstate lack the resources tomeet the expense of theirhealth care. For these fami-lies, significant premiumsand cost-sharing chargescan serve as barriers toobtaining coverage or see-ing a doctor. Therefore, webelieve that existing cost-sharing protections shouldbe maintained, and newhealth insurance coverageoptions must protect thelowest income enrolleesfrom burdensome cost shar-ing. We also call for much-needed funding for safety-net clinics, hospitals andother facilities that providehealth care to the poor andvulnerable members of ourcommunities.

We believe that health

care is not a privilege, but aright and a requirement toprotect the life and dignityof every person. All people,regardless of their circum-stances, should have accessto comprehensive, qualityand affordable health care.It should not depend onwhere they were born, theirstage of life, where orwhether they or their par-ents work, how much theyearn or where they live.

Questions for reflection

Do you agree that theChurch has a responsibilityto speak on behalf of thepoor?

Is there an issue that ismore important for theChurch’s consideration thanthe four mentioned in thissection (family life, employ-ment, education and healthcare)?

Act

It is dangerous to dwell inthe realm of words alone, ofimages and rhetoric. Realitiesare greater than ideas.

— Pope Francis, Joy of the Gospel, n. 231

T his letter is a call toact with justice andcharity. We invite all

who read these words tojoin us in reaching out to thepoor members of our state.We challenge everyone,beginning with ourselves, toengage the leaders of busi-ness, government and vol-untary organizationsthroughout our state ineffecting meaningfulchanges in the policies andpractices that perpetuatepoverty in all its manifesta-tions.

Actions do speak louderthan words, especially whenwe intend to feed the hun-gry, clothe the naked, giveshelter to the homeless, andprovide employment, edu-cation and health care to allmembers of our community.Together with women andmen of good will, we wantto offer hope to all who suf-fer, and we seek to build ajust society that can alleviatethe long-term effects ofpoverty here in Indiana andthroughout our nation and

A pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops of Indiana

Poverty at the Crossroads

The Catholic MomentMarch 15, 2015 Page 13

A pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops of Indiana

Poverty at the Crossroadsthe world.

Through institutions andorganizations such asCatholic Charities, Catholichospitals, the Society of St.Vincent de Paul, parishsocial ministries, elementaryand secondary schools aswell as colleges and univer-sities, our Church respondsto an increasing number ofpeople who are in desperateneed of housing, medicalcare, food, transportation,education and other necessi-ties. The Catholic Church inIndiana is a leading advo-cate for just social structuresthat will preserve familieswhile addressing the sys-temic problems of poverty.The challenges are formida-ble, but with transformedand hopeful hearts, we mustact.

At the same time, we joinall people of good will incalling for the developmentand implementation ofstrategies that address theroot causes of poverty herein the “Crossroads of Amer-ica.” Our response intendsto provide for the immedi-ate needs of our sisters andbrothers and, at the sametime, take seriously theunderlying issues that pre-vent our state’s employ-ment, educational andhealth-care systems fromeffectively meeting theneeds of individuals andfamilies in all corners ofIndiana.

The call to act justlydemands an organized andsystematic response to theissues of poverty in Indiana.Direct service of the poor atthe level of our parishes andother communities is neces-sary and should beesteemed as a means ofpracticing Christian charity.However, isolated actionalone will not suffice. Onlya multifaceted, community-wide approach will trulyreduce the debilitating anddemoralizing effects of long-term, multigenerationalpoverty throughout ourstate.

Family life

We invite the Catholicfaithful and all people ofgood will to work to reducepoverty by intentionallyfocusing on one of the rootcauses of poverty in Indi-ana. Grounded in our

Catholic faithand tradition,we recom-mend that we

• Strength-en and sup-port Indiana’sfamilies byassigning thehighest prior-ity to thewellbeing ofchildren inthe familyand society.

Strength-ening familiesrequires thatwe supportmarriage andthe ideal offamilies withtwo parentswho livetogether andshare respon-sibility fortheir children.Today manyfamilies arebroken andmost struggleunder signifi-cant stress.All families need our lovingsupport and assistance now,even as we work for afuture in which healthyfamilies can thrive. There-fore, we propose that a sin-gle question guide us in allservice and program deci-sions made by governmentagencies, private institutionsand church ministriesregarding families:

• Do programs and poli-cies place a primary empha-sis on child welfare andenhance — not detract —from strong marriages andfamily life?

The task of strengtheningsupport for Indiana’s fami-lies is formidable. In orderto be successful, organizedand sustained efforts areneeded throughout thestate. We propose that everyCatholic diocese, parish,educational institution andhealth-care organization inour state serve as a catalystfor local, grassroots effortsfocused on mitigatingpoverty in its community.All people of goodwill,regardless of their religioustradition, should be invitedto join in a collaborative andsystematic effort to attend tothe needs of Hoosier chil-dren and their families.

We propose that we setclear, measurable goals forour efforts to alleviatepoverty by meeting theneeds of married couplesand families in our state.While not all outcomes canbe easily calculated, clearlydefined goals will assist usin setting and accomplish-ing objectives that are ambi-tious, but achievable withthe help of God’s grace.

As we have alreadyobserved, there are undeni-able links between familylife, employment, educationand health care. Povertybrings intolerable stress onthe family’s ability to carryout its mission as the funda-mental unit of society. Fami-lies are called to be stewardsof all God’s gifts, and thisrequires an environment ofstability and peace that canprovide each family mem-ber with opportunities toexercise his or her responsi-bilities for the commongood. A supportive familyenvironment results inhealthier, happier and morehopeful individuals, whoare more likely to work forthe common good and par-ticipate in community activ-ities.

Work

To addressthe seriouschallengesfacing oureconomy inthe state ofIndiana today,we must lookcarefully atthe impact ofpolicies, legis-lation andgovernmentalregulations onreal people,the womenand men whostruggle toearn a living,support theirfamilies andmake endsmeet. We can-not fix theeconomy byemployingabstract theo-ry that isdetachedfrom thosewhose livesare at stake.

As St. John Paul II tells us,we cannot simply look atmaterial needs (food, shel-ter, clothing, health care,etc.), as important as theseare for individuals, familiesand communities. Weshould also foster a spiritu-ality of work, which recog-nizes its profound impacton the intellectual, social,cultural and religious life ofindividuals, families andcommunities.

The Church does not pro-pose detailed programsaimed at creating jobs orpromoting economic devel-opment. However, theChurch does remind gov-ernmental, business andcommunity leaders that theonly truly effective measureof sound economic policyand practice is the extent towhich real people thriveand grow as persons and asworkers.

In addition to the eco-nomic benefits of stableemployment, work offersindividuals increasedopportunities to enhancetheir personal dignity. Workshould be the primarymeans by which parentsprovide for their familiesand contribute to a healthycommunity. Governmental

programs should exist prin-cipally to provide an ade-quate safety net for individ-uals who are in transitionalsituations or suffer fromincapacitating illness orinjury.

• Therefore, we proposethat the state of Indianadedicate resources towardsimproving the opportunityfor Hoosier families to findmeaningful, economicallyrewarding work.

• Plans for economicdevelopment ought toinclude strategies aimed atbreaking the cycle of multi-generational poverty.

Education

A good, well-roundededucation that begins asearly in life as possibleestablishes a foundation fora promising future for chil-dren and encourages theformation of productive,contributing citizens andhealthy families. Every childshould have the opportuni-ty to develop his or her fullpotential, and it is theresponsibility of parents andthe wider community tohelp make possible thegrowth and success of allchildren.

With this in mind, webishops commit our dioce-ses, parishes, schools andsocial services agencies toworking with state and localgovernments as well asbusiness and civic leaders toachieve the following objec-tives:

• Strengthening marriageand family life by support-ing the role of parents as theprimary educators of theirchildren (including pro-grams that make it possiblefor parents to chooseschools for their childrenand to engage them moreeffectively in their children’seducation);

• Encouraging the stateof Indiana to dedicate theresources needed to providefor early childhood educa-tion, especially amongunderserved populations;

• Reducing de facto segre-gation or isolation by race,ethnicity or income in orderto provide all students withopportunities to learn withand from peers from diversesocial and economic back-grounds;

The Catholic MomentPage 14 March 15, 2015

• Achieving “best prac-tices” and effective policiesfor teaching and learning,including class size, lengthof school days, number ofschool days per year, tutor-ing and mentorships;

• Attracting, retainingand rewarding teachers andadministrators who placethe education of childrenfirst and who possess theformation necessary to meetthe needs of children fromeconomically challengedand/or socially disadvan-taged backgrounds.

Health care

We bishops in Indianarepeat the call for a genuinereform of health care that isaccessible and affordable forall. We invite all Hoosiers tojoin us in working for healthcare systems that will:

• Promote and defendhuman dignity from themoment of conception untilnatural death;

• Attend to the wholeperson (body, mind andspirit), while pursuing agenuine pluralism thatrespects freedom of religionand conscience;

• Care for poor and vul-nerable persons, regardlessof race, ethnicity, economicor social or legal status;

• Practice a careful stew-ardship of resources byrestraining costs and apply-ing them equitably acrossthe spectrum of those whomust pay for health care.

If we give priority to fam-ily life, work, education andhealth care, an economicallystrong, well-educated andhealthy Indiana will havefewer individuals, especiallymen, in prison. Unwedpregnancy rates willdecrease. More youngwomen and men will beable to pursue post-sec-ondary education and train-ing for careers. The numberof multiple-family resi-dences and the constantmigration from one resi-dence to another willdecrease, helping to providemore consistency in educa-tional opportunities for chil-dren. Fewer grandparentswill be required to assumefull responsibility for rear-ing children because moremothers and fathers will bepresent and active in their

children’s lives.

What we can do?

What can we do to helpalleviate poverty in Indiana,now and in the future?What actions can we takethat will make a differencein the lives of our fellowHoosiers who suffer fromthe immediate and long-term effects of poverty?

First, we can “stormheaven” with confidencethat our prayers will beheard and answered. As acommunity of faith, webelieve in the power ofprayer. We trust that our cryfor our “daily bread” isheard and answered by ourheavenly Father. However,prayer is also attentively lis-tening to what God has tosay to us. If we ask God tohelp us better serve theneeds of the poor, whom heloves, surely he will showus the way.

Next, we can work tostrengthen families. Startingwith our own families —our spouses, children,grandchildren and extendedfamilies — we can showthat family comes first. Wecan work to set aside someof the whirlwind of distrac-tions promoted in contem-porary culture in order tospend time with family, sup-porting and encouragingthose whom we love mostin the world. Reachingbeyond the limits of ourown families, we can shareour time and talent with ourneighbors, our fellow

parishioners and membersof our communities. We cansupport legislation and pub-lic policies that are pro-mar-riage and pro-family life. Wecan work to elect public offi-cials whose actions really dospeak louder than theirwords when it comes toprotecting and enhancingfamily life.

Then, we can advocatefor economic vitality and foraccess to affordable, qualityeducation and health care.As we have tried to demon-strate, employment, educa-tion and health care are crit-ical means for alleviatingthe long-term effects ofpoverty in our state. To thisend, we bishops stronglyurge all individuals, familiesand Catholic institutions tospeak on behalf of compre-hensive and just legislationand social policies in thesecrucial areas. We invite allpeople of good will to joinus in finding and imple-menting both immediateand long-term solutions tothe problems faced by thosewho are poor and vulnera-ble in our communities.

Finally, we all can sup-port Catholic Charities andother social service agenciesin our state through gener-ous stewardship of ourtime, talent and treasure. Asstewards of all the gifts wehave each received from agenerous and loving God,we are invited and chal-lenged to respond to theLord with increased grati-tude and generosity.

Questions for reflection

How does my communi-ty (parish, school, institu-tion) directly serve theneeds of the poor?

How could my communi-ty unite with others in astrategy to alleviate themost fundamental causes ofpoverty in Indiana?

Conclusion

In the Gospel, Jesus tellsthe parable of the great King,who sends his servants to“the highways andhedgerows” to invite every-one to his feast (cf. Lk.14:23). Today, Jesus sends us,his disciples, to the “Cross-roads of America,” to extendhis loving care for the leastof his brothers and sisters.

Loving care for the poorand vulnerable is a consis-tent theme in Sacred Scrip-ture. Our Lord’s teachingabout the last judgment isquite specific. We will bejudged worthy or unworthyof eternal life based on howwe treated Christ himself inthe “least” of his sisters andbrothers — especially thehungry and thirsty, thenaked and homeless, theprisoner and the stranger.Jesus’ admonition abouthow our lives will bejudged is pointed andunequivocal: what we do tothe poor and the destitute— “the least of these mybrothers and sisters” — wedo to the Lord himself.

This is a sober warning.Most of us think mainlyabout ourselves and aboutour families and friends.The poor? We may feel avague sense of moral obliga-tion to them, but too oftenthe poor are distant, anony-mous and invisible. That iswhy Catholic social teachinginsists that the needs of thepoor must take priority.Otherwise, we might not seethem or quickly forget aboutthem as we go about ourdaily business.

We do not mean the pub-lication of this letter to bethe final word about theChurch’s response to pover-ty in our state. We hope thatevery Catholic communitywill consider this letter, andthe five dioceses of Indianaintend to collect this reflec-tion and continue the con-versation.

Such reflection is crucialfor our mission in the worldtoday. Pope Francis invitesus to see the profound con-nection between evangeliza-tion and human advance-ment, which must necessari-ly find expression anddevelop in every effort ofevangelization (Joy of theGospel, 178). We look for-ward to working with youto proclaim the Good Newsby strengthening family life,promoting just employmentand ensuring a quality edu-cation and comprehensivehealth care for all Hoosiers,especially the poor and vul-nerable.

Given on Ash Wednesday,Feb. 18, 2015

Most Rev. Joseph W.Tobin

Archbishop of Indianapolis

Most Rev. Timothy L.Doherty

Bishop of Lafayette-in-Indiana

Most Rev. Kevin C.Rhoades

Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend

Most Rev. Charles C.Thompson

Bishop of Evansville

Most Rev. Donald J.Hying

Bishop of Gary

A pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops of Indiana

Poverty at the Crossroads

The Catholic MomentMarch 15, 2015 Page 15

Poverty *

• 22 percent of Hoosierchildren live in poverty; 17.3percent were poor in 2007.(American Community Sur-vey, 2012)

• 62,000 seniors live inpoverty. (U.S. CensusBureau, 2011)

• 15.9 percent, or1,015,127, of Indiana resi-dents lived in poverty in2013 — up from 15.6 percentin 2012. (U.S. CensusBureau, 2013)

• 34.7 percent, or2,280,000, Indiana residentslived below 200 percent ofthe federal poverty guide-lines — a measure of eco-nomic self-sufficiency.(American Community Sur-vey, U.S. Census 2012-13)

Homelessness

• 5,971 individuals werehomeless, according to theIndiana Housing and Com-munity DevelopmentAuthority, January 2014

• 654 households withdependent children werehomeless. (Indiana Housingand Community Develop-ment Authority, January2014)

Employment

• Indiana’s unemploy-ment rate is 5.7 percent.(Indiana Department ofWorkforce Development,October 2014)

• The cost of child carefor a single parent was 37percent of Indiana’s statemedian income in 2012.(National Association ofChild Care Resource andReferral Agencies, 2012)

• At $7.25 per hour, oneperson working full-time(40 hours per week, 52weeks per year) would earnjust more than $15,000 peryear — so little that withone child, he would bebelow the federal povertyline. The minimum wagewas not always this low.When comparing the valueof the minimum wage todaywith the minimum wage in1968, and inflating it to 2014dollars, the 1968 minimumwage would equate to$10.96. (Institute for Work-ing Families, 2014)

Hunger

• One in sixHoosiers strugglewith hunger —defined as thosemissing meals dueto insufficientfinancial resources.(Feeding AmericaHunger Study,2014)

• 40 percent ofpublic school chil-dren in Indianareceive free lunch-es. (Indiana YouthInstitute, 2012)

Family

• 42.7 percent of childrenborn in Indiana are born tounwed parents. (NationalCenter for Health Statistics,2011)

• The percentage of Indi-ana children living in single-parent families increasedfrom 25.7 percent to 32.8percent in 2013. (U.S. Cen-sus Bureau, 2013)

• Although on thedecline over the past fewyears, there were 8,027 abor-tions performed in Indianain 2013. (Indiana Depart-ment of Health)

• 30 percent of Hoosierchildren are responsible fortaking care of themselvesafter school. (AfterschoolAlliance, 2013)

Health

• 13 percent of Hoosierslive without health insur-ance. (Current PopulationSurvey, 2011; data followingthe Affordable Care Act isnot yet available)

• 71,000 Indiana childrenlive with serious mentalhealth issues. (National Sur-vey of Children’s Health,2013)

• 30 percent of Hoosierchildren and adults areobese. (Center for DiseaseControl)

• 10 percent of Hoosieradults suffer with diabetes.(Indiana Department ofHealth)

• 11 percent of highschool students in Indianaattempted suicide in the

past year. (Youth RiskBehavior Survey, 2012)

• 24.7 percent of Hoosierssmoke cigarettes — tied forsixth in the country.(Gallup-Healthways Wellbeing Index, 2013)

• Indiana consistentlyranks among the top threestates with the highestprevalence of methampheta-mine labs. (El Paso Intelli-gence Center EPIC &National Security SystemNSS, 2013)

Education

• 47 percent of adults inIndiana have not receivedpost-secondary education ortraining.

• 11.9 percent of adultsbetween 18 and 64 do not

have a high school degreeor GED. (American Com-munity Survey, 2012)

• While 54 percent of alljobs in Indiana are classifiedas middle-skill, only 47 per-cent of Hoosiers likely havethe skills and credentials forthese jobs. (Indiana’s For-gotten Middle Skills JobsReport, 2013 update)

• The high school gradu-ation rate for the school year2012-13 was 88.6 percent.(Indiana Department ofEducation, 2014)

• The high school gradu-ation rate for studentsreceiving a reduced-costschool lunch in the schoolyear 2012-13 was 78.8 per-cent. (Indiana Departmentof Education, 2014)

* The term “poverty” asused in these statistics is theofficial U.S. federal povertydefinition, which has notbeen updated since 1974and is not adjusted for cost-of-living differencesthroughout the country. Thefederal poverty level guide-lines for 2014 were: an indi-vidual earning less than$11,670 per year, a family offour earning less than$23,850 and a family of sixearning less than $31,970.(U.S. Department of Healthand Human Services)

A more realistic measureto understand individualsand families that are strug-gling financially is to con-sider the actual basic cost ofhousehold necessities —housing, child care, food,health care and transporta-tion (allowing nothing forentertainment, emergencies,car insurance, savings, etc.).In Indiana, the annualHousehold Survival Budget(or basic cost of living) for asingle adult is $17,026 and$46,495 for a family of four.

Using these much morerealistic figures, 37 percentof Indiana households(922,432) struggle to affordjust the basic householdnecessities. This is morethan double the number ofhouseholds officiallyreferred to as poor. It furtherhighlights the fact that thecost of basic householdexpenses in Indiana is morethan most jobs can support.(Indiana United Way Asso-ciation of United Ways,ALICE Report, 2013)

Poverty at the CrossroadsA pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops of Indiana

Indiana statistics