August 16: Alleviating Suffering

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is August 16th, and our story is Alleviating Suffering. They were in Europe when World War II left millions displaced, and millions more without food or clothing. They were in India and Pakistan when the formerly United States divided, resulting in widespread violence and mass migration. They were also in Ethiopia during the time of famine, in Rwanda during a time of genocide, and in Kosovo during a time of ethnic cleansing. Then they went to Thailand when a tsunami struck, and Haiti when an For more than 70 years, wherever hunger or war or natural disaster has struck, Catholic Relief Services has been there, too, providing material assistance to all God's children, regardless of race, nationality, or creed.

Their mission of ministering to those in need began on August 16, 1943, when the United States bishops appointed Father Patrick O'Boyle, the future Archbishop of Washington, as the first Executive Director of War Relief Services. As war raged in Europe, the American bishops founded war relief services to provide immediate material aid to the refugees then flooding America's cities, in addition to the needy and displaced persons in war-torn Europe. At the time, they saw the undertaking as short-term, something simply for the duration of World War II and its immediate aftermath.

By 1947, however, the endeavor had proved so successful that, with the assistance of U.S. government grants, the bishops expanded its mandate to assist in other troubled parts of the globe. Seven decades later, the renamed Catholic Relief Services provides both emergency aid and long-term development programming to more than 130 million people in approximately 100 countries and territories.

Guided by Catholic social teaching, CRS's 5,000 employees worldwide address immediate needs for food, shelter, and medical care in places ravaged by war and natural disaster. They also assist communities in sustainable development efforts, including agricultural initiatives, community banking, health education, and clean water projects. For good reason, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops set of CRS in 2013, its service around the world makes us all proud.

Catholic Relief Services' example shows that faith expressed through service can reach across borders, culture, and conflict, embodying the universal love of God for all humanity. Today, find a way that you can support or volunteer with an organization serving the vulnerable, whether through donation, advocacy, or direct assistance.

Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, August 17th, for another story of faith and courage in America.