Bishops ask for vital donations for CRS after freezing federal aid

American bishops have highlighted what they describe as the “very urgent importance” of the annual Catholic Relief Services (CRS) collection due to the loss at the beginning of this year of federal aid for refugees and migrants.

“Every year, the United States Catholic Bishop Conference (USCCB) comforts and helps people from all over the world suffering from wars, natural disasters, violent persecution or extreme poverty,” the bishops said Monday In a statement.

“That work is possible thanks to the contributions to the collection of Catholic Relief Services,” they said.

Mons. Daniel Mumegenborg, president of the USCCB National Collects Committee, said that at the beginning of this year the United States Government “abruptly suspended the financing of its refugee resettlement program and then rescinded the cooperation agreements for such work, which affected thousands of refugees that the Government had put in charge of the USCCB for resettlement assistance.”

CRS has been struggling to obtain funds since the Trump administration ordered significant cuts to external aid and refugee programs in January. The USCCB previously urged Catholics to take actionasking the members of Congress to stop the cuts.

“And with equally abrupt suspension orders of humanitarian aid work abroad, help organizations such as Catholic Relief Services cannot keep their work abroad, carrying food, vital medications and essential items to people in need,” said Mumegenborg.

“And with equally abrupt suspension orders of humanitarian aid work abroad, help organizations such as Catholic Relief Services cannot keep their work abroad, carrying food, vital medications and essential items to people in need,” said Mumegenborg.

CRS said in January that US foreign aid “provides vital emergency assistance and supports long -term development programs that help families and communities develop resilience, reducing the need for humanitarian aid in the future.”

In addition, “due to the suspension of financing, the USCCB and its local associated organizations have begun to fire dozens of employees, and this has irreparably damaged the USCCB associations with local groups and their ability to provide assistance to refugees in the future,” the bishops said.

The USCCB said that the collection funds will help Catholic Relief Services to “offer relief in disaster cases and economic development initiatives among the poorest people” of developing countries.

In addition, the collection will contribute to the pastoral needs of Catholics of different cultures and will promote defense and help the poor. The bishops said that the collection will also help victims of war and persecution fleeing the United States and will provide legal assistance to refugees and migrants.

“Donations to this year’s collection will be vital for Catholic initiatives aimed at revealing Christ’s love to those in need,” the statement concluded.

The collection will be made on the weekend of March 29 and 30.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.