An imminent closure of the United States government could affect Catholic churches and institutions that depend on government financing.
The closure, which would happen if legislators fail to agree on an expense package to finance the federal government, could interrupt the possibility that the military attend Mass, stop the delivery of subsidized foods to preschool children in Catholic schools and limit assistance for churches.
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Until now, Congress has not reached an agreement to finance federal agencies when the new fiscal year on October 1 begins.
A closure would mean that housing, health and food programs for needy people could suffer chain delays, according to a statement of September 26, Catholic Charities USA.
“A government closure would cause more people to fall into poverty, and the recovery of a setback could take several months or even years,” says the statement.
“What we can all accept is that the poorest and most vulnerable of society should not suffer because legislators fail to reach an agreement,” he adds.
In addition to the programs linked to the Church, a closure would affect a variety of other services, such as the education of children at risk in preschool age, scientific research and subsidies to beneficial organizations.
Many Catholic entities depend on the federal financing of Head Start, an early childhood education program that offers health exams and meals to families under the federal poverty level.
Military Masses and Security in the Churches
Los Military religious services They could also be affected in a prolonged closure. During the extended closure of 2013, the Archdiocese for United States military services He warned that he would not have Catholic priests to celebrate the Sunday Mass in chapels of some military bases, where priests not belonging to active duty work as government contractors.
A spokesman for the Archdiocese for the United States military services did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
Federal efforts to “maintain safe and protected temples” could also be weakened in the Cybersecurity Agency and Infrastructure Safety In case of a government closure. In August, two children died In a mass shooting in the Church of the Annunciation in Minneapolis.
The Federal Agency provides resources that help places of worship to protect their physical and digital infrastructure. Before a government closure that was avoided by little in 2023, The department had already warned that “it would also be forced to suspend both physical and cybersecurity evaluations for government and industrial partners.”
Federal agencies have not yet published contingency plans For a possible closure, and the security agency did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.
Kathleen Murphy
Kathleen Murphy is Editor Manager of Catholic News Agency. She has worked as a reporter and editor at CQ Roll Call, Mlex Market Insight, FTC Watch, Statelline.org and Internet World. It was the first “Journalist in Residence” at Marymount University. At the beginning of his career, he was head of the Marco Island office for Naples Daily News (Florida). He obtained a degree at the Medill School of Journalism of the Northwestern University and a Master’s Degree at Yale School of Divinity.