What We Value / Social Justice / Justice Issues / Hunger & Poverty

Issue: Hunger & Poverty

In 1986 the United States Catholic Bishops wrote Economic Justice for All, a pastoral letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy. In it they state, "As followers of Christ, we are challenged to make a fundamental 'option for the poor'—to speak for the voiceless, to defend the defenseless, to assess life styles, policies, and social institutions in terms of their impact on the poor. This 'option for the poor' does not mean pitting one group against another, but rather, strengthening the whole community by assisting those who are most vulnerable. As Christians, we are called to respond to the needs of all our brothers and sisters, but those with the greatest needs require the greatest response. (16) Click here to read the document.

Twenty years later, Catholic Charities USA, reflecting on poverty in the United States, notes that "there has been a conscious and deliberate retreat from our nation's commitment to economic justice for those who are poor." In response to this disheartening reality, Catholic Charities USA launched a campaign to reduce poverty in America noting that "poverty in America is a a threat to the common good." For more information on this campaign, including fact sheets, policy paper and helpful resources, click here

Catholic Relief Services and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are also promoting a campaign against global poverty. For more information, click here.