Papal Visit: President of Catholic Charities USA Available for Comment on Significance...

Papal Visit: President of Catholic Charities USA Available for Comment on
Significance of Pope Benedict XVI's Message of Hope

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Catholic Charities USA
and its more than 1700 member agencies across the country anxiously await the
opportunity to hear and spread Pope Benedict XVI's message of hope for all
Americans, especially the 36.5 million living in poverty.

"His Holiness will bring a renewed hope and enthusiasm to a people that has
been feeling increasingly anxious," said Rev. Larry Snyder, president of
Catholic Charities USA, noting that the United States is a nation facing an
economic downturn. "Let us open our hearts to Pope Benedict's message and make
a commitment to provide help and create hope for all those in need."

Father Snyder is available to speak on issues likely to come up during the
papal visit, including: the effects of poverty on youth and their families;
housing crisis;immigration; the connection between racism and poverty; the
role of the Catholic Church in addressing critical social issues.

Fast Facts about Catholic Charities:

-- In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI named Father Snyder to the Pontifical Council
Cor Unum, which oversees the Catholic Church's charitable activities around
the world.

-- Catholic Charities USA's members -- more than 1,700 local agencies and
institutions nationwide -- are the largest provider of social services in the
United States by the Catholic Church, providing help and creating hope for
nearly 8 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic
backgrounds.

-- For more than 280 years, local Catholic Charities agencies have been
providing a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from day
care and counseling to food and housing.

-- Last year, Catholic Charities USA launched its Campaign to Reduce Poverty
in America, which calls on policymakers and all Americans to cut the U.S.
poverty rate in half by 2020.

-- The Catholic Charities network has been ranked 4th among the nation's
largest nonprofits in the country by The NonProfit Times, which publishes the
oldest annual ranking of nonprofits in the country.

In 2006, Catholic Charities agencies reported that 52 percent of the people
they serve lived below the poverty level, compared to 50 percent in 2005, 46
percent in 2004, 40 percent in 2003, and 43 percent in 2002. In addition, 40
percent of Catholic Charities clients received public assistance.

For more information, visit www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org.

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA

Shelley Borysiewicz, +1-703-236-6218, sborysiewicz@CatholicCharitiesUSA.org,
or Colleen Sutton, +1-703-236-6240, +1-571-926-6075,
csutton@CatholicCharitiesUSA.org, both of Catholic Charities USA