Catholic Relief Services Archives

For 20 million people, conflict added to drought means no food to eat
- Catholic News Service, Global Church
- August 20, 2017
Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeast Nigeria are all on the brink of famine, and the United Nations has called this the largest humanitarian crisis in the 70 years of its existence. The civil wars and terrorist groups like Boko Haram as well as the lack of infrastructure and isolation from the rest of the world have all exacerbated drought and food shortages to create a catastrophic situation for millions of people.
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With help from church groups, Iraqis begin return to Nineveh Plain
- Catholic News Service, Global Church
- August 8, 2017
Although Iraqi forces recaptured Qaraqosh, about nine miles from the edge of Mosul, from the Islamic State last October, it took many months before Christians felt comfortable enough to return, and their numbers are not huge. So far, 200 houses have been rebuilt in Qaraqosh, with another 111 on the way. Qaraqosh once had 50,000 people.
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Where’s the blockbuster for the ‘Dunkirk in reverse’ in Iraq and Syria?
- Analysis
- July 30, 2017
Right now, a gripping Hollywood blockbuster recalls the heroism of Dunkirk, when trapped Allied troops were rescued during WWII. However, there’s an equally stirring “Dunkirk in reverse” going on before our eyes in Iraq and Syria, and American Catholics are playing a starring role — not only in saving embattled Christians, but giving them hope of better things to come.
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The orphan myth: Exposing the truth about orphanages

Why are so many children with parents living in an orphanage? The biggest single cause is poverty, followed by limited access to basic services, such as education and health care. Most children in orphanages today have at least one living parent, who gave them up in the belief an orphanage offers a better life. They’re wrong.

Callahan: Want to slow immigration? Invest in helping people stay home

Sean Callahan, CEO of Catholic Relief Services, the official overseas humanitarian and development assistance arm of the U.S. bishops, has a potentially surprising card to play in defense of federal spending on helping other countries: Do it, he said, and you’ll find that keeping undocumented immigrants out of the U.S. becomes a whole lot easier … don’t do it, and it won’t really matter what walls you try to put up.

USCCB convocation needs humility to hear people’s voices and anguish

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is staging a major convocation of laity, clergy and religious in Orlando over the July 4 holiday. Carolyn Woo, former CEO of Catholic Relief Services, says if the gathering’s to be effective, it will require the humility to include the voices of all, including those who’ve been hurt by the Church.