Your Diocese

ROMEOVILLE, IL —The eradication of global hunger is unquestionably within reach, asserted the Rev. Mariah Priggen, regional organizer of Bread for the World, Chicago, the Midwest branch of the non-partisan association comprised of 54,000 people of faith across the United States bent on eliminating domestic and worldwide poverty.

At the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000, representatives from 189 nations, including the United States, vowed to allocate financial resources to meet an assortment of outreach objectives, known as the Millennium Development Goals, said Rev. Priggen as she addressed a group of nearly 25 people at a hunger workshop sponsored by the Joliet diocesan Peace and Social Justice Ministry March 18 at St. Charles Borromeo Pastoral Center in Romeoville.

Mulling over predications and recommendations of the United Nations, the Presbyterian minister from Chicago said that achieving the various goals and objectives, including the halt of HIV/AIDS cases in developing regions and the assurance of primary education for children as well as the empowerment of women, would certainly pave the way for eliminating hunger by the 2015 target.

In order to meet the Millennium Development Goals, the people living in wealthy countries, including Americans, must significantly increase financial aid, Rev. Priggen said.

President George W. Bush has made public commitments to helping achieve the Millennium Development Goals, said Rev. Priggen. He plans to double federal assistance to people surviving in regions in desperate need of assistance, especially poverty-stricken countries in northern Africa, she said. Those in hopeless circumstances, however, will not receive these life-altering resources unless Congress approves the president’s assurances through the federal budget and appropriations process.

Imploring the people to take action, the guest speaker encouraged them to help their fellow parishioners come onboard with Bread for the World’s current hunger campaign, dubbed “One Spirit. One Will. Zero Poverty.” The crusade calls for faithful constituents to mount letter-writing campaigns at their respective faith communities aimed at garnering legislative attention and support for the allocation of an additional 1 percent of the U.S. budget for anti-hunger programs aboard, which is an increase of $25 billion per year.

“As Christians, we are commanded to address this. God can speak through us,” Rev. Priggen said, describing the campaign. If approved, the appropriated funds would dramatically enhance the lives of the 1.1 billion people who live on less than $1 per day, while helping meet the Millennium Development Goals. “This is an issue of faith. This is a moral decision,” she said. “It’s a matter of priorities,” added the ordained minister, mentioning the United States spends massive sums on defense and military operations.

Explaining the overall letter-writing campaign, Rev. Priggen recommended that people explore their parish resources, form a team for the endeavor and network with Bread for the World representatives for advisement and informational materials. The visiting minister was quick to encourage parishioners to write the letters by hand rather than copying and pasting standard e-mail messages. “This shows that the person has taken time and cares about the issue. Handwritten letters are extremely effective,” she said.

An “offering of letters” ceremony within worship services and liturgies at churches is a sacred and intimate method for seeking the Lord’s approval for the project, said Rev. Priggen.

“We bring our letters up with the bread and wine” during the offertory at Mass, said Mike Huck, a member of St. Raphael Parish in Naperville in attendance at the workshop. The celebrating priest then blesses the letters in the midst of the weekend liturgy, he said. Members of his suburban faith community have utilized the Bread for the World format and materials for five consecutive years. Advertisements about the campaign and information about poverty are often placed in the parish bulletin, he added.

In spring 2005, more than 1,000 parishioners sent handwritten letters to state representatives, Huck mentioned. “Forty percent were from young people,” the volunteer said. He frequently talks with children from the parish youth and religious education programs about the endeavor. The adult moderators and teachers learn about the issues along with the children, he said. Typically, the students share the information with their parents.

Along with the other parish members currently organizing similar letter-writing campaigns in the seven-county Joliet Diocese, the people of St. Isidore Parish in Bloomingdale have also utilized the Bread for the World format as well as parishioners of St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Elizabeth Seton parishes in Naperville and Mary Queen of Heaven Parish in Elmhurst, said Huck.

Mary Queen of Heaven parishioner Milt Honel described the formal blessing of the letters as a “marvelous” idea. The parishioners of his faith community had initiated the letter writing campaign last year, but hadn’t incorporated the ceremonial blessing. This year, he asserted that his parish would likely hold the ceremony within a weekend liturgy to illustrate the connection between faith and outreach. “It will give them a better understanding,” he said, talking about his fellow parishioners.

“Our democracy does work,” said Thomas Garlitz, director of the diocesan Peace and Social Justice Ministry, as he addressed the people gathered about the importance of making their opinions and convictions known in legislative circles. Speaking about the hunger workshop with Your Diocese, the activist said, “This is a great introduction into legislative advocacy.” He mentioned that the letter writing campaign sponsored by Bread for the World is a simple method to implement at parishes and faith communities. “It gets people involved,” he added, endorsing the campaign.

During the workshop, exchange students from Bolivia talked about the trials of life in the poverty-stricken South American country. Other speakers interested in curbing global poverty talked at the event as well, including John St. Laurent of the Joliet diocesan Council for Global Solidarity and Missions.

While the majority of people who attended the morning hunger workshop hailed from Catholic parishes within the Diocese of Joliet, others came from surrounding Protestant congregations. Jon Montgomery and Jamie Addams of Our Redeemer United Methodist Church in Schaumburg listened and interacted with the others at the meeting. “This is very encouraging,” said Montgomery, talking about the importance of ecumenical cooperation to one day eliminate hunger. The two visitors agreed that they would suggest the letter writing campaign upon returning to their congregation.

For more information or to get a parish involved with Bread for the World, visit www.bread.org.