Catholic Bishops Conference to Host Webcast: Strengthening the Circle of Protection After the Election

No matter how Tuesday's presidential and congressional election turn out, the pressure to cut programs for poor and hungry people here at home and in other countries is going to continue.

Many of the members of the coalition that came together to urge Congress and the President to form a Circle of Protection around programs that help the most vulnerable in our society are planning some sort of meeting or event to take stock of what the election.  The topic is going to be a part of the discussions for our Bread for the World board of directors on Nov. 12-13.

And the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has scheduled a webinar for next Thursday, Nov. 8, to discusss ways to strengthen the Circle of Protection after the election. Here is a note from the USCCB: 

At a time of persistently high poverty and joblessness, programs that serve poor and vulnerable families in their time of need must be protected. Shortly after Election Day, Congress will return to the Capitol to complete its work for the year.
 
Tune in to our post-election webinar on Thursday, November 8 at 2:00 PM (Eastern Time) to hear what's at stake and what we need to do to ensure that Congress helps, rather than hurts, people at home and abroad struggling to live in dignity. Register here!

On a related note, we look forward to a new document from the USCCB on the moral dimensions of the economy.  The document is scheduled for release at the USCCB's meeting in Baltimore on Nov. 12-15.

Here is another interesting tidbits from the upcoming USCCB meeting. 

Prior to the General Assembly, on Sunday, November 11, USCCB Communications will host “An Encounter with Social Media: Bishops and Bloggers Dialogue,” at which a study on the social media practices of Catholics by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) will be released.

Finally, check out the redesigned Catholics Confront Global Poverty Web site. CCGP is a collaborative effort by the USCCB and Catholic Relief Services.  The new site is more interactive and offers immediate opportunities for action.  The simpler layout also allows for the most important issues to be highlighted.