The Catholic Social Action Office strives to build the capacity of the diocesan Church to act effectively in defense of human dignity, human rights and the pursuit of justice and peace. Staff members interact with the community at large through efforts such as homeless shelters, food pantries, meal programs, welfare reform, violence prevention, healthcare and advocacy. Whenever possible, an ecumenical and interfaith perspective is sought.
The Catholic Social Action Office includes the following programs:
- Catholic Campaign for Human Development
- Catholic Relief Services
- Operation Rice Bowl
- CRS Fair Trade Program
- Rural Life Ministry
- Voices for Justice
- Wisconsin Catholic Conference
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is the domestic anti-poverty program of the Catholic Church in the United States. Through CCHD, the Church helps to develop a just society by funding self-help projects and through justice education programs. Locally, funds for Catholic Campaign for Human Development are collected as part of the annual Spring Combined Collections program.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) provides direct aid to the poor and involves people in their own development, helping them to realize their potential. CRS educates the people of the United States to fulfill their moral responsibilities toward our brothers and sisters around the world by helping the poor, working to remove the causes of poverty and promoting social justice.
For 30 years, Operation Rice Bowl has been bringing families, parishes, schools and other faith communities together during Lent to pray, fast, learn and give. Operation Rice Bowl challenges us to put our faith in action and walk in solidarity with our neighbors in need all around the world. Through daily reflection, prayer and action, Operation Rice Bowl helps people connect with their global community.
The CRS Fair Trade Program creates opportunities to make trade fairer for poor people overseas, through the choices we make about what we eat, drink and buy. Fair Trade is a new model of international trade, one that is built on right relationships between us and the people overseas who create the items we consume – relationships that respect human dignity, promote economic justice and cultivate global solidarity.
The CRS Fair Trade Coffee Program works overseas to help improve the lives of low-income coffee farmers. Here in the United States, it creates opportunities for us to make international trade fairer for them and countless others like them. Fair Trade Coffee can be purchased through Just Coffee, a Madison based company.
Rural Life Ministry attempts to meet the advocacy and spiritual needs of the rural people of the archdiocese. Staff members are involved in Rural Life Day, the interfaith Wisconsin Farmers Foundation and Project Isidore, which provides emergency relief grants to farm families in need of medical care and utilities payment.
Voices for Justice is an archdiocesan legislative network that is grounded in Catholic social teaching and works to put children and families first in public policy at the state and federal level. Staff members work closely with the Wisconsin Catholic Conference and other local, state, national and international advocacy organizations.
Voices for Justice staff members participate in annual issues briefings,training in legislative skills, action alerts during legislative sessions, opportunities to visit with legislators and government leaders, leadership development for network liaisons and opportunities for grounding our legislative actions in spiritual and theological reflections.