Despite difficult year, Catholic Charities chief sees signs of hope

Published: 2006-02-27

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CNS) -- It hasn't been an easy first year for Father Larry Snyder as president of Catholic Charities USA. There have been battles over immigration reform and the federal budget, struggles to keep the needs of the poor and vulnerable in the public eye, and, looming over everything for the past six months, the tragic effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Gulf Coast region and the massive reconstruction effort now under way. But through it all, the priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has found signs of hope, gratitude for the world's generosity and a renewed appreciation for the tens of thousands of Catholic Charities staff members and volunteers around the country who have stepped up to the new challenges. "They say that a tragedy tests the moral fiber, and Katrina and Rita tested the moral fiber of this country," Father Snyder said. "But it also tested the church and the Catholic Charities network, and we came out of it looking pretty good."

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