Cardinal praises Pittsburgh foundation that funds Catholic education

Published: 2006-10-11

PITTSBURGH (CNS) -- Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, said that in all his travels he has never seen an organization like the Extra Mile Education Foundation in Pittsburgh, which helps provide a Catholic education for children from low-income families, many of whom are not Catholic. He praised the foundation for not only helping "children who are disadvantaged from the financial point of view," but also for having the support of "not just Catholics, but Episcopalians, other Christians, Jews, who are convinced of this good effort, and who give and who serve" on the organization's committees. "This is good news," he said during a visit to the Pittsburgh Diocese in late September. Making sacrifices "to educate young people is one of the best investments. You invest in human beings, build up human beings and many things will become better -- state, society, church," he said. Cardinal Arinze was the principal celebrant and homilist at a Mass Sept. 28 at Holy Rosary Church of St. Charles Lwanga Parish.

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