'Are you better off: is the wrong question'

National Catholic Reporter, Oct 4, 1996

The election-year question that asks "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" emphasizes selfish interests and speaks poorly of national priorities, the president of Catholic Charities USA said.

"The answer is, 'Wrong question,'" said Jesuit Fr. Fred Kammer in a Sept 20 address to the City Club in Cleveland. "The appropriate question is, 'How are we doing as a people, as a nation?' Too much of our politics is a rank appeal to our selfishness."

Kammer's speech to the civic group preceded the annual meeting of Catholic Charities USA held in Cleveland Sept. 20-23.

"The fundamental appeal to the 'common good,' which is deep in Catholic teaching and in our national history is one we will hear all too infrequently," Kammer said.

Missing from campaign rhetoric is an acknowledgment that the federal government and most of its social programs work well. Even programs that clearly need changes, such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children, have their most dramatic problems at the state level, where there often is less will, experience or resources to manage a social safety net, the continued. That wasn't taken into account adequately in the recent welfare reform bill, the said.

Kammer also offered other statements he said are unlikely to be heard from candidates, including:

* "Takes are good, and paying taxes reflects our moral obligations and should call forth greater personal political responsibility."

* "Most poor people are good, but not all people can pull themselves up by the bootstraps."

* "Churches F. Kammer cannot substitute for government in doing justice."

Bishop Anthony M. Pilla of Cleveland also emphasized that the government must accept its responsibility to help the neediest of its citizens.

"The pursuit of progress without a concern for those left behind cannot succeed," he added. "Securing a future without safequarding the dignity of every person will fail."

In the keynote address at the Catholic Charities convention, Pilla said that "these are not easy times to be people of hope," noting the new federal welfare reform law and other attempts to cut services and programs to the poor.

"There are those in this nation who profess their faith in God but without a corresponding concern for the poor The gospel says otherwise," he said. "To those who think we can have belief without compassion, we cannot. To those who believe we can show concern without commitment, we do not. To those who believe we can show concern without commitment, we do not. To those who hope we might enjoy God's mercy without being merciful, we will not." Pilla is president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

During the meeting, Sr. Helen Prejean, author of the book Dead Man Walking, was given Catholic Charities' Vision 2000 Award. The award recognizes people who live out the Catholic Charities goal of proclaiming the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the person" through their work with individuals, families and communities.

Prejean, a Sister of St. Joseph of Medaille, has counseled death-row immates, founded a crime victims' advocacy group and worked with the poor in New Orleans' inner city.*