Catholic Charities USA to Discuss Poverty with Presidential Hopefuls on CNN

When Catholic Charities USA launched its Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America, we said we would hold our elected officials accountable in ensuring that they give a much higher priority to the needs of the poor in their policymaking decisions.

Tonight before a nationwide audience, Catholic Charities USA has an enormous opportunity to hold several of the Democratic presidential candidates accountable and hear their strategies for attending to the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable persons in society.

On CNN tonight at 7:00 pm EDT, Catholic Charities USA will be participating in the Presidential Forum on Faith, Values, and Poverty, featuring the three leading Democratic presidential contenders--Senator Hillary Clinton, former Senator John Edwards, and Senator Barack Obama.

With Father Larry Snyder away in Rome for a Caritas meeting, Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, will be representing Catholic Charities USA and the network as one of four faith leaders who will pose questions to the candidates.

Catholic Charities USA was invited to be on this panel by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (one of the event co-sponsors) who has endorsed our Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America.

Father Snyder will participate in a similar forum this fall with the Republican presidential candidates.

The forum is sponsored by CNN and Sojourners, and co-sponsored by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, the ONE Campaign, Oxfam, and Eastern University.