The Vision

To mobilize the Catholic Church and all people

of good will in the state of Indiana to
significantly reduce poverty and its resulting
suffering in our state.

Why Now?

CCUSA Reduce Poverty in

America campaign
USCCB PovertyUSA campaign
Deus Caritas Est
Lived experience at Catholic
Charities
Several new bishops

Why now and in Indiana?

Increasing
o
o
o
o
o
o

Poverty rate
Numbers of the poor presenting themselves for services
Numbers of working poor
Out-of-wedlock pregnancy
Violent crime
High school drop-outs

Changing rural environment

o Movement of industry out of rural Indiana
o increase of mega-farming or death of the family farm

Drugs & criminal activity

o 2nd worst methamphetamine problem in the country
o Jails and prisons bursting with incarcerated men and women

Large, growing population of immigrants

o Language barriers
o Low wage work

Developing a Circle of Influence

Received the blessing of our bishops
Called together the Catholic Charities
directors in the state
Assembled a state-wide committee
Representatives from: Catholic hospitals,
religious communities, CC, Catholic education at
multiple levels, St. Vincent de Paul

Met bi-monthly to further develop the

vision and build support & momentum

Statewide Poverty Summit

Partnered with the University of Notre
Dame Center for Social Concerns
Invited representatives from each diocese
100 attended reps from health care,
education, business, Catholic Charities, St.
Vincent de Paul, pastors
All 5 Indiana bishops attended a minor
miracle!

The Poverty Summit Agenda

8:00
89
9:00
9:15

Mass
Registration
Welcome Bishop Kevin Rhoades
Context for Poverty Summit David Siler,
Catholic Charities

9:30

Poverty in the USA & Indiana

Fr. Larry Snyder poverty in USA
Sheila Gilbert, St. Vincent de Paul Indiana
Poverty

10:30
11:00
12:15
1:15

Discussion all
Poverty Panel
Lunch (Lab for Economic Opportunity LEO)
Setting the Context for Reducing Poverty

Poverty Summit Agenda cont.

1:30

Working Groups by Diocese

What one or two efforts/goals would break the cycle of poverty
in Indiana?
What actions may be useful, in the areas of education, advocacy,
service and spirituality, to reach these goals?

3:15

Report back

3:45

Next Steps - David Siler & Bill Purcell (Center for

Social Concerns)

4:15

Consensus Building & Wrap-up - Archbishop

Tobin

5:00

Closing Prayer

Pastoral Letter
Needs
o Writers
o Data
o Theme

Understand bishops
o calendar of meetings
o system of communication

Patience, persistence, thick skin

Challenges
Working with multiple entities
Understanding/knowledge of problem
Perspective of response

Working with multiple bishops

Same as above

Working from a distance

Time commitment of writers
Moving to deliverables too
quickly

Selecting Outcome Measures

One (and only one) major goal
o Result of Poverty Summit
o Strengthen families

Several sub-categories
o Family
o Work
o Health
o Children

From Letter to Plan

Plan is implementation of letter

Action oriented
Common goals
Common resource commitment
Good communication
Web site
Evaluation/Outcome reporting

Measurable dashboard
outcomes