Father Sirico addresses Renewal Alliance luncheon

from NewsLink, Vol. 1, No. 4, Summer 1997

People no longer believe they can get what they need from the state. This, said Father Robert A. Sirico, is positive. When we rely on our own resources, we are innately stronger. When we build upon civic virtue and reinvigorate the sense of responsibility that girds families, we make our society stronger. If we have lost our way, it is because we have lost our sense of community.

Father Sirico, president of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was guest speaker at the June meeting of the Renewal Alliance in Washington, D.C. The lunch, held in the Cannon House Office Building, brought together policymakers, legislative aides and individuals interested in compassionate welfare reform. It was co-hosted by the Beacon Hill Institute and the David R. Macdonald Foundation.

"Poverty is not an economic problem," Father Sirico said. Alleviating poverty comes from charity that goes to deeper human needs and that is met at the nearest local level possible. Private charities, particularly local organizations, are ideally suited for this and must have a greater role in ending dependency. Local organizations can mimic the community of the family, in which each member is both valued and held accountable. When people are forgotten, there is a diminution of their moral fiber.

Poverty may not be an economic problem, but a healthy economy is part of the solution. Father Sirico observed that where there is prosperity there are more opportunities for charity. A vibrant economy means more wealth for anti-poverty programs and more opportunity for the middle class to help. Father Sirico urged allowing people to help alleviate poverty by making it easier for them to contribute to charitable causes. Since an "active charitable sector gets the job done," he urged that we empower charitable organizations through the compassion tax credit.

"People are creative. People are more productive than consumptive" said Father Sirico. We can watch as the welfare state continues to wither away or we can move decisively to support private initiative. It's an obvious choice.

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