Editorial

In his ministry on this earth, Jesus especially reached out to the sick, the hungry, the lonely, the isolated - persons forgotten by the rest of society. In his Sermon on the Mount, he urged his followers to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit prisoners. He told his disciples, Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me.

	Related article: • Bishop's Letter --     Catholic Relief Services

Today, we still find "Jesus in disguise" in people throughout the world. Many of them are refugees seeking safe haven from war-torn countries. Jesus might be found in the victims of deadly diseases. He may be in disguise in families impoverished by crushing national debt, reminds Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in his appeal for the annual collection for Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

Caring for urgent needs. The collection will be taken in Catholic parishes across the country March 17 to 18. The generosity of Catholics to the CRS collection is critical to the work of the church in caring for the urgent needs of our brothers and sisters around the world who are victims of war, persecution, disasters, and poverty.

For over 60 years, the CRS collection has made it possible to reach out in love and solidarity - materially and spiritually - to "Jesus in disguise" around the world.

Last year Catholics contributed more than $16 million to this collection. This year Catholics again are being asked to support the less fortunate as part of the Lenten season.

The CRS Collection supports agencies that build the international social ministry of the Catholic Church through advocacy on behalf of powerless and impoverished people and through relief, recovery, and resettlement services to victims of earthquakes, floods, war, and religious and ethnic persecution.

How funds are used. The CRS Collection asks Catholics to see "Jesus in disguise" in the faces of the poor, the hungry, and the disadvantaged and to support ongoing efforts to respond to their needs through the church's international social ministry. Examples of how funds are used:

• Providing emergency aid in the form of shelter, water and sanitation, education, and food to thousands of Sudanese refugees and internally displaced people in the midst of civil unrest

• Resettling refugees from countries such as Afghanistan, Burma, and Liberia who have fled persecution and threats of torture

• Offering life-saving legal services to victims of torture and oppression to help them obtain asylum in the U.S.

CRS provides humanitarian assistance to people in 99 countries regardless of race, creed, or nationality. I urge people to be generous in giving to "Jesus in Disguise" through Catholic Relief Services. More details about the collection are available at www.usccb.org/crscollection

Mary C. Uhler

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