Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

As Catholics and Americans, we are blessed to be able to participate in our nation’s political and public life. Our freedoms respect the dignity of individuals and their consciences and allow us to come together for the common good. Election seasons, therefore, should contain a sense of gratitude and hope. Our love for this country, our patriotism, properly impels us to vote.

But increasingly, it seems, election seasons are a time of anxiety and spiritual trial. Political rhetoric is increasingly angry, seeking to motivate primarily through division and hatred. Fear can be an effective tool for raising money. The most heated arguments online often get the most clicks. Demonizing the other can win votes.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -— Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund (KCCF) announced today that it
has crossed a significant milestone by surpassing charitable grants of more than $100 million
made to Catholic and charitable organizations since its launch in 2019.

“Reaching $100 million in granting is a dream realized,” said Dennis Gerber, President of
Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund. “And for KCCF to achieve this charitable impact in just
five years is very encouraging for our work going forward. While this is an outstanding
milestone, we believe it is just the first of many in our work of building a powerful new engine
for supporting the Church and our communities.”

KCCF has grown to become a prominent national donor-advised fund created by Catholics, for
Catholics. Today, KCCF has more than $120 million in total assets under management and has
distributed over 11,000 grants to more than 2,000 organizations across North America, Europe,
and Asia. With KCCF’s donor-advised fund, donors can be assured that their investments and
charitable grants are consistent with the values and teachings of the Catholic Church.
This important milestone is the result of generous donors who have leveraged the advantages of

KCCF’s donor-advised fund program to make a greater impact to an array of causes, including
higher education, evangelization, religious formation, and pro-life apostolates.

“St. Paul’s admonition to be ‘a cheerful giver’ is a driving force behind what we do with
KCCF,” Gerber said. “Our goal is to help provide the tools to inspire Catholics to give more
generously and have a larger impact on organizations that are doing great work.”

Those interested in learning more about KCCF are invited to visit www.knightscharitable.org.

WASHINGTON – “We welcome today’s announcement and the hope it brings to thousands of American families who have grappled with the fear of separation for a decade or more,” said Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, following the Biden Administration’s announcement of a new program for the undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens. The program allows select individuals who have resided in the country for at least ten years to apply for parole in place, which offers access to legal work authorization and protection from removal if granted, as well as the potential to apply for permanent legal status in certain cases. A similar program has been available to military service members and their families for several years. This comes days after the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program marked twelve years since it was first announced.

Speaking as chairman of the Committee on Migration for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Seitz stated:

“As we commemorate the twelfth anniversary of DACA, we’ve seen the positive impacts such programs can have, not only for beneficiaries themselves but for the families, employers, and communities that rely on them. This new program is sure to yield similar benefits. However, as the fate of DACA hangs in the balance, we also know how insufficient these programs are. Legislators have a moral and patriotic duty to improve our legal immigration system, including the opportunities available for family reunification and preservation. A society is only as strong as its families, and family unity is a fundamental right. For the good of the country, Congress must find a way to overcome partisan divisions and enact immigration reform that includes an earned legalization program for longtime undocumented residents.”