GLOBAL SOLIDARITY

Embracing Global Solidarity

n 1943, as war raged across But emergency relief is only a part of the agen­ cy's work. CRS also helps communities develop Europe, thousands of bedraggled the resources they need to sustain themselves. Polish refugees fleeing Soviet Our overseas assistance efforts in 99 countries 1 around the world involve programming that forced labor camps streamed across The Rwandan helps farmers improve their yields; provides assis­ the border of Iran. Most were tance to vulnerable people such as women, chil­ Genocide Forced dren, and orphans; assists poor people in access­ women and children, or very old ing credit; improves community health and nutri­ this men, their bodies emaciated, their tion; and increases opportunities for education. Underlying this work is a commitment to the Agency to Change feet swollen and bleeding. Realiz­ U.S. Catholic bishops' call for global solidarity. the Way It Works ing they had reached sanctuary, CRS sees itself as an agency that promotes global solidarity, justice, and human dignity through in the World many fell to their knees and wept. programs of relief and development. But this has There to meet them were representatives not always been how CRS saw itself. of a newly formed agency, War Relief This is the a story of a relief agency that experi­ Services, representing the mercy and good­ enced tremendous growth, struggled with its will of American Catholics. From these identity, and went through a transformation fos­ beginnings, that charitable organization tered by rediscovering a source of its Catholic tra­ would become Catholic Relief Services dition. (CRS), the official relief and development agency of the U.S. Catholic community. CRS's HISTORY Today, CRS is known for its response to From its beginning, CRS has always understood the world's high-profile emergencies and itself as a Catholic agency. But for much of our disasters, like the Indian Ocean tsunami, the history, our identity and mission was as an agency earthquake in Pakistan, and the ongoing that performed the corporal : to conflict in Darfur. feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, and so forth. We first did this in the context of war relief: resettling refugees, min­ istering to orphans, and providing other assis­ tance. A confluence of events in the mid-1950s helped the agency to expand: the end of colonial rule in and , the beginnings of the Cold War, and the granting of U.S. government funds to CRS as a result of the Truman Doctrine. BY KEN HACKETT & DAVE PIRAINO The agency's name was officially changed to Ken Hackett is president and Dave Piraino Catholic Relief Services in 1955, and the next 10 years saw it open 25 country programs in Africa, is director of human resources, Catholic Asia, , and the Middle East. Our Relief Services, . programming focused on the provision of basic relief, including simple distributions of food,

14 • JULY - AUGUST 2006 HEALTH PROGRESS SPECIAL SECTION

clothing, and medicines. As we grew, our programming focus widened, adapting to meet the needs of the post-World War II and the circumstances of the people we encountered. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was an evolution toward socio-eco­ nomic development and more efficient emergency response. Although this evolu­ tion was for CRS a positive step, it was largely secular in nature and driven by increased funding from the government. Events in the late 1980s and early 1990s fundamentally changed the world in which we worked. Those years brought two new factors. The first was the end of the Cold War, which led to volatile politi­ CRS agent Abdoulaye Bawa distributes grain in Niger cal and social climates in many developing during a 2005 food crisis. and Third World countries. Throughout Africa and parts of Europe, Asia, and Latin America, governments were weak­ expanded our programming. There was ened—and sometimes destroyed—by eth­ an increasing sense that the agency's iden­ nic conflict coupled with famine, tity was being obscured, and this caused drought, and other natural disasters. our mission to come under question. At the same time, many CRS staff That process of introspection intensified members began to reflect seriously on the under new leadership when Ken Hackett strengths and weaknesses of the agency's was named executive director of CRS in approach to development. This was the 1993. second factor. There was a growing Then came an event that forever recognition that CRS had slowly drifted changed us as people and as an institu­ from its moorings. On the one hand, we tion: the Rwandan genocide. knew what we did when we handed out By 1994, CRS had been working in packets of food in Europe and, later, in Rwanda for three decades, since before the developing world. But now we had that nation won its independence. Our

SUMMARY For more than 60 years, Catholic latter part of the 20th century, it Changing the way the organization Relief Services (CRS) has provided wasn't until the mid-1990s that the approaches relief has been an exten­ emergency relief overseas. But the agency questioned its foundational sive process. Staff members developed guiding principles underlying the orga­ principles and made an organization- a strategic plan, held retreats and work­ nization's work have evolved over wide move toward change. shops to define the concept of justice, time—particularly over the last The impetus for change was the educated colleagues worldwide on the decade—as staff members have 1994 Rwandan genocide crisis. CRS new approach, facilitated "Justice adopted a new view of their role in staff members were deeply affected: Reflections" to explore the basics of supporting people in need worldwide. not only were their aid programs , and developed In CRS' early years, its focus was on destroyed; they also lost friends, col­ guiding principles and a vision. corporal works of mercy: providing leagues, and family members. CRS Despite challenges, CRS is success­ food, drink, clothing, and other materi­ staff realized that unless they fully transforming itself into an agency al goods. Although the organization's addressed the justice issues underly­ that not only provides physical relief breadth of services and geographic ing their beneficiaries' concerns, their but also strives to help build a culture presence expanded throughout the aid would have minimal impact. of justice, peace, and reconciliation.

HEALTH PROGRESS JULY - AUGUST 2006 • IS staff was aware of the ethnic tensions between better handled at a more local level, by people Hutus and Tutsis. But we had concluded that who know the cultural, social, and political con­ addressing these tensions was not a part of our text better than CRS people do. mandate as a relief and development agency. We At the same time, the principles of Catholic simply tried to work around them. social teaching speak universal truths to people of Then, in April 1994, the genocide began. other faiths. As an international agency, we faced More than 800,000 people were murdered over the challenge of regrounding ourselves in our three months. It deeply affected us. Our CRS Catholic identity while at the same time maintain­ staff lost friends, colleagues, and family members. ing and strengthening our community of staff And we learned that all the good work we had and partners, who represent religions and cul­ Embracing been doing—the silos and schools we built, the tures from every corner of the globe. Catholic children we fed, the farms we planted—was not social teaching promised to make that possible. enough. Our programs were wiped out within The operational changes demanded by these Global days and many of the people we had served per­ insights did not happen overnight or easily. And, ished. in fact, it is still a work very much in progress. Partly because of the Rwandan genocide, CRS There have been a number of milestones along Solidarity began to take a hard look at itself. What we the way. learned from the horror of Rwanda was that our Beginning in late 1995, CRS embarked on a work in relief and development, though carried strategic planning process to guide its choices and out effectively and efficiently, was not enough. actions. People throughout the agency entered Our identity as "development professionals" the process ready to expand their understanding came under serious question. We realized that we of our mission to include justice, peace, and sys­ had not addressed the justice issues relating to temic change. This involved a good deal of the structures that perpetuated societal imbal­ debate, as would be the case any time a successful ances in Rwanda. We had failed to support pro­ organization considered making a change to what grams that fostered right relations among peo­ it had been doing well for decades. ples, among institutions and people, and inside In 1996, as the result of a series of retreats and the church. executive workshops, we determined that the concept of justice, as defined in Catholic social THE ADOPTION OF THE "JUSTICE LENS" teaching, was a distinct strategy. From this came After much reflection, we resolved to address not what we call our "Justice Lens," a commitment just the symptoms of crises—burned-out houses, to "build a culture of justice and peace through homeless refugees, and food shortages—but also the promotion of just and right relationships." the systems and structures that cause crises. We Having done that, we launched an agencywide concluded that this was sound policy as well as a education effort. Because CRS has nearly 5,000 moral imperative. Without true systemic change employees spread around the world, we could necessary to produce more peaceful or tolerant not simply assume that each of them would surroundings, relief and development efforts understand, agree with, and want to implement could not succeed. the concept of justice in the same way. Indeed, The events in Rwanda were a catalyst that "justice" is a concept that can carry vastly differ­ impelled CRS through what can only be ent meanings, depending on the community in described as an institutional transformation. As which one sits. we went through this process, we were guided by Therefore, we undertook a participatory, a jewel we rediscovered in our religious tradition: reflective process that allowed people to explore Catholic social teaching. the concepts of Catholic social teaching from Catholic social teaching provides the perfect their own perspectives and, having done that, framework for an organization like ours. It calls begin to decide how to carry the Justice Lens out people to solidarity, to balance relationships in in their work. Over about two years, every CRS society and among themselves. It places the dig­ office in every country engaged in a facilitated nity of the human person at the center of all we "Justice Reflection" exploring the basics of do. It upholds the principle of subsdiarity, which Catholic social teaching. These Justice says that higher levels of an organization like CRS Reflections helped us to better understand and should perform no function or duty that could be "own" the concepts of Catholic social teaching

16 • JULY - AUGUST 2006 HEALTH PROGRESS • : SPECIAL SECTION

and the Justice Lens. Feedback from the Justice , Reflections led to development of the CRS LEC - ^ * Guiding Principles (see Box, p. 18). This process took on added momentum in 2000, when CRS convened a "world summit." We brought together 250 CRS staff members and people from our partner agencies around the world, asking them to bring along the ideas that had been percolating at the agency's country and regional levels. Once they were gathered, we asked these staffers and partners to develop their ideas into an agency vision and directions for our future. Out of the "summit" came the CRS r Vision Statement: Graduation for a solidarity camp for Hutu and Tutsi youth in Rwanda in Solidarity will transform the world to: 2000. The event was part of CRS peacemaking activities following the • Cherish and uphold the sacredness and genocide. dignity of every person • Commit to and practice peace, justice, and International Peace Studies. An increasing num­ reconciliation ber of bishops from developing countries have • Celebrate and protect the integrity of all attended. creation This commitment to solidarity also led us to In practical terms, implementing the Justice realize that, as a Catholic agency, we had not just Lens meant reexaming everything we did—our an opportunity but an obligation to help U.S. programs, our policies, how we related to the peo­ Catholics connect with the people we serve over­ ple we serve, how we related to the U.S. Catholic seas. In other words, we recognized that we serve community, how we related to one another as fel­ a dual constituency: both poor and marginalized low employees of CRS—and evaluating all this in people overseas and Catholics in the United terms of whether it helped to build a culture of jus­ States. In 2002, we established the U.S. Opera­ tice, peace, and reconciliation. In terms of pro­ tions Division, which seeks to raise the awareness gramming, we now evaluate not just whether our of U.S. Catholics about the plight of the people interventions are effective and sustainable but we serve around the world. At the same time, we whether they might have a negative impact on a provide opportunities for Catholics to put their community's social or economic relationships. faith into action by participating in advocacy, pro­ Assisting one group in a community, even if its grams, and partnerships that address issues of members are in dire need after a disaster or emer­ international peace and . gency, might alienate the members of a group that We also realized that, as an organization, CRS did not receive assistance. We must ask what effect had to practice what it preached. This meant our programs might have on relations between examining our management practice as well as leaders and community members, men and our programming overseas. We introduced a con­ women, rich and poor, and Christian and Muslim. cept called the "Just Workplace," which entails All of this enters into the justice equation. listening to our employees, allowing innovations, CRS's commitment to solidarity also led the engaging various levels of the organization in agency to adopt "peace building" as an agency- decision making, and keeping people throughout wide priority. Peace building we see as the long- the organization informed. term project of building peaceful, stable commu­ nities and societies. CRS assembled a team of IMPEDIMENTS TO IMPLEMENTATION regional advisors and a headquarters-based tech­ Any time an organization makes a change, it will nical staff to work with partners to launch peace- encounter challenges to that change. We encoun­ building projects in dozens of countries. Each tered three significant impediments: ownership, summer, CRS conducts training programs for culture, and religious diversity. our staff and overseas partners at the Mindanao Ownership Headquarters leads strategic planning in Peace Institute in the and at the almost any organization. The larger and more 's Kroc Institute for geographically diverse the agency, the more diffi-

HEALTH PROGRESS JULY - AUGUST 2006 • 17 cult it is to use broad participation in developing ticipation throughout the agency, give voice to that strategy. CRS was no exception. the full gamut of opinions, and incorporate feed­ In developing our strategy, we made a tremen­ back into all of our decisions. dous effort to include people from throughout The Identity Dilemma CRS's staff is culturally and the agency. However, because those who led the religiously diverse. Indeed, we consider this initiative were based in CRS's headquarters, it diversity to be one of our greatest assets. It makes was inevitable that at least some people—especial­ CRS more effective, facilitates the acceptance of Embracing ly among staff members in the countries we our staff and programs in efforts to build capacity serve—that the Just Workplace initiative, and to in other countries, and helps ensure the practices some extent the Justice Lens, were "headquarters of solidarity and subsidiarity. Global initiatives." As a result, there was a lack of "own­ Even so, our new emphasis on the agency's ership" among some staff members. Catholic identity raised concerns among some CRS takes the need for participation and sense staff members and partners. They feared that our Solidarity of ownership of these strategies seriously. Having new approach might hamper the implementation recognized this impediment, and because we are of our justice-focused strategies. genuinely committed to the Just Workplace con­ Many CRS staff members overseas live in com­ cept, we continue to explore ways to increase par­ munities in which religious beliefs are expressed

CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES'S GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Dignity and Equality of the Numerous social conditions—econom­ Human Person All of humanity has ic, political, material, and cultural- been created in the image of God impact our ability to realize our human and possesses a basic dignity and •>i'iiv.iA iiiid tfliMim ft •••:•:,• Hitman I'crsan dignity and reach our full potential. equality that come directly from our gigitts ana Responsibilities creation and not from any action iy ixrwii rito «w-ri^l* «>d «sp™wW«"a itni lio* &ura our taamndigalg Subsidiarity A higher level of govern­ u*d bcimit ut ut» IwnHa briiqp Kgtfdhin of laiil s paJirial urutfufgL on our own part. •)••'-iiidudt dun thing••.! £•!lh* •nut ri- » iiiul mpour kmsaaU ment—or organization—should not per­ N, AAa ••• BdUa M ioclat Nature of > form any function or duty that can be Rights and Responsibilities Every handled more effectively at a lower person has basic rights and respon­ level by people who are closer to the sibilities that flow from our human problem and have a better under­ dignity and that belong to us as w**.^ standing of the issue.

human beings, regardless of any M>tnHl> social or political structures. The Solidarity We are all part of one rights are numerous and include human family—whatever our national, those things that make life truly racial, religious, economic, or ideologi­ human. Corresponding to our rights cal differences—and in an increasingly are duties and responsibilities to interconnected world, loving our neigh­ respect the rights of others and to bor has global dimensions. work for the common good of all. Option for the Poor In every econom­ Social Nature of Humanity All of us ic, political, and social decision, a are social by nature and are called to live in community with weighted concern must be given to the needs of the poorest others—our full human potential isn't realized in solitude, and most vulnerable. When we do this we strengthen the but in community with others. How we organize our fami­ entire community, because the powerlessness of any mem­ lies, societies, and communities directly affects human dig­ ber wounds the rest of society. nity and our ability to achieve our full human potential. Stewardship There is inherent integrity to all of creation and The Common Good In order for all of us to have an it requires careful stewardship of all our resources, ensuring opportunity to grow and develop fully, a certain social that we use and distribute them justly and equitably—as well fabric must exist within society. This is the common good. as planning for future generations.

18 • JULY - AUGUST 2006 HEALTH PROGRESS openly and are fiindamental parts of daily life. We First, staff members throughout the world, found that other-than-Catholic staffers accepted whether Catholic or of other faiths, have a grasp and worked with the new approaches once they of the language and concept of justice as under­ were given an opportunity to discuss them, stood in Catholic social teaching and are attempt­ understand why the fundamental tenets of ing to incorporate it into all aspects of their work. Catholic faith called CRS to live by them, and Second, the people we serve and the partners relate these principles to their own religious with whom we work are receiving support not beliefs and experiences. They needed time to only to provide for immediate needs but also to overcome understandable concerns regarding create lasting changes for peace, right relation­ whether CRS was moving to evangelization and ships, and permanent solutions to local problems. whether it was changing its fundamental mission. Third, because of our focus on structural (They soon saw that we were not.) Once we built change and because of our greater understanding trust about those concerns, we got past them. of the principles of Catholic social teaching, the Justice Reflections were critical in building that concept of solidarity has taken hold in the agency trust. In Buddhist countries, for example, a CRS in a whole new way. office might invite an expert to discuss the similari­ Fourth, CRS has adopted a more participatory ties and differences between Catholic social teach­ approach to making decisions, and this new ing and Buddhist thought. Staffers of other reli­ approach affects the lives of our staff members, gious backgrounds had the opportunity to discuss our partners, and the people we serve. We are the similarities and differences between Catholic striving for a new kind of ownership in our work. social teaching and their own beliefs, and then to During the visioning work that we did in 2000, plan together how to implement the justice strate­ we held participation sessions in each of the agen­ gy in their work. This was not a process of "rela- cy's world offices. Janitors and drivers worked tivizing" Catholic social teaching. It was, however, with senior staff to provide input for our new a process of open and honest discussion. vision and advice on how we could carry forward Resistance to Change Finally, one of the greatest the Justice Lens and create a Just Workplace in impediments we experienced was the natural the coming years. human resistance to change. In 1996, CRS Fifth, justice is no longer simply a concept we already had a strong track record of "doing advance as part of a strategy. It has taken root. It good." We were feeding people, providing for has become a given in our approaches, in the way their immediate needs and helping them to live we think about our work, and as a principle we longer and healthier. Our staff felt good about will continue to build on in the coming years. that work, as it should have. Sixth, and finally, managers and decision mak­ It's a natural tendency, under such circum­ ers throughout the agency are called to an open stances, to not want to change approaches. As a dedication to justice in the workplace. Staff mem­ result, the agency had to become very good at bers can rely on that commitment and can call on making the case for change. We had to spell out the principles behind it. Each person who works clearly, and in a compelling manner, why address­ for or with us knows that, as an agency, we have ing underlying structures and creating systemic made a commitment to try to live out the princi­ change was so critical to our mission. ples of Catholic social teaching in the way we work and the way we treat each other. While we How THE AGENCY HAS CHANGED still struggle to define what that means on a day- It has now been a decade since we launched the to-day basis—and always will—that foundation Justice Lens. How has the agency changed? provides a special peace of mind. •

HEALTH PROGRESS JULY - AUGUST 2006 • 19