This weekend, thousands of Catholics across the state, and every member of the state Legislature, will be able to read the three-page letter. Catholic Charities of Boston has experienced a 40 percent increase in the number of people asking for support to feed their families and balance their household budgets. Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law, and Bishops O'Malley, Thomas L. Dupre of Springfield and Daniel P. Reilly of Worcester signed the letter, which was sent under the auspices of the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, which gathers information on church policy and programs in the state. Citing surveys and their own diocesan reports, the bishops said parts of the welfare reform law do not appear to have the intended effects of slowing the birth rate of female recipients or providing jobs that would support families. There are people across the state who work two jobs and go to school to better themselves.
People do it all the time.
There is no substitute for work. Gerald D'Avolio, executive director of the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, said it seems time that legislators beginning their session get a chance to review the bishops' statements, especially if they consider amending the law passed in 1994. He said conference and church officials decided to wait until some time had passed to release their statement. We felt it would be conceived as a political maneuver, which it was not. Information about recipients' status was compiled in a survey prepared by researchers from the Heller Graduate School of Brandeis University.