John Allen, Cardinal Sarah, and Major Garrett to Keynote Catholic Charities USA's 2012 Annual Gathering

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Aug 13, 2012, 09:00 ET

Hosted by Catholic Charities in St. Louis, gathering to focus on the "Gateway to Opportunities and Justice"

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), among the nation's leading organizations in poverty reduction and disaster response, announced today that John Allen, the Vatican correspondent for National Catholic Reporter; Cardinal Sarah, President of the Pontifical Council, Cor Unum; and Major Garrett, White House correspondent for the National Journal; will serve as keynote speakers during CCUSA's 2012 Annual Gathering, September 30 through October 2 in St. Louis, Missouri.

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"Just one week after our National Poverty Summit in DC, and only a month before the U.S. elections, we are very excited and fortunate to have the insights and stature of these three individuals grace our annual gathering," said Rev. Larry Snyder, President and CEO of CCUSA. "Our members from around the country—and the public audiences we will share their messages with—are in for a very informative treat."

Allen will discuss the role of the Catholic Church in today's society during his opening Keynote on Sunday, September 30; Cardinal Sarah will bring messages from the Vatican during his speech on Monday, October 1; and Garrett's speech on the intersection between the Church and policy will close this year's gathering on Tuesday, October 2.

The three-day event will also include a series of workshops and panels on the most important issues facing our country and Catholic Charities. The sessions span a wide range of critical human services subjects from Immigration and Adoption to the need to reform our approach to how our country views poverty reduction and creates greater sustainability in moving people out of poverty. A special highlight of the national conference will be the engagement of the Sojourn Theatre Group, who will integrate with the entire program and conference attendees to render a moving and insightful finale presentation on Tuesday, Oct. 2.

Additional information about CCUSA's 2012 Annual Gathering can be found by visiting www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org/Gathering

Catholic Charities USA's members provide help and create hope for more than 10 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds. For almost 300 years, Catholic Charities agencies have worked to reduce poverty by providing a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from health care and job training to food and housing.

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA