Rev. Larry Snyder, President of Catholic Charities USA, Receives Honorary Doctorate Degree

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May 07, 2011, 09:00 ET

Shares Importance of Poverty Reduction as Commencement Speaker at St. Francis University of Loretto, Pa.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rev. Larry Snyder, President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA — one of the nation's leading human services and disaster response organizations — will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree and serve as undergraduate Commencement Speaker as part of ceremonies at St. Francis University of Loretto, Pa., this Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8.

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"I am deeply touched and honored to both serve as commencement speaker and be recognized by St. Francis University — one of the nation's oldest and most respected Catholic institutions," Fr. Snyder said. "I welcome the opportunity to share with the graduates the rich tradition of Catholic social teaching and our work to reduce poverty in America."

Rev. Snyder earned a bachelor's degree from Illinois Benedictine College in Lisle, Ill. He also holds a master's degree in divinity from the St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., and a master of public administration degree from Hamline University in St. Paul. He also is President of Caritas North America and a former member of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

For more information about Catholic Charities USA visit www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.

Catholic Charities USA's members provide help and create hope for more than 9 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. In 2010, Catholic Charities USA celebrated its centennial anniversary and introduced new federal legislation – the National Opportunity and Community Renewal Act (NOCRA) – to transform the nation's approach to poverty.

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA