When poor people throughout the U.S. and around the world are helped to improve their conditions, chances are good the help came through offices headed by men with connections to the Albany Diocese.
Timothy Collins of the Campaign for Human Development and Michael Wiest of Catholic Relief Services each grew up in the Albany Diocese, attended schools here, but now serve the Church on a national level far from their first homes.
"I am presently the interim executive director of the Campaign for Human Development," said Mr. Collins in a phone interview from his Washington, D.C., office.
He is one of the two senior managers of CHD, begun by the U.S. bishops in the early 1970s as a way to help people suffering from poverty and human injustices.
"I'm responsible for virtually all the activities of the campaign," he said. "At the national level, that means I'm responsible for fund-raising, fund-allocating, our education programs and our economic development programs. I also relate directly to the 30 to 40 different departments here at the bishops' Catholic Conference."
Mr. Collins has been with the organization for 25 years. "I've sort of grown up with the Catholic Conference," he said "I was brought here when the Campaign began in 1970."
Mr. Collins was asked to be a part of the task force in putting together the first Campaign for Human Development.
"At the time, he said he wasn't in the position to offer me any long-term commitment because he didn't know if it would become a success, and he didn't know how Catholics would respond to it," Mr. Collins said. "I'm still here 25 years later."
He grew up in Schenectady and still has strong ties to his hometown. "My mom and sister still live there," he said. "I went to a small parish school, St. Columba's, and I still remember the summer after my first grade when I fell and fractured my skull. I have vivid memories of priests coming from the parish to visit me every day in the hospital where I was for three weeks. They would bring me Communion, cheer me up and just be good company. That's when I first realized how important it is to give to other people."
He believes very strongly that he was guided by the Holy Spirit to join the Campaign for Human Development.
"It was more than chance," he said. "It was an opportunity for me to live out a sense of service. This job enables me to give back some of the blessings I've received from living in a loving family with strong values."
Mr. Collins said his job never seems like work. "It's more of a sense of calling," he said, "a sense of ministry. With the current vocational situation and the shrinkage of the religious life, this job is just one more opportunity that the laity has to get involved and do some service for the Church."
"This job is never boring," he said. "There are always new opportunities for personal and spiritual growth, although at times the work can be frustrating. Sometimes, I'm not so sure if we're making any progress because the problems that affect the poor and lower-income people are so crushing to the human spirit. At times, you have to see the trees through the forest to know that you're really making a difference."
He is proud of the commitment of the Church in working with the poor, even though the gap between the rich and the poor continues to grow. "But still we're a hopeful staff," he said. "The people I work with through the country in all the dioceses are hopeful, and in our hearts we truly believe this is our Lord's work. Despite all the headlines in the papers, we know that we are making a difference."
He credits some of the religious sisters who taught him at St. Columba's for giving him the notion of service to those who have less, and he encourages other people to reflect on the needs that they see and on the many blessings they've received.
"I can put bread on the table, and I draw a salary with my job and support a family. But that really is secondary to what I've gained back from whatever I've put into this program," he said. "I've found that when you give a little bit of yourself, you gain back much more."
Michael Wiest grew up in Albany, attended St. Pius X School in Loudonville and Christian Brothers Academy. He is currently the deputy executive director of the Catholic Relief Services, based in Baltimore. "I'm responsible for all the overseas operations," he said from his office.
Catholic Relief Services is an international relief and development agency supported by the Catholic community in the United States. It was founded in 1943 by the U.S. bishops to address the needs of war refugees in Eastern Europe; today, it operates in more than 80 countries throughout the developing world with an annual budget of $300 million. It is one of the largest relief and development agencies in the world.
Mr. Wiest is currently completing his 24th year with Catholic Relief Services. "My wife and I were living in Albany when we became enamored with Africa and looked for teaching positions that would put us there," he said. "In August of 1973, I got a job with Catholic Relief Services and started in Senegal in West Africa."
He believes his education in the Catholic school system gave him a sense of mission, but his decision to work overseas really came about from his experience in the Army during the Vietnam War when he encountered his first dose of people trying to survive in poor conditions.
"There are many things that are satisfying about my work," said Mr. Wiest. "I feel I've been able to do something worthwhile by not only alleviating suffering, but by also promoting peace and justice through various programs."
He also enjoyed living in different cultures. "Living in different countries brought into perspective who I am and helped me understand a little better what America is and what Christianity is," he said.
His work with CRS caused him to live overseas for over 20 years, which at times was frustrating. "Many times, my expectation of American-style efficiency was not the norm in the countries where I worked. I also came to an awareness that what was important to other societies was sometimes not important to us; and such American traits as getting things done efficiently and making clear decisions were not as important in many of these other societies."
What he finds frustrating today is the tendency on the part of government and society to pull back from their obligations as members of the world community to help other nations and other people advance.
"It's inconsistent with the tenets of our faith to feel that we're an island and that we should just concern ourselves with what happens between our shorelines," he said.
His advice, especially for young people, is to be informed. "Learn about the world," he said. "Don't assume that everything you read in the newspaper is the way other people would see it in the rest of the world. After you're informed, become involved, especially if you have a motivation that comes from your faith. Put your faith into practice. Live your life according to your beliefs and don't believe one way and then act another."