Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Different ways to help

Saturday, Feb. 3, 2001 | 10:58 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

PRESIDENT George W. Bush should walk a very narrow path as he promotes the federal funding of religious organizations delivering social services. Where do these church groups separate social services from proselytizing? This is a tough question for many churches, synagogues and mosques to answer because in some cases there is no separation. Joining the church or attending a prayer meeting is an unspoken requirement of many organizations. In other groups it is brought out loud and clear that the hand with food comes with a denominational blessing from the other hand.

Opponents to the Bush plan must admit that social services delivered by several religious groups in communities are both more practical and less costly than many government programs. Certainly local governments have often found religious groups are more effective because the deliverers are close to the recipients. They live in the community and often are living in the same poor housing and travel the same crime-infested streets and alleys. The same advantages can also be found among a few secular groups.

I know these advantages are especially true when spending money in response to disasters. Many times during the past several decades I have watched different church groups respond efficiently and quickly to answer the needs of victims. When responding to the Hurricane Mitch disaster in Nicaragua, I had monetary support from people of my church and other Las Vegans. Hotel and casino owners Bill Bennett and Ralph Engelstad, because of Fr. Fabretto's orphanages in that country, contributed large sums of money.

Being very familiar with Nicaragua, I knew the help would reach the victims faster and more efficiently if I worked through the Moravian and Catholic churches and local cooperatives in rural areas. With their help and the assistance of an old Toyota pickup truck used to ford streams where bridges were out, I completed my initial work in several days.

The Las Vegas Catholic Worker house headed by Julia Occhiogrosso has its own philosophy in refusing to seek tax-exempt status. Julia says that they are "convinced that justice and mercy should be acts of conscience, which come at a personal sacrifice, without government approval, regulation or reward." She goes on to say, "we seek to maintain the freedom to provide compassionate, hands-on-service without the entanglements of governmental bureaucracies and restrictions."

Does this small unit with its volunteers make a difference? Last year they ladled out more than 85,000 bowls of soup and 50,000 cups of coffee at the breakfasts they serve four mornings every week. They also brought food boxes to 15 families and seniors every month and sheltered three to five homeless families daily in their House of Hospitality. No, you don't have to be a Catholic or any other religion to receive help from Julia and the Catholic Worker volunteers.

Several faith-based agencies, because of the services they provide, already receive financial help from local, state and federal funds. This money can't be used for religious purposes and their activities are closely monitored. The big questions the new administration will be required to answer are if a special faith office in the White House is necessary to increase aid and how the dollars spent will meet constitutional restrictions.

If this latest plan can improve aid to the needy and not violate the U.S. Constitution, then it could be successful. A very narrow path lies ahead for this legislation to follow before approval.

The Bush proposal to extend the deduction for charitable contributions by taxpayers doesn't have the same constitutional problems. It's estimated this change would pump $14.6 billion more into charitable contributions every year. It's believed that religious groups would receive the greater share of the projected increase in giving.