Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (CACG) has named a new appointment to its Communications Department. John Cosgriff has been named Communications Specialist responsible for developing online content as well as serving as a writer for various projects. He will also act as the main editor of the Catholic Media Report, a daily summary of the best national and local news stories on the intersection of faith and public life. To subscribe visit www.catholicmediareport.org .

Cosgriff took this position after serving CACG as a summer media fellow. Previously, he was a Fellow at the Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life, where he studied religion in the media and helped write and produce the quarterly journal Religion in the News, a periodical devoted to analysis of the media's coverage of religious stories. A graduate of Trinity College, he holds degrees in English and Religion and Public Life.

Catholics for an End to the War in Iraq (CEWI) announced an important milestone in surpassing 10,000 signatures in its effort to mobilize Catholics into becoming a powerful voice against the Iraq war. In just four weeks time, CEWI has now received over 11,000 signatures on their petition to end the Iraq occupation. In September, CEWI will bring these signatures to Congress to show Catholics stand united for a new Iraq policy.

CEWI has joined with Americans Against Escalation in Iraq (AAEI) to further the national protest against the American presence in Iraq and support safe and responsible redeployment of our troops. In September, CEWI will be holding prayer vigils around the country to pray for national leaders to end the war.

Catholics for an End to the War in Iraq ( www.catholicsforanend.org ) is a project of Catholics United, with support from NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, Pax Christi USA, the national Catholic peace movement, and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good.

Census Bureau Releases Frustrating Poverty Data

On August 28, the United States Census Bureau released its income, poverty and health care data revealing that while the national poverty rate had declined .3%, more than 36.5 million Americans still live in poverty. Worse yet, the number of people without health insurance has risen by 2.2 million in just one year, to nearly 47 million (rising from 15.3% to 15.8%). Catholic social justice leaders nationwide decried these statistics and called on America’s elected leaders to work for improving the quality of life for all Americans.

Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good released a statement calling the poverty in America a “moral scandal, and a threat to our democracy and economy.” Kathleen Maas Weigert, Executive Director of the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service at Georgetown University said that “as a society and as individuals, we all need to work towards eliminating [poverty].” The entire statement can be found here (we need to put a link to this on the webpage).

NETWORK, the National Social Justice Lobby, also released a statement noting, “It is particularly compelling that these poverty and healthcare statistics are being released as we mark the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which highlighted the devastating effects of poverty. If there were ever a time for our government to address the twin scandals of poverty and lack of access to healthcare in our nation, this is it.” The entire statement can be found here .