'I've sweated rosary beads over this'

NCR introduced Fr. Matt Ruhl to readers last year during the Catholic Charities annual meeting when we told you about his plan to cross the country on bicycle for poverty awareness.

Well, Sunday was his last day in his Kansas City, Mo., parish. He is in the final stages of preparation for a 5,092-mile journey from Cape Flattery in Washington state to Key West, Fla. He and 11 other people will bike for 100 days, from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day.

The ride aims at promoting Catholic Charities USA Campaign to Reduce Poverty. A bit of background on that campaign:

Overview
The Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America is a multi-year, multi-faceted approach to alleviating poverty in the United States.
Goals

The goals of the Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America are:

  • To reduce poverty in the United States by 50 percent by the year 2020.
  • To call upon the government to do more to serve those who are poor, and to improve public policies that strengthen and support families.
  • To educate policymakers and the public about the struggles of those living in poverty and the good work of those who serve them in local communities.
  • To engage those who are most impacted by government policies to be active participants in developing solutions to reducing poverty.
  • To work with individuals and organizations across the country to address poverty in our country.

We call upon all in our nation to address the issues that impact the most vulnerable and act now to reduce poverty in our nation.

Stay tuned here for updates from the trip or follow the bikers on their web site: Cycling for Change.

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