With more than 46 million people living in poverty in the United States and unemployment stuck at 9.1 percent, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is calling on other clergy to preach on the issue of   poverty and to educate church members and advocate for the poor and unemployed.

In a Sept. 15 letter, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York urged Catholic clergy nationwide to bring the issue of poverty into their homilies:

Widespread unemployment, underemployment and pervasive poverty are diminishing human lives, undermining human dignity, and hurting children and families. I hope we can use our opportunities as pastors, teachers, and leaders to focus public attention and priority on the scandal of so much poverty and so many without work in our society.

The Roman Catholic church has a long history of supporting working people’s causes. Along with all the world’s major religions, Catholicism teaches that workers should be tyretaed fairly. Read the entire letter here.

Dolan added it is time for everyone to come together and solve the nation’s job crisis.

These economic failures have fundamental institutional and systemic elements that have either been ignored or made worse by political and economic behaviors, which have undermined trust and confidence.

However, this is not time to make excuses or place blame. It is a time for everyone to accept their own personal and institutional responsibility to help create jobs and to overcome poverty.