Bishop John McCarthy, retired Bishop of the Diocese of Austin, was recently awarded the Harry A. Fagan Roundtable Award from the Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors. This award honors an individual or individuals who have made unique contributions to the achievement of the Catholic vision of social justi
Recipients of the award have made an impact on significant numbers of persons or set a precedent or example which has affected many. Their achievements have effected progress toward eliminating social, economic, or political injustice or discrimination and the furthering of basic human dignity and rights as defined in Catholic social teaching.
During his two years working with the USCCB Social Action Department (11968-1969) he helped develop many pastoral statements, including "Race Relations and Poverty,” "Farm Labor,” "The Crusade Against Poverty,” and "Welfare Reform Legislation.” Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston in 1979, he bought his pastoral concern for justice and peace to his new role as bishop, continuing to promote CCHD and serving on the Catholic Relief Services Board of Directors, while developing parish social ministry structures locally.
When Pope John Paul II named Bishop McCarthy Bishop of Austin in 1986, Bishop McCarthy organized new ministries to persons with AIDS, people facing domestic abuse, and made outreach to immigrants a priority, even as he continued to support the work of CCHD, CRS, the National Pastoral Life Center and other national Catholic organizations.
The following is an excerpt from the Roundtable Award Banquet program:
When people are hurting, retired Bishop of Austin John E. McCarthy doesn’t just rush to help, he builds institutions—institutions which both provide direct service and foment social change on behalf of and with poor and vulnerable people. From his local efforts in Texas ,fostering some of the earliest parish social ministry structures in the United States (1969-1973), serving as Executive Director of the Texas Catholic Conference (1973-1979), and promoting racial justice during and after the Civil Rights Movement, to his national ministries as the first Executive Director of the Bishops’ Committee for the Spanish Speaking (1966-1968), to his participation in the founding of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (1969), Bishop McCarthy’s ministry has been characterized by founding and developing structures which promote charity and justice.
