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The Poor Belong to Us : Catholic Charities and American Welfare
The Poor Belong to Us Catholic Charities and American Welfare Author:Dorothy M. Brown, Elizabeth McKeown Between the Civil War and World War II, Catholic charities evolved from volunteer and local origins into a centralized and professionally trained workforce that played a prominent role in the development of American welfare. Dorothy Brown and Elizabeth McKeown document the extraordinary efforts of Catholic volunteers to care for Catholic familie... more »s and resist Protestant and state intrusions at the local level, and they show how these initiatives provided the foundation for the development of the largest private system of social provision in the United States. "[Raises] important questions about American social welfare history. [It] is particularly significant in that it restores Catholic charity to its rightful place at the center of that history...[and] convincingly demonstrates that Catholic charities' massive efforts to aid their own needy had long-term ramifications for the entire modern American system of welfare provision." —Journal of American History "This is an excellent work...For anyone wanting to better understand the role of Catholic charities in the American welfare system or even the development of charities and welfare in general, it is invaluable." —Indianapolis Star« less