Catholic Charities USA President to Lead Missions for University of St. Thomas

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 1, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) announced today that its president, the Rev. Larry Snyder, has accepted a leadership position at the University of St. Thomas, a Catholic university based in the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

CCUSA is launching a national search for Snyder's replacement and he will assist in the search process. Snyder's last day at CCUSA will be Jan. 31, 2015.  He will start Feb. 1 as the university's vice president for mission, responsible for furthering the university's mission of educating students "to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good."

"We are extremely proud of all that we have accomplished under Father Larry, and while we will miss him a great deal both professionally and personally, we know this is a great opportunity for him to return to his home diocese and his true love of education," said Sister Linda Yankoski, chair of CCUSA's Board of Trustees. "The board has organized a search committee to receive and identify the names of candidates, and we are excited to bring in a new president who will undoubtedly continue our work as a national thought leader in the fight against poverty and a prominent voice for the poor."

Snyder has served as CCUSA's president since 2005, and is largely responsible for expanding the organization's role as a key thought leader and national advocate for policies aimed at lifting Americans out of poverty. Prior to joining CCUSA, he served as executive director of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1988 and was a high school teacher for eight years before joining the seminary.

"While I'm very excited to return to my home diocese where I spent most of my career, this was a very difficult decision for me. Catholic Charities has been my heart and soul for 25 years, and I have been blessed and honored to work with so many incredible people and to be part of this mission," said Rev. Larry Snyder. "We have accomplished a tremendous amount but it is time now time for someone new to pick up the torch and carry Catholic Charities where it needs to go for the next 10 years and beyond."

Led by Snyder, CCUSA's work to reduce poverty in America encourages government, business, and academia to raise the issue of poverty in the national conversation – particularly in the aftermath of the economic downturn.

In the past 10 years:

• CCUSA has grown from being a leading service provider to a nationally-prominent thought leader on poverty-related issues and a key advocate for policies aimed at helping lift Americans out of poverty;
• With Hurricane Katrina as a catalyst, CCUSA greatly expanded its disaster response efforts beyond just giving aid. It is now out in the field providing hands-on assistance and coordinating relief efforts, and recognized as one of the leading providers of disaster-relief services;
• CCUSA created alliances across the country in the fight against poverty, including developing a partnership with University of Notre Dame. Its work with the university's Department of Economics has resulted in the development of a poverty lab that aims to help reduce poverty;
• The organization acquired a new national headquarters two years ago, providing a place to anchor the organization, and has doubled the number of staff in its national office; and
• CCUSA started a social innovation initiative to support its member agencies.

About Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is leading a national movement to end poverty in America. In communities across the country, Catholic Charities member agencies are helping individuals and families in poverty achieve their full potential. Together we are dedicated to creating a life of opportunity and self-sufficiency for each of the 46 million of our brothers and sisters struggling to make ends meet. CCUSA was founded in 1910 on the campus of Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. as the National Conference of Catholic Charities. For more than 100 years, CCUSA has guided and supported the vast network of Catholic Charities agencies nationwide in a common mission to serve, advocate, and convene. For additional information, please visit www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA