By Patricia Zapor
Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Obama administration told members of a new President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and other guests April 6 that it wants the government to aggressively encourage participation by faith-based and community organizations in advisory and hands-on capacities.

At the opening session of a briefing, Joshua Dubois, director of the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, explained that the council and his office are still being organized, but that President Barack Obama’s goal is to “bring into partnership” faith-based and community organizations in the United States and around the world.

He noted that the predecessor Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, created by President George W. Bush, did great work, but that there was a sense that “certain faiths were not welcome” and that community groups that didn’t have religious roots were not encouraged to participate.

“We take the word ‘community’ very seriously and when we talk about faith-based, we mean interfaith,” Dubois said.

Guests at the briefing included most of the 25 members of the advisory council, including nine people named to it April 6, among them Anthony R. Picarello Jr., general counsel to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Picarello told Catholic News Service he believes his experience with litigation over the right of religion-based employers to hire and fire employees according to Church teachings was the type of experience that brought him to the attention of the White House for an appointment to the council.

Previously announced members of the council include Father Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, and Arturo Chavez, president of Mexican American Catholic College in San Antonio. Other members are leaders of Jewish, Protestant and Muslim organizations as well as nonreligious entities such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the Human Rights Campaign and Asian Indian Women of America.

Dubois said Obama’s own experience as a community organizer has shaped his vision for the office and the advisory council.

The council’s mandate also will include reducing the demand for abortions, encouraging fathers to stand by their families, and working with the National Security Council to “foster interfaith dialogue with leaders and scholars around the world.”

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