Springfield, Ill., Oct 17, 2013 / 01:03 am
An Illinois diocese is launching a volunteer legal services program for the poor in need of legal counsel for civil matters, its bishop announced.
"I have seen first-hand how civil legal aid can be a lifeline that enables families to save their home from foreclosure or eviction, recover back wages from an employer, secure disability benefits or provide protection in domestic violence situations," said Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Ill., to the State Journal-Register, a local newspaper.
"This program goes to the heart of preserving human dignity and empowering people to gain control of their lives again."
The new program, called Caritas Legal Services, will link a panel of volunteer lawyers with persons in need across the diocese to provide free assistance for civil matters to those who cannot afford it.