Presiding over the Diocese of Stockton, one of the poorest areas of the country, Catholic Bishop Stephen Blaire sees the human costs of poverty every day. Long lines at food banks. Homeless folks on the streets. Recently, as he does before Christmas every year, Blaire blessed thousands of food baskets to be given to needy local families.

But translating the church's outreach to the poor into a political statement on poverty has proven more difficult. As Congress ponders cuts in safety-net programs from food stamps to Medicare to help balance the budget and avoid the "fiscal cliff," the politically influential U.S. Conference of Bishops has been unable to reach agreement on a statement representing one of its core values: caring for the poor.

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