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ABCUSA: Matthew Giuffrida, Leader in Refugee Resettlement


From Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>
Date Thu, 17 Apr 2003 13:26:05 -0700

Ministries, Dies

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 4/17/03)--Matthew
Giuffrida, a longtime leader in refugee resettlement and interfaith work for
American Baptist National Ministries, died yesterday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
He was 77.

Giuffrida, who served as director of National Ministries' Direct Human
Services program and was a commissioned American Baptist home missionary,
retired in 1993 after 38 years of service.

Beginning in 1959 Giuffrida directed National Ministries' Office of Refugee
and Immigration Services. Under his guidance the denomination's refugee
program over the years led all Protestant denominations cooperating with
Church World Service's refugee resettlement office.

As of December 2002, the number of refugees resettled by American Baptists
since the end of World War II was 89,223.

In addition to Giuffrida's work with refugee resettlement, he represented
American Baptists in interfaith arenas; worked to establish options for
American Baptists seeking alternative military service; coordinated the
denomination's home mission volunteer program; and administered American
Baptist National Disaster Response funds in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

At the time of his retirement Giuffrida chaired the Church World Service
Immigration and Refugee Program Committee and the Christian-Jewish Relations
Committee of the National Council of Churches, as well as the World Council
of Churches' U.S. Ecumenical Resource Sharing Committee. He also had served
as a member of the Board of Heifer Project International

Following service in the U.S. Combat Engineers in World War II, Giuffrida
studied international relations at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. Upon
receiving his bachelor of arts degree, he joined the staff of the Woman's
American Baptist Home Mission Society (now part of National Ministries) as
field representative of the refugee program.

Commenting on Giuffrida's contributions to American Baptist life, National
Ministries Executive Director Dr. Aidsand F. Wright-Riggins III said,
"Matthew Giuffrida served as an American Baptist home missionary with
passion and compassion for those forced to flee home and homeland. The
remarkable refugee resettlement ministry of our denomination can be traced
directly to his tireless efforts to provide a safe haven and hope for those
who had lost all hope. If anyone can be called a "Baptist Saint," it is
Matthew Giuffrida. We will honor his life by continuing the legacy he has
given us."

A memorial service will be held May 10 at 1 p.m. at The American Baptist
Church of the Beatitudes, 2812 8th Street, N., St. Petersburg, Fla.

K/2003ABNS/03ABN57

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org 


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