After the U.S. government shut down on Oct. 1 because Congress failed to reach an agreement on the federal spending budget, Catholic organizations called for a swift resolution to mitigate the potential harm to government-funded programs serving the poor and vulnerable, such as food assistance, housing support, and refugee services.

The government shutdown and the “crippling partisanship will be felt far beyond the halls of Washington,” Kerry Alys Robinson, president of Catholic Charities USA, said in a statement.

Catholic Charities USA, which supports a network of agencies across the country, reported the shutdown will “take a particular toll on the most vulnerable among us, from hungry children and parents living paycheck to paycheck to seniors struggling to afford medications and groceries.”

If leaders from both parties do not end the shutdown soon, “even more Americans will fall into poverty, and the recovery from this setback could take months or even years,” Robinson said. “In the meantime, Catholic Charities agencies around the country, inspired by the Gospel, will continue to do their best to fill in the gaps and provide life-giving, compassionate aid to those suffering most in their communities.” 

Sister of Mercy Mary Haddad, president and CEO of Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), said in a statement the shutdown “jeopardizes the health and stability of millions of families.”

She added: “The ripple effects of inaction extend across the economy, deepening hardship for those already most vulnerable.”

Sister Mary said CHA is urging “Congress to come together to fund the government for fiscal year 2026 and extend vital health and safety net programs that millions rely on” and is encouraging “lawmakers to swiftly work together to end the shutdown and preserve critical health programs.” 

A spokesperson for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) told CNA the organization hopes “lawmakers will work earnestly to come to a bipartisan agreement that ends the government shutdown as quickly as possible,” as it “harms families and individuals who rely on federal services.”

Apart from charities and agencies working with Americans in need, the shutdown may impact the nation’s cyber and security measures. In the midst of a potential shutdown in 2023, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) reported it would be “forced to suspend both physical and cybersecurity assessments for government and industry partners.”

The CISA, which works to “maintain safe and secure houses of worship,” reported a new plan for the 2025 shutdown in the wake of recent Michigan and Minnesota attacks at religious institutions. The federal agency said in an Oct. 1 statement it “remains fully committed to safeguarding the nation’s critical infrastructure.”

“While a government shutdown can disrupt federal operations, CISA will sustain essential functions and provide timely guidance to minimize disruptions,” a spokesperson for CISA said.  “Yet Democrats’ refusal to act is forcing many of our frontline cybersecurity experts to work without pay even as nation-states intensify efforts to exploit Americans and critical systems — an unacceptable and unnecessary strain on our national defenses.”

It is not clear how long the shutdown will last, but until a decision regarding the budget is reached the funding for numerous U.S. government services will remain cut off.