Catholic Charities. Providing Help. Creating Hope.
VISION: Believing in the presence of God in our midst, we proclaim the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the person by sharing in the mission of Jesus given to the Church. To this end, Catholic Charities works with individuals, families, and communities to help them meet their needs, address their issues, eliminate oppression, and build a just and compassionate society.
MISSION: Rooted in the Mission of the Diocese of Youngstown "to minister to the people in the six counties of northeastern Ohio . . .(and) to the world community", we are called to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire Church and other people of good will to do the same.
GOALS: Catholic Charities is devoted to helping meet basic human needs, strengthening families, building communities and empowering low-income people. Working to reduce poverty in half by 2020.
KEY VALUE: Hospitality
WHAT WE DO: Organizing Love. "As a community, the Church must practise love. Love thus needs to be organized if it is to be an ordered service to the community" (Deus Caritas Est, par. 20)
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On Sunday, (Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time http://usccb.org/bible/readings/061712.cfm ) we read from the Gospel of Mark about the parable of the mustard seed. What we witness is that a small seed, a little effort, produces an abundant tree filled with life. Jesus provides an insight into the Kingdom of God (as here but not yet) through this image on how our faith, like a tiny seed, can produce much fruit. A small change can transform the world. Jesus’ message of love and compassion rooted that seed in His own life, sufferings, death, and resurrection.
In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org , we continue to provide hope and love that grows. Sometimes when persons, families and/or communities come to Catholic Charities for assistance, we do not always have a great amount of resources available. Sometimes we have a small voucher to give to a person/family or a small grant to give to a parish or group working in their community. Yet, over and over again, we have seen that what seems so small a gesture of support can help someone or a group grow and thrive. As a ministry of our Church and faith, we see transformations daily as a tiny gesture of love -- a smile, a kind word, a small voucher -- can bring abundant life to a person, family and community. Your work and donations -- though small you think -- helps to bring forth that Kingdom of God both now and yet to come.
Reflection from Church Documents and Official Statements
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship - Part I - The U.S. Bishops’ Reflection On Catholic Teaching And Political Life
How Does the Church Help the Catholic Faithful to Speak About Political and Social Questions?
A Well-Formed Conscience
17.
The Church equips its members to address political and social questions
by helping them to develop a well-formed conscience. Catholics have a
serious and lifelong obligation to form their consciences in accord with
human reason and the teaching of the Church. Conscience is not
something that allows us to justify doing whatever we want, nor is it a
mere "feeling" about what we should or should not do. Rather, conscience
is the voice of God resounding in the human heart, revealing the truth
to us and calling us to do what is good while shunning what is evil.
Conscience always requires serious attempts to make sound moral
judgments based on the truths of our faith. As stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
"Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes
the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in
the process of performing, or has already completed. In all he says and
does, man is obliged to follow faithfully what he knows to be just and
right" (no. 1778).
18. The formation of conscience includes several elements. First, there is a desire to embrace goodness and truth. For Catholics this begins with a willingness and openness to seek the truth and what is right by studying Sacred Scripture and the teaching of the Church as contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is also important to examine the facts and background information about various choices. Finally, prayerful reflection is essential to discern the will of God. Catholics must also understand that if they fail to form their consciences they can make erroneous judgments.
Some important date(s) this week:
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/ByDate.aspx
See website for biographies of Saints and Blessed celebrated this week.
http://www.usccb.org/images/USCCB.gif
For Daily Readings http://www.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month
SUNDAY JUNE 17. Father’s Day http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=738
THURSDAY, JUNE 21 Beginning of the Fortnight for Religious Freedom http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/fortnight-for-freedom/index.cfm
Diocese of Youngstown opening Mass, 12:10 pm, Cathedral of St. Columba
Workshop at 1:30 pm at the St. Columba Social Hall
FRIDAY, JUNE 22. St. Thomas More (1478-1535)
His belief that no lay ruler has jurisdiction over the Church of Christ cost Thomas More his life.
Beheaded
on Tower Hill, London, July 6, 1535, he steadfastly refused to approve
Henry VIII’s divorce and remarriage and establishment of the Church of
England.
Described
as “a man for all seasons,” More was a literary scholar, eminent
lawyer, gentleman, father of four children and chancellor of England. An
intensely spiritual man, he would not support the king’s divorce from
Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. Nor would he
acknowledge Henry as supreme head of the Church in England, breaking
with Rome and denying the pope as head.
More
was committed to the Tower of London to await trial for treason: not
swearing to the Act of Succession and the Oath of Supremacy. Upon
conviction, More declared he had all the councils of Christendom and not
just the council of one realm to support him in the decision of his
conscience.
CHARITIES NEWSBYTES
June 21. Catholic Charities Regional Agency’s Evening of Peace and Reflection. http://ccdoy.org/slider/an-evening-of-peace-and-reflection/
August 26. Help support HMHP Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Care Center through participating in the Panerathon. http://doy.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=184%3Apanerathon&catid=45%3Astandalone&Itemid=95
PAPAL INTENTIONS: June 2012
General: Christ, Present in the Eucharist
That believers may recognize in the Eucharist the living presence of the Risen One who accompanies them in daily life.
Mission: European Christians
That
Christians in Europe may rediscover their true identity and participate
with greater enthusiasm in the proclamation of the Gospel.
Corporal Works of Mercy: The seven practices of charity toward our neighbor
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Note: Please consider joining our
FACEBOOK CAUSE http://apps.facebook.com/causes/106889
FACEBOOK GROUP https://www.facebook.com/pages/Catholic-Charities-Diocese-of-Youngstown/138817639487339
TWITTER account, CCDOY, http://twitter.com/CCDOY
for current updates and calls to action that we can all use.
See our website at www.catholiccharitiesyoungstown.org for links to the our ministries and services.
For more information on Catholic Social Doctrine and its connection to our ministries, visit my blog at: http://corbinchurchthinking.blogspot.com/
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