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)
On Sunday (12th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle C, http://www.usccb.org/nab/062010.shtml ) we read in the Gospel of Luke about Jesus' questioning of his disciples about his true identity. He asks: "Who do you say that I am?" There seems to be some dispute: some say Elijah; others reply John the Baptist. Peter claims him to be the Christ of God. Jesus tells his disciples not to reveal his true identity yet. But you can sense that the Apostles know that this Jesus is special and that something important will happen to them. But Jesus warns: there will be suffering and death, followed by new life. To follow Jesus, one must give up everything and die to oneself and serve others.
In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org, we recognize that we have a very specific identity as a ministry and agent of the Church. We must remain faithful to that identity as the face of the Church -- Jesus -- in all that we do and all that we stand for in the public marketplace. Sometimes many agree with our stances and programs; other times people do not agree with our positions on controversial issues dealing with human dignity, life, and justice. Regardless, Catholic Charities continues to be that healing and life giving presence of the Church in times of need and trouble constantly aiming to provide help and give hope.
Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate
"Economic activity cannot solve all social problems through the simple application ofcommercial logic. This needs to be directed towards the pursuit of the common good, for which the political community in particular must also take responsibility. Therefore, it must be borne in mind that grave imbalances are produced when economic action, conceived merely as an engine for wealth creation, is detached from political action, conceived as a means for pursuing justice through redistribution." (par. 36a)
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.htm
Some important date(s) this week:
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/ByDate.aspx
SUNDAY, JUNE 20. Father's Day
SUNDAY, JUNE 20. World Refugee Day. http://caritas.org/newsroom/press_releases/PressRelease18_06_10.html
Caritas Internationalis is highlighting the plight of three million women in long-term refugee crises on World Refugee Day, 20 June.
Women refugees are particularly vulnerable to human rights abuses in cases where they’ve been forced to leave their homes for long-standing periods. Caritas says the international community can do better in protecting them from violence.
TUESDAY, 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.
THURSDAY, JUNE 24, Birth of St. John the Baptist. Jesus called John the greatest of all those who had preceded him: “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John....” But John would have agreed completely with what Jesus added: “[Y]et the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28).
John spent his time in the desert, an ascetic. He began to announce the coming of the Kingdom, and to call everyone to a fundamental reformation of life.
His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. His Baptism, he said, was for repentance. But One would come who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. John is not worthy even to carry his sandals. His attitude toward Jesus was: “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30).
John was humbled to find among the crowd of sinners who came to be baptized the one whom he already knew to be the Messiah. “I need to be baptized by you” (Matthew 3:14b). But Jesus insisted, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15b). Jesus, true and humble human as well as eternal God, was eager to do what was required of any good Jew. John thus publicly entered the community of those awaiting the Messiah. But making himself part of that community, he made it truly messianic.
The greatness of John, his pivotal place in the history of salvation, is seen in the great emphasis Luke gives to the announcement of his birth and the event itself—both made prominently parallel to the same occurrences in the life of Jesus. John attracted countless people (“all Judea”) to the banks of the Jordan, and it occurred to some people that he might be the Messiah. But he constantly deferred to Jesus, even to sending away some of his followers to become the first disciples of Jesus.
SHARING HOPE IN HARD ECONOMIC TIMES.
This Father’s Day weekend, pray for those fathers who are unemployed, especially those who are going back to school or pursuing new careers as a result of the economy. May God bless these men with patience, wisdom, and supportive families as they take a new direction in their lives.
Reflection: Simply mowing a lawn or raking leaves for that Dad you know working two jobs will give him a little more time with his children.
Intention: For fathers everywhere that they may continue to provide for their families materially and spiritually.
PAPAL INTENTIONS:JUNE 2010
Respect for Human Life
General: That every national and transnational institution may strive to guarantee respect for human life from conception to natural death.
The Churches in Asia
Missionary: That the Churches in Asia, which constitute a “little flock” among non-Christian populations, may know how to communicate the Gospel and give joyful witness to their adherence to Christ.
Corporal Works of Mercy: The seven practices of charity toward our neighbor
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Visit the sick
Visit those in prison
Bury the dead
Note: Please consider joining our
FACEBOOK CAUSE http://apps.facebook.com/causes/106889
FACEBOOK GROUP http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=461833870606
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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