MONDAY MORNING MISSION MEDITATION for the week of January 30, 2011

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)

On Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A http://www.usccb.org/nab/013011.shtml) we read in the Gospel of Matthew about Jesus' sharing the beatitudes (blessings) with those open to hear His Word. "Blessed are you......" But we hear these beatitudes challenging the very way we have been taught to think by our culture, and cultures past. The poor, the meek, the hungry, the peacemakers are highlighted. Jesus is opening up a new way to be in right relationship with each other. The Ten Commandments find their fulfillment in this new way of being; being conformed to Christ.

In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org , we too are called to be witnesses to living in a new and right relationship with people. As an agency of the Church, for example, we are called to be peacemakers in our work. We are called to find ways to build peace in all of our relationships. We must use our knowledge and power to help build justice in our communities so that peace can prevail. We accomplish peace building by helping families come back together, helping lonely persons find community, working with community organizing groups to bring people together to work for justice.




Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate

Truth, and the love which it reveals, cannot be produced: they can only be received as a gift. Their ultimate source is not, and cannot be, mankind, but only God, who is himself Truth and Love. This principle is extremely important for society and for development, since neither can be a purely human product; the vocation to development on the part of individuals and peoples is not based simply on human choice, but is an intrinsic part of a plan that is prior to us and constitutes for all of us a duty to be freely accepted. That which is prior to us and constitutes us — subsistent Love and Truth — shows us what goodness is, and in what our true happiness consists. It shows us the road to true development. (par. 52)

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

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 2. Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. At the end of the fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her journal, discovered in 1887, gives an unprecedented glimpse of liturgical life there. Among the celebrations she describes is the Epiphany (January 6), the observance of Christ’s birth, and the gala procession in honor of his Presentation in the Temple 40 days later—February 15. (Under the Mosaic Law, a woman was ritually “unclean” for 40 days after childbirth, when she was to present herself to the priests and offer sacrifice—her “purification.” Contact with anyone who had brushed against mystery—birth or death—excluded a person from Jewish worship.) This feast emphasizes Jesus’ first appearance in the Temple more than Mary’s purification.
The observance spread throughout the Western Church in the fifth and sixth centuries. Because the Church in the West celebrated Jesus’ birth on December 25, the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days after Christmas.
At the beginning of the eighth century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession; at the end of the same century the blessing and distribution of candles which continues to this day became part of the celebration, giving the feast its popular name: Candlemas.



SHARING HOPE IN HARD ECONOMIC TIMES.

St. Cajetan is the patron of those seeking work. As we begin a new year, please pray through the intercession of St. Cajetan that those who have been without work will find meaningful employment.

Hope Works Offer New Series

Starting Tuesday, January 18th at 6:30 p.m. and continuing every Tuesday evening through February 22, Blessed Sacrament Parish in Warren will be hosting a six-session series, "The ABC's of Getting the Job You Deserve." The series will give those in attendance an action plan that will bring success, and help them stand out from other job seekers. There are professional speakers each week and success stories that will help get everyone through the winter darkness. These sessions will be held at Blessed Sacrament Parish’s Regan Hall, 3020 Reeves Road, NE, Warren. Please call the parish at 330-372-2215 to speak to Terry about registering and for more information. There is no charge for this session.

Hope Works is sponsored by Trumbull County Catholic Parishes and with Sharing Hope in Tough Times, a project of Catholic Charities





PAPAL INTENTIONS:

JANUARY 2011
General Intention: That the riches of creation be preserved, valued and made available to all, as a precious gifts from God to mankind.

Missionary Intention: That Christians may achieve full unity, bearing witness of the universal fatherhood of God to the entire human race.

February 2011

General Intention: That the family may be respected by all in its identity and that its irreplaceable contribution to all of society be recognized.

Missionary Intention: That in the mission territories where the struggle against disease is most urgent, Christian communities may witness to the presence of Christ to those who suffer.


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
FACEBOOK FAN
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/

MONDAY MORNING MISSION MEDITATION for the week of January 23, 2011

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)

On Sunday (Third Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/012311.shtml) we read in the Gospel of Matthew about Jesus' calling of his first disciples. While these two sets of brothers were working their normal jobs as fishermen, Jesus calls them to drop what they are doing and follow him. We hear St. Paul tell the Christian community in Corinth that Jesus needs to be the focus, and stop their divisiveness and debates about which group is better. Rather, the point of all of our work and life is to reflect the great light that has shone upon us: Jesus the Christ.

In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org , we too must focus on Jesus' ministry as the main point of our own work. As a ministry of the Church, we must strive to bring the Good News of Jesus' love to each person in every service or program we provide. We must be beacons of that great light of Jesus which brings healing and peace. We accomplish that by centering our work as a continuation of the mission of Jesus to heal all those who sought him.




Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate

In order to protect nature, it is not enough to intervene with economic incentives or deterrents; not even an apposite education is sufficient. These are important steps, but the decisive issue is the overall moral tenor of society. If there is a lack of respect for the right to life and to a natural death, if human conception, gestation and birth are made artificial, if human embryos are sacrificed to research, the conscience of society ends up losing the concept of human ecology and, along with it, that of environmental ecology. It is contradictory to insist that future generations respect the natural environment when our educational systems and laws do not help them to respect themselves. The book of nature is one and indivisible: it takes in not only the environment but also life, sexuality, marriage, the family, social relations: in a word, integral human development. Our duties towards the environment are linked to our duties towards the human person, considered in himself and in relation to others. It would be wrong to uphold one set of duties while trampling on the other. Herein lies a grave contradiction in our mentality and practice today: one which demeans the person, disrupts the environment and damages society. (par. 51c)


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

Thursday January 27
St. Angela Merici
(1470?-1540)
Angela has the double distinction of founding the first teaching congregation of women in the Church and what is now called a “secular institute” of religious women.
As a young woman she became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis (now known as the Secular Franciscan Order), and lived a life of great austerity, wishing, like St. Francis, to own nothing, not even a bed. Early in life she was appalled at the ignorance among poorer children, whose parents could not or would not teach them the elements of religion. Angela’s charming manner and good looks complemented her natural qualities of leadership. Others joined her in giving regular instruction to the little girls of their neighborhood.
She was invited to live with a family in Brescia (where, she had been told in a vision, she would one day found a religious community). Her work continued and became well known. She became the center of a group of people with similar ideals.
She eagerly took the opportunity for a trip to the Holy Land. When they had gotten as far as Crete, she was struck with blindness. Her friends wanted to return home, but she insisted on going through with the pilgrimage, and visited the sacred shrines with as much devotion and enthusiasm as if she had her sight. On the way back, while praying before a crucifix, her sight was restored at the same place where it had been lost.
At 57, she organized a group of 12 girls to help her in catechetical work. Four years later the group had increased to 28. She formed them into the Company of St. Ursula (patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women) for the purpose of re-Christianizing family life through solid Christian education of future wives and mothers. The members continued to live at home, had no special habit and took no formal vows, though the early Rule prescribed the practice of virginity, poverty and obedience. The idea of a teaching congregation of women was new and took time to develop. The community thus existed as a “secular institute” until some years after Angela’s death.



SHARING HOPE IN HARD ECONOMIC TIMES.



Hope Works Offer New Series

Starting Tuesday, January 18th at 6:30 p.m. and continuing every Tuesday evening through February 22, Blessed Sacrament Parish in Warren will be hosting a six-session series, "The ABC's of Getting the Job You Deserve." The series will give those in attendance an action plan that will bring success, and help them stand out from other job seekers. There are professional speakers each week and success stories that will help get everyone through the winter darkness. These sessions will be held at Blessed Sacrament Parish’s Regan Hall, 3020 Reeves Road, NE, Warren. Please call the parish at 330-372-2215 to speak to Terry about registering and for more information. There is no charge for this session.

Hope Works is sponsored by Trumbull County Catholic Parishes and with Sharing Hope in Tough Times, a project of Catholic Charities





PAPAL INTENTIONS: JANUARY 2011

General Intention: That the riches of creation be preserved, valued and made available to all, as a precious gifts from God to mankind.

Missionary Intention: That Christians may achieve full unity, bearing witness of the universal fatherhood of God to the entire human race.


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
FACEBOOK FAN
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/

MONDAY MORNING MISSION MEDITATION for the week of January 16, 2011

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)

On Sunday (Second Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/011611.shtml ) we read in the Gospel of John about John the Baptist's confession and acknowledgement. In this passage, John the Baptist admits twice that he does not know who Jesus really is, by uttering "I did not know him." John the Baptist then reviews the revelation that he finally has regarding the true nature of Jesus: The Son of God sent by the Spirit. How often do we look at things and do not really see them? How often do we not really see things for what they are? The Spirit has given us new eyes as followers of Christ to see the world in a new way; an opening for the Kingdom of God.

In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org , we too must and do see the world in a different way. Society may see the persons that come to our agencies for services as the poor, the sick, the lonely, the homeless, the alien/the illegal, the ragged. But because we have been graced by the Spirit and are witnesses to Jesus' mission, we at Catholic Charities see each person that comes to our doors or calls our agencies as images of God. As Jesus revealed to us the face of God, we too see each person as endowed with inherent dignity and rights. By our acknowledging each person as a unique creation of God, we are a sign in our community that God is with us, the Kingdom is breaking in.




Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate

The Church has a responsibility towards creation and she must assert this responsibility in the public sphere. In so doing, she must defend not only earth, water and air as gifts of creation that belong to everyone. She must above all protect mankind from self-destruction. There is need for what might be called a human ecology, correctly understood. The deterioration of nature is in fact closely connected to the culture that shapes human coexistence: when “human ecology” is respected within society, environmental ecology also benefits. Just as human virtues are interrelated, such that the weakening of one places others at risk, so the ecological system is based on respect for a plan that affects both the health of society and its good relationship with nature. (par. 51b)

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


Annual Mass for Life
Saturday, January 22nd (Youngstown)
Bishop Murry will celebrate the Annual Mass for Life at St. Columba Cathedral on January 22nd at 10:30 AM. All are welcome.

Bishop's Message for Day of Migrants, Refugees

January 16. World Day of Migrants and Refugees

"Our Task Is to Build Integrated Communities in the Church"

LONDON, JAN. 15, 2011 ( Zenit.org ).- Here is the message of Bishop Patrick Lynch, chairman of the Office for Migration Policy of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, for the 97th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which will be celebrated Sunday on the theme: "One Human Family."
* * *

In his address for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees today His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI takes as his theme "One human family". He reminds us that because of globalization and migration we are becoming increasingly inter-connected and more conscious than ever that all of us belong to one human family. An important aspect of the mission of the Church in the world today is, therefore, to be a sign and instrument of union with God and of the unity of the whole human race.
Once again Pope Benedict emphasizes the central principles of Catholic Social Teaching with regard to migration - the right to migrate, the right of the State to regulate migration and the responsibility of the State to respect the dignity of every human person and therefore of every migrant. This time, however, he adds that "migrant communities have a duty to integrate into the host country, respecting its laws and national identity. The challenge is to combine the welcome due to every human being, especially when in need with a reckoning of what is necessary for both the local inhabitants and the new arrivals to live a dignified and peaceful life". This message is particularly relevant for the Church here in England and Wales and for our society at this present time.
Integration does not mean assimilation when one looses one's cultural, social and religious identity and is absorbed into the host culture. Integration is a process - often extending over two generations - that begins when the host community reaches out to welcome and help immigrant communities to connect with, belong to and participate in all the networks that form society today. If people don't feel welcome they can't fully belong and if they don't feel they belong it is difficult to participate and integrate. Churches and in particular parishes and schools often serve as the first points of entry into society and civic engagement. It is in the parish that migrant communities experience a sense of being welcomed and belonging. It is through the parishes and the schools that immigrant families make new friends, receive practical advice, help and support and develop some of the basic civic skills that enable them to connect at a deeper level with the wider community and society. It is through the schools that immigrant families first begin to see the realisation of their dream for a better life for their children.
The Catholic Church also recognizes the importance of culture in the integration process by the way it recognizes and affirms the gifts, the faith, the spirituality and the devotions of immigrant communities e.g. the sense of community and solidarity in one community, the strong family bonds in another, the devotion to Our Lady in another, the sense of joyful thanksgiving and celebration in another.
Integration, however, involves not only appreciating diversity but also nurturing unity. It is our experience as a Church that that unity is shaped and nurtured by four elements:
- Our shared faith in the Risen Lord,
- Our shared sense of belonging to the Church to a diocese and to a local community,
- Our shared experience of prayer and especially the Eucharist and
- Our shared commitment to build God's Kingdom and contribute to the common good in society today.
Our task is to build integrated communities in the Church not separate ones. I would like especially to congratulate the parish of St. Peter's (in Woolwich) and the many parishes up and down the country who are examples of how to be a welcoming community - communities that welcome people from many backgrounds, many countries and many cultures but yet at the same time are communities that help newly arrived immigrants to be fully part of the life of the local Church and fully part of the local community in which they live.
It is very appropriate that our second reading today is from the beginning of St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians. When writing to the Corinthians St. Paul was writing to a community that was divided. They were divided between rich and poor and between those strong and weak in their faith. They were divided over which leader they should follow and over their beliefs.
Paul's fervent hope and prayer is that they will be united but he knows that will only happen if they become more open to the Holy Spirit and begin to see themselves as sisters and brothers in the family of God and members of the Body of Christ.
Let us pray this morning as the Holy Father has asked us that we too will be open to presence of the Holy Spirit present in all our brothers and sisters so that the friendship and communion we experience through the mass will help us create greater understanding among peoples and cultures especially in the community in which we live.
With every good wish and blessing for the coming year.
Bishop Patrick Lynch SS.CC.
Chair, Office for Migration Policy
Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales

SHARING HOPE IN HARD ECONOMIC TIMES.

Did you know that Catholic Charities, Diocese of Youngstown is on Facebook and Twitter? Find us on Facebook at Catholic Charities, Diocese of Youngstown and on Twitter at ccdoy.

Hope Works Offer New Series

Starting Tuesday, January 18th at 6:30 p.m. and continuing every Tuesday evening through February 22, Blessed Sacrament Parish in Warren will be hosting a six-session series, "The ABC's of Getting the Job You Deserve." The series will give those in attendance an action plan that will bring success, and help them stand out from other job seekers. There are professional speakers each week and success stories that will help get everyone through the winter darkness. These sessions will be held at Blessed Sacrament Parish’s Regan Hall, 3020 Reeves Road, NE, Warren. Please call the parish at 330-372-2215 to speak to Terry about registering and for more information. There is no charge for this session.

Hope Works is sponsored by Trumbull County Catholic Parishes and with Sharing Hope in Tough Times, a project of Catholic Charities





PAPAL INTENTIONS: JANUARY 2011


General Intention: That the riches of creation be preserved, valued and made available to all, as a precious gifts from God to mankind.

Missionary Intention: That Christians may achieve full unity, bearing witness of the universal fatherhood of God to the entire human race.


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
FACEBOOK FAN
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/

PRESIDENT "COR UNUM" IN HAITI FOR EARTHQUAKE ANNIVERSARY

VATICAN CITY, 11 JAN 2011 (VIS) - A year after the earthquake which devastated Haiti on 12 January 2010 leaving 250,000 people dead and more than a million homeless, Benedict XVI has sent Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", who will bring a Message from the Pope and economic aid to the people so gravely afflicted twelve months ago, according to a communique released by "Cor Unum".



The cardinal arrived in Haiti yesterday when he visited a number of religious communities in Leogane: the Sisters of Christ the King whose hospital was destroyed, the "Petites Soeurs de Sainte-Therese de l'Enfant Jesus" who run a clinic for people suffering from AIDS and tuberculosis, and the "Compagnes de Jesus" who had an old people's home and a school destroyed by the quake. During the course of the day Cardinal Sarah laid the cornerstone of the "Ecole Notre Dame des Anges". In the Holy Father's name, he also brought concrete support in the form of donations received following the earthquake: 800,000 U.S. dollars for the rebuilding of schools and 400,000 U.S. dollars for the reconstruction of churches.



Today, 11 January, the president of "Cor Unum", accompanied by Msgr. Segundo Tejado, under secretary of the dicastery, will meet Rene Preval, president of the Republic of Haiti . The cardinal will then visit the Parc Acra displaced persons camp where he will celebrate Mass.



On Wednesday 12 January, Cardinal Sarah will read out the Pope's Message during a Mass to commemorate the first anniversary of the earthquake. He will then meet with bishops and seminarians as well as with directors of Caritas and of international and volunteer organisations.



His final engagement in Haiti will take place on 13 January when he will celebrate Mass in the convent of the "Paridean" Daughters of Mary who lost fifteen religious in the disaster, while twelve other sisters were seriously injured.



The visit also has the aim of thanking everyone who collaborated in the huge efforts of the emergency period, and of renewing the Church's commitment in the reconstruction, encouraging a new phase of charitable commitment.

CON-CU/ VIS 20110111 (360)

MONDAY MORNING MISSION MEDITATION for the week of January 9, 2011

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)

On Sunday (The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Year A http://www.usccb.org/nab/010911.shtml) we read in the Gospel of Matthew telling us of that great event wherein Jesus presents himself to John the Baptist. While John baptizes Jesus, as he emerges from the water (a foretaste of His death and resurrection) we hear the voice of God proclaiming His Son. Jesus came to announce a new time. The prophet Isaiah foretells of Jesus' mandate: "I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness."

In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org , we too continue that ministry and mandate of Jesus to bring Good News to those who are in need: the senior who is afraid of living alone; the child seeking assistance with school supplies; that family trying to keep their home amidst the trials of foreclosure; that young man from another country seeking a means to care for his family back home; that woman expecting new life seeking assistance to help feed her newborn; that prisoner hoping to be released soon and needing help to get back on his feet. These are some examples of how Catholic Charities provides help and creates hope for persons each day, living out the call of Jesus himself to bring abundant life and joy into the world.




Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate

The way humanity treats the environment influences the way it treats itself, and vice versa. This invites contemporary society to a serious review of its life-style, which, in many parts of the world, is prone to hedonism and consumerism, regardless of their harmful consequences. What is needed is an effective shift in mentality which can lead to the adoption of new life-styles “in which the quest for truth, beauty, goodness and communion with others for the sake of common growth are the factors which determine consumer choices, savings and investments”. Every violation of solidarity and civic friendship harms the environment, just as environmental deterioration in turn upsets relations in society. Nature, especially in our time, is so integrated into the dynamics of society and culture that by now it hardly constitutes an independent variable. Desertification and the decline in productivity in some agricultural areas are also the result of impoverishment and underdevelopment among their inhabitants. When incentives are offered for their economic and cultural development, nature itself is protected. Moreover, how many natural resources are squandered by wars! Peace in and among peoples would also provide greater protection for nature. The hoarding of resources, especially water, can generate serious conflicts among the peoples involved. Peaceful agreement about the use of resources can protect nature and, at the same time, the well-being of the societies concerned. (par. 51a)

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


Last week was National Migration week. Please take time to review and reflect upon the US Catholic Bishops' message on Migration and Immigration. Visit http://www.usccb.org/mrs/nmw/

Annual Mass for Life
Saturday, January 15th (Canton)
Saturday, January 22nd (Youngstown)
Bishop Murry will celebrate the Annual Mass for Life at St. John the Baptist Church in Canton on January 15th at 10:30 AM and at St. Columba Cathedral on January 22nd at 10:30 AM. All are welcome.

SHARING HOPE IN HARD ECONOMIC TIMES.

Fact: Catholic Charities USA—which consists of 1,700 diocesan-associated agencies—is the second largest social service provider in the United States, surpassed only by the federal government.

Hope Works Offer New Series

Starting Tuesday, January 18th at 6:30 p.m. and continuing every Tuesday evening through February 22, Blessed Sacrament Parish in Warren will be hosting a six-session series, "The ABC's of Getting the Job You Deserve." The series will give those in attendance an action plan that will bring success, and help them stand out from other job seekers. There are professional speakers each week and success stories that will help get everyone through the winter darkness. These sessions will be held at Blessed Sacrament Parish’s Regan Hall, 3020 Reeves Road, NE, Warren. Please call the parish at 330-372-2215 to speak to Terry about registering and for more information. There is no charge for this session.

Hope Works is sponsored by Trumbull County Catholic Parishes and with Sharing Hope in Tough Times, a project of Catholic Charities





PAPAL INTENTIONS: JANUARY 2011

General Intention: That the riches of creation be preserved, valued and made available to all, as a precious gifts from God to mankind.

Missionary Intention: That Christians may achieve full unity, bearing witness of the universal fatherhood of God to the entire human race.


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
FACEBOOK FAN
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/

MONDAY MORNING MISSION MEDITATION for the week of January 2, 2011

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)

On Sunday (Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Year A http://www.usccb.org/nab/010211.shtml) we read in the Gospel of Matthew about the coming of the Magi to encounter the Christ. These three wise men approach Herod for directions to visit the Child. Herod immediately reacts: how can this be? A challenger to his earthly power? Herod asks these wise visitors to go to Bethlehem to visit the Child and to report back to him on his exact location. The Angel, however, who had visited Mary and Joseph earlier, now tells the Magi to avoid Herod and go another route back home. We now experience two realities, at least, in this story: Christ is revealed now to all the world and not just to Israel; and Jesus will be the target of Herod's wrath and fear. A new kingdom has been revealed and announced: the kingdom of God, a kingdom of peace and justice, has broken in. The world will be made right side up with love and compassion as its foundation.

In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org , we too announce this Good News: God's kingdom is revealed to all. This Child Jesus brings forth a new way of doing things. We in Catholic Charities must do things differently than other very good social welfare agencies. We are more than a human service agency working in the community -- though we are in the community and do provide social services. Rooted in Christ's revelation of love, compassion, hope, peace and justice, we serve men and women while we acknowledge and respect the inherent dignity of each person we meet and help. We serve but we also promote justice in the world by our witness and message of hope. This time of Epiphany enlightens us to see God's face in each person we serve and stand with in solidarity.


Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate

This responsibility is a global one, for it is concerned not just with energy but with the whole of creation, which must not be bequeathed to future generations depleted of its resources. Human beings legitimately exercise a responsible stewardship over nature, in order to protect it, to enjoy its fruits and to cultivate it in new ways, with the assistance of advanced technologies, so that it can worthily accommodate and feed the world's population. On this earth there is room for everyone: here the entire human family must find the resources to live with dignity, through the help of nature itself — God's gift to his children — and through hard work and creativity. At the same time we must recognize our grave duty to hand the earth on to future generations in such a condition that they too can worthily inhabit it and continue to cultivate it. This means being committed to making joint decisions 'after pondering responsibly the road to be taken, decisions aimed at strengthening that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the creative love of God, from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying'. Let us hope that the international community and individual governments will succeed in countering harmful ways of treating the environment. It is likewise incumbent upon the competent authorities to make every effort to ensure that the economic and social costs of using up shared environmental resources are recognized with transparency and fully borne by those who incur them, not by other peoples or future generations: the protection of the environment, of resources and of the climate obliges all international leaders to act jointly and to show a readiness to work in good faith, respecting the law and promoting solidarity with the weakest regions of the planet. One of the greatest challenges facing the economy is to achieve the most efficient use — not abuse — of natural resources, based on a realization that the notion of 'efficiency' is not value-free." (par. 50)

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


TUESDAY, JANUARY 4. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821) Mother Seton is one of the keystones of the American Catholic Church. She founded the first American religious community for women, the Sisters of Charity. She opened the first American parish school and established the first American Catholic orphanage. All this she did in the span of 46 years while raising her five children.
Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton is a true daughter of the American Revolution, born August 28, 1774, just two years before the Declaration of Independence. By birth and marriage, she was linked to the first families of New York and enjoyed the fruits of high society. Reared a staunch Episcopalian by her mother and stepmother, she learned the value of prayer, Scripture and a nightly examination of conscience. Her father, Dr. Richard Bayley, did not have much use for churches but was a great humanitarian, teaching his daughter to love and serve others.
The early deaths of her mother in 1777 and her baby sister in 1778 gave Elizabeth a feel for eternity and the temporariness of the pilgrim life on earth. Far from being brooding and sullen, she faced each new “holocaust,” as she put it, with hopeful cheerfulness.
At 19, Elizabeth was the belle of New York and married a handsome, wealthy businessman, William Magee Seton. They had five children before his business failed and he died of tuberculosis. At 30, Elizabeth was widowed, penniless, with five small children to support.
While in Italy with her dying husband, Elizabeth witnessed Catholicity in action through family friends. Three basic points led her to become a Catholic: belief in the Real Presence, devotion to the Blessed Mother and conviction that the Catholic Church led back to the apostles and to Christ. Many of her family and friends rejected her when she became a Catholic in March 1805.
To support her children, she opened a school in Baltimore. From the beginning, her group followed the lines of a religious community, which was officially founded in 1809.
The thousand or more letters of Mother Seton reveal the development of her spiritual life from ordinary goodness to heroic sanctity. She suffered great trials of sickness, misunderstanding, the death of loved ones (her husband and two young daughters) and the heartache of a wayward son. She died January 4, 1821, and became the first American-born citizen to be beatified (1963) and then canonized (1975). She is buried in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5. St. John Neumann, (1811-1860) Perhaps because the United States got a later start in the history of the world, it has relatively few canonized saints, but their number is increasing.
John Neumann was born in what is now the Czech Republic. After studying in Prague, he came to New York at 25 and was ordained a priest. He did missionary work in New York until he was 29, when he joined the Redemptorists and became its first member to profess vows in the United States. He continued missionary work in Maryland, Virginia and Ohio, where he became popular with the Germans.
At 41, as bishop of Philadelphia, he organized the parochial school system into a diocesan one, increasing the number of pupils almost twentyfold within a short time.
Gifted with outstanding organizing ability, he drew into the city many teaching communities of sisters and the Christian Brothers. During his brief assignment as vice provincial for the Redemptorists, he placed them in the forefront of the parochial movement.
Well-known for his holiness and learning, spiritual writing and preaching, on October 13, 1963, John Neumann became the first American bishop to be beatified. Canonized in 1977, he is buried in St. Peter the Apostle Church in Philadelphia.


SHARING HOPE IN HARD ECONOMIC TIMES.

Keep Kids Warm Campaign
Catholic Charities’ annual “Keep the Kids Warm” campaign will be wrapping up next weekend. Please consider a gift to help low-income families with children keep their homes warm this winter. Gifts can be sent to Catholic Charities, P.O. Box 614, Youngstown, Ohio 44501. One hundred-percent of the funds raised through this special effort are returned to the counties in which they were collected to provide direct assistance to local families in need.

Hope Works Offer New Series

Starting Tuesday, January 18th at 6:30 p.m. and continuing every Tuesday evening through February 22, Blessed Sacrament Parish in Warren will be hosting a six-session series, "The ABC's of Getting the Job You Deserve." The series will give those in attendance an action plan that will bring success, and help them stand out from other job seekers. There are professional speakers each week and success stories that will help get everyone through the winter darkness. These sessions will be held at Blessed Sacrament Parish’s Regan Hall, 3020 Reeves Road, NE, Warren. Please call the parish at 330-372-2215 to speak to Terry about registering and for more information. There is no charge for this session.

Hope Works is sponsored by Trumbull County Catholic Parishes and with Sharing Hope in Tough Times, a project of Catholic Charities



PAPAL INTENTIONS: JANUARY 2011

General Intention: That the riches of creation be preserved, valued and made available to all, as a precious gifts from God to mankind.

Missionary Intention: That Christians may achieve full unity, bearing witness of the universal fatherhood of God to the entire human race.


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
FACEBOOK FAN
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/