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)
http://www.jacquiebinns.com/Pentecost__Gloucester.jpg
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On Sunday, ( PENTECOST http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/052712-mass-during-the-day.cfm
) we read from the Gospel of John about Jesus’ appearance to the
Apostles on the day of His resurrection. At that time, Jesus offers and
shares his peace with each of his followers, who had been living in
fear. Jesus promises them the Holy Spirit to go out into the world and
bring to each person and community the Good News of God’s love, mercy,
compassion and forgiveness. We read in the Acts of the Apostles how the
early Church engaged peoples of every nation by speaking in their own
tongue about this Good News.
In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org , we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring this Good News to each person, family and community that we encounter. As workers in Catholic Charities we are challenged and try to live out the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which are: “ love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:16-25). Sometimes clients come to us totally frustrated, afraid and alone. As a service of the Church, filled with the Holy Spirit, we might be the only agency which truly welcomes them. Our attitude of welcome and hospitality lives out the fruits of the Spirit which no one else can give. This is essential to our Catholic identity and our calling to bring Good News to the poor.
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
1.
As a nation, we share many blessings and strengths, including a
tradition of religious freedom and political participation. However, as a
people, we face serious challenges that are clearly political and also
profoundly moral.
2.
We are a nation founded on "life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness," but the right to life itself is not fully protected,
especially for unborn children, the most vulnerable members of the
American family. We are called to be peacemakers in a nation at war. We
are a country pledged to pursue "liberty and justice for all," but we
are too often divided across lines of race, ethnicity, and economic
inequality. We are a nation of immigrants, struggling to address the
challenges of many new immigrants in our midst. We are a society built
on the strength of our families, called to defend marriage and offer
moral and economic supports for family life. We are a powerful nation in
a violent world, confronting terror and trying to build a safer, more
just, more peaceful world. We are an affluent society where too many
live in poverty and lack health care and other necessities of life. We
are part of a global community facing urgent threats to the environment
that must sustain us. These challenges are at the heart of public life
and at the center of the pursuit of the common good.1
3.
For many years, we bishops of the United States have sought to share
Catholic teaching on political life. We have done so in a series of
statements issued every four years focused on "political responsibility"
or "faithful citizenship." In this document we continue that practice,
maintaining continuity with what we have said in the past in light of
new challenges facing our nation and world. This is not new teaching but
affirms what is taught by our Bishops' Conference and the whole Church.
As Catholics, we are part of a community with a rich heritage that
helps us consider the challenges in public life and contribute to
greater justice and peace for all people.
4. Part of that rich heritage on faithful citizenship is the teaching of Vatican Council II'sDeclaration on Religious Liberty (Dignitatis Humanae).
It says that "society itself may enjoy the benefits of justice and
peace, which result from [people's] faithfulness to God and his holy
will" (no. 6).The work for justice requires that the mind and the heart
of Catholics be educated and formed to know and practice the whole
faith.
5.
This statement highlights the role of the Church in the formation of
conscience, and the corresponding moral responsibility of each Catholic
to hear, receive, and act upon the Church's teaching in the lifelong
task of forming his or her own conscience. With this foundation,
Catholics are better able to evaluate policy positions, party platforms,
and candidates' promises and actions in light of the Gospel and the
moral and social teaching of the Church in order to help build a better
world.
6.
We seek to do this by addressing four questions: (1) Why does the
Church teach about issues affecting public policy? (2) Who in the Church
should participate in political life? (3) How does the Church help the
Catholic faithful to speak about political and social questions? (4)
What does the Church say about Catholic social teaching in the public
square?
7.
In this statement, we bishops do not intend to tell Catholics for whom
or against whom to vote. Our purpose is to help Catholics form their
consciences in accordance with God's truth. We recognize that the
responsibility to make choices in political life rests with each
individual in light of a properly formed conscience, and that
participation goes well beyond casting a vote in a particular election.
8.
During election years, there may be many handouts and voter guides that
are produced and distributed. We encourage Catholics to seek those
resources that are authorized by their own bishops, their state Catholic
conferences, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This
statement is intended to reflect and complement, not substitute for,
the ongoing teaching of bishops in our own dioceses and states. In light
of these reflections and those of local bishops, we encourage Catholics
throughout the United States to be active in the political process,
particularly in these challenging times.
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
MAY
31 VISITATION This is a fairly late feast, going back only to the
13th or 14th century. It was established widely throughout the Church to
pray for unity. The present date of celebration was set in 1969 in
order to follow the Annunciation of the Lord (March 25) and precede the
Nativity of John the Baptist (June 24).
Like
most feasts of Mary, it is closely connected with Jesus and his saving
work. The more visible actors in the visitation drama (see Luke 1:39-45)
are Mary and Elizabeth. However, Jesus and John the Baptist steal the
scene in a hidden way. Jesus makes John leap with joy—the joy of
messianic salvation. Elizabeth, in turn, is filled with the Holy Spirit
and addresses words of praise to Mary—words that echo down through the
ages.
It
is helpful to recall that we do not have a journalist’s account of this
meeting. Rather, Luke, speaking for the Church, gives a prayerful
poet’s rendition of the scene. Elizabeth’s praise of Mary as “the mother
of my Lord” can be viewed as the earliest Church’s devotion to Mary. As
with all authentic devotion to Mary, Elizabeth’s (the Church’s) words
first praise God for what God has done to Mary. Only secondly does she
praise Mary for trusting God’s words.
Then comes the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Here Mary herself (like the Church) traces all her greatness to God.
CHARITIES NEWSBYTES
Watch for information on the Fortnight for Religious Freedom http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/fortnight-for-freedom/index.cfm
PAPAL INTENTIONS:
May 2012
General Intention: The Family. That initiatives which defend and uphold the role of the family may be promoted within society. .
Missionary Intention:
Mary, Guide of Missionaries. That Mary, Queen of the World and Star of
Evangelization, may accompany all missionaries in proclaiming her Son
Jesus.
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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