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, (Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time http://usccb.org/bible/readings/081113.cfm we read from the Gospel of Luke Jesus’ call for us to be ever vigilant and ready for His return, and thus to live as disciples of the Lord. Jesus tells us that “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” As believers in the Lord, we are called to be models of discipleship -- to the fullest. Much has been given to us in terms of time, treasure and talent; we need to be co-creators with the Lord in helping to bring forth the Kingdom of God that Jesus preached about each day.
Catholic Charities (http://www.ccdoy.org) appreciates the many gifts of time, treasure and talent that many donors, clients, staff and friends give daily. We know that we have been given much and that much is required from us. As a Catholic organization, we remain true to our calling: in Jesus’ name we help organize love so that those who are hungry, thirsty, sick, dying, visiting, traveling, seeking housing, in prison, are served and most importantly, know that they are loved abundantly by God.
We are reminded of Pope Francis’ recent words: “Dear brothers and sisters, truth wealth is love of God shared with our brothers, that love that comes from God and brings us to share it with each other and help each other. Whoever has experience of this love does not fear death and receives peace of heart.”
By serving, advocating and convening, Catholic Charities faithfully stewards the many resources given to us. Thanks to your generous support to the Annual Bishop’s Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church (http://www.doy.org) we continue to help each other to know the love and grace of God.
Reflection from Church Documents and Official Statements
http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/year-of-faith/images/year-of-faith-logo-montage.jpg
http://cmsimg.news-press.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=A4&Date=20130315&Category=OPINION&ArtNo=303150023&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Editorial-Pope-Francis-unique-chance
Pope Francis: On True Wealth
Vatican City, August 5, 2013. Zenit.org http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/on-true-wealth
Here is the translation of the address given by Pope Francis before and after the recitation of the Angelus from the window of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican on Sunday.
* * *
Dear brothers and sisters! Hello!
Last Sunday I found myself in Rio de Janeiro. Holy Mass and World Youth Day concluded. I think we should all together thank the Lord for the great gift that this event was, for Brazil, for Latin America and for the world. It was a new stage in the pilgrimage of young people across the continents with cross of Christ. We must not forget that the World Youth Days are not “fireworks,” moments of enthusiasm that are an end in themselves; they are the stages of a long journey, begun in 1985, by the initiative of John Paul II. He gave the cross to the young people and told them: go and I will come with you! And this is how it was; and this pilgrimage of young people continued with Pope Benedict, and, thanks be to God, I too was able to live this marvelous stage in Brazil. Let us always remember: the youth do not follow the Pope, they follow Jesus Christ, carrying his cross. And the Pope leads them and accompanies them on this journey of faith and hope. So, I thank all the young people who participated, some of whom also made sacrifices to do so. And I thank the Lord too for the meetings I had with the Pastors and people of that great country that is Brazil, as well as with the authorities and volunteers. May the Lord repay all those who worked for this great feast of faith. I would also like to stress my gratitude, many thanks to the Brazilians. These people of Brazil are great, a people with a big heart! I will not forget their warm welcome, their greetings, their looks, such joy. They are also a generous people; I ask the Lord to bless them abundantly!
I would like to ask you to pray with me that the young people who participated World Youth Day be able to translate this experience into their daily journey, into their everyday behavior; and also be able to translate it into the important decisions of life, responding to the personal call of the Lord. Today the provocative words of Qoheleth resound in today’s liturgy: “Vanity of vanities ... all is vanity” (1:2). Young people are especially sensitive to the lack of meaning and values that surrounds them. And unfortunately they pay the consequences. But meeting with the living Jesus in his great family that is the Church fills the heart with joy because it fills us with true life, with a profound good, that does not pass or go bad: we saw it in the faces of the kids in Rio. But this experience must confront the vanity of daily life, the poison of the void that insinuates itself into our societies based on profit and having, that deceives young people with consumerism. This Sunday’s Gospel reminds us precisely of the absurdity of basing our happiness on having. The rich man says to himself: My soul, you possess many things ... relax, eat, drink and enjoy! But God says to him: You fool, this very night your soul will be demanded of you. And the things you accumulated, whose will it be? (cf. Luke 12:19-20).
Dear brothers and sisters, truth wealth is love of God shared with our brothers, that love that comes from God and brings us to share it with each other and help each other. Whoever has experience of this love does not fear death and receives peace of heart. Let us entrust this intention – of receiving God’s love and sharing it with our brothers – to the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
Some important date(s) this week:
See website http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/ByDate.aspx for biographies of Saints and Blessed celebrated this week.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15. Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. http://usccb.org/bible/readings/081513-mass-during-day.cfm
On November 1, 1950, Pius XII defined the Assumption of Mary to be a dogma of faith: “We pronounce, declare and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma that the immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory.” The pope proclaimed this dogma only after a broad consultation of bishops, theologians and laity. There were few dissenting voices. What the pope solemnly declared was already a common belief in the Catholic Church.
We find homilies on the Assumption going back to the sixth century. In following centuries the Eastern Churches held steadily to the doctrine, but some authors in the West were hesitant. However, by the 13th century there was universal agreement. The feast was celebrated under various names (Commemoration, Dormition, Passing, Assumption) from at least the fifth or sixth century. Today it is celebrated as a solemnity.
Scripture does not give an account of Mary’s Assumption into heaven. Nevertheless, Revelation 12 speaks of a woman who is caught up in the battle between good and evil. Many see this woman as God’s people. Since Mary best embodies the people of both Old and New Testament, her Assumption can be seen as an exemplification of the woman’s victory.
Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 15:20 Paul speaks of Christ’s resurrection as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Since Mary is closely associated with all the mysteries of Jesus’ life, it is not surprising that the Holy Spirit has led the Church to belief in Mary’s share in his glorification. So close was she to Jesus on earth, she must be with him body and soul in heaven.
Comment:
In the light of the Assumption of Mary, it is easy to pray her Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55) with new meaning. In her glory she proclaims the greatness of the Lord and finds joy in God her savior. God has done marvels to her and she leads others to recognize God’s holiness. She is the lowly handmaid who deeply reverenced her God and has been raised to the heights. From her position of strength she will help the lowly and the poor find justice on earth, and she will challenge the rich and powerful to distrust wealth and power as a source of happiness.
Quote:
“In the bodily and spiritual glory which she possesses in heaven, the Mother of Jesus continues in this present world as the image and first flowering of the Church as she is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise, Mary shines forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come (cf. 2 Peter 3:10), as a sign of certain hope and comfort for the pilgrim People of God” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 68).
For Daily Readings http://www.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month
CHARITIES NEWSBYTES
As people are finding jobs, they sometimes need one last month of help until they
get their first paycheck. Catholic Charities provides assistance with food, clothing and shelter to make sure people’s basic needs are met during the transition back to work. Your support for the Bishop’s Appeal makes this possible. Visit http://www.doygive.org to make your pledge or one-time gift to the 2013 Bishop’s Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church.
2013 Annual Bishop’s Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church.
The in Church/parish appeal is now underway. Please consider a gift to help support the work of Catholic Charities and other ministries of the Diocese of Youngstown https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=450afc
PAPAL INTENTIONS: AUGUST
Parents and Teachers. That parents and teachers may help the new generation to grow in upright conscience and life.
The Church in Africa. That the local Church in Africa, faithfully proclaiming the Gospel, may promote peace and justice.
Corporal Works of Mercy: The seven practices of charity toward our neighbor
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for current updates and calls to action that we can all use.
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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