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)
With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. (PS: 130:7)
On Sunday, (Fifth Sunday of Lent http://usccb.org/bible/readings/040614.cfm ) we read from the Gospel of John that “Jesus wept.” We hear in this story about the death of Jesus’ dear friend, Lazarus, and the power of life at work in our encounters with the Lord. Obviously, we can tell from this story that Jesus truly loved and cared for Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary. Jesus waited several days before he returned to their home to visit him while Lazarus was sick, and ultimately died. Upon seeing Jesus return to their village, Martha proclaims her deepest faith that her brother will rise again. Jesus assures her and her sister that Lazarus will rise now since Jesus Himself is “the resurrection and the life.” Lazarus emerges from the tomb, alive, after being dead. So too we, as Jesus disciples, are called to profess this faith in Jesus as truly our resurrection and life, and to live “through his Spirit dwelling” in us (ROM 8:11).
Catholic Charities (http://www.ccdoy.org) continues in Jesus’ name to bring life and hope to persons, families and communities who live in fear, insecurity, loneliness and anxiety. As a ministry and service of the Church, we aim to provide help and create hope in each encounter, so that the person or family we work will know and experience God’s love and abundant life. Even though we may not be able to provide for each client’s total material needs, we work with our parishes, Catholic hospitals and institutions, and with community agencies, to find ways to help them find some level of security and well-being. For instance, your gifts to RICE BOWL (https://15181.thankyou4caring.org/orb ) helps our agencies and many parishes to assist with food security through hot meals, pantries, vouchers for food, and creative ways of food sharing, like the Lake to River Food Cooperative. Your gifts of time, treasure and talent through Catholic Charities and the Bishop’s Appeal (https://15181.thankyou4caring.org/) help the Church be there for each person, family and community bringing life -- abundant life -- through each encounter. Thanks.
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' Lenten Message 2014
"The Gospel is the real antidote to spiritual destitution"
Dear brothers and sisters, may this Lenten season find the whole Church ready to bear witness to all those who live in material, moral and spiritual destitution the Gospel message of the merciful love of God our Father, who is ready to embrace everyone in Christ. We can do this to the extent that we imitate Christ who became poor and enriched us by his poverty. Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty. Let us not forget that real poverty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance. I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt.
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.
TUESDAY, APRIL 8. St. Julie Billiart (1751-1816).
Born in Cuvilly, France, into a family of well-to-do farmers, young Marie Rose Julie Billiart showed an early interest in religion and in helping the sick and poor. Though the first years of her life were relatively peaceful and uncomplicated, Julie had to take up manual work as a young teen when her family lost its money. 
However, she spent her spare time teaching catechism to young people and to the farm laborers.
A mysterious illness overtook her when she was about 30. Witnessing an attempt to wound or even kill her father, Julie was paralyzed and became a complete invalid. For the next two decades she continued to teach catechism lessons from her bed, offered spiritual advice and attracted visitors who had heard of her holiness.
When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, revolutionary forces became aware of her allegiance to fugitive priests. With the help of friends she was smuggled out of Cuvilly in a haycart; she spent several years hiding in Compiegne, being moved from house to house despite her growing physical pain. She even lost the power of speech for a time.
But this period also proved to be a fruitful spiritual time for Julie. It was at this time she had a vision in which she saw Calvary surrounded by women in religious habits and heard a voice saying, "Behold these spiritual daughters whom I give you in an Institute marked by the cross." As time passed and Julie continued her mobile life, she made the acquaintance of an aristocratic woman, Françoise Blin de Bourdon, who shared Julie's interest in teaching the faith. In 1803 the two women began the Institute of Notre Dame, which was dedicated to the education of the poor as well as young Christian girls and the training of catechists. The following year the first Sisters of Notre Dame made their vows. That was the same year that Julie recovered from the illness: She was able to walk for the first time in 22 years.
Though Julie had always been attentive to the special needs of the poor and that always remained her priority, she also became aware that other classes in society needed Christian instruction. From the founding of the Sisters of Notre Dame until her death, Julie was on the road, opening a variety of schools in France and Belgium that served the poor and the wealthy, vocational groups, teachers. Ultimately, Julie and Françoise moved the motherhouse to Namur, Belgium.
Julie died there in 1816. She was canonized in 1969.
Comment:
Julie's immobility in no way impeded her activities. In spite of her suffering, she managed to co-found a teaching order that tended to the needs of both the poor and the well-to-do. Each of us has limitations, but the worst malady any of us can suffer is the spiritual paralysis that keeps us from doing God’s work on earth.
For daily readings, visit USCCB Website (http://usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month)
CHARITIES NEWSBYTES
http://www.crsricebowl.org/wp-content/themes/crsricebowl2014/images/crs-rice-bowl-logo.pngLent is here. Catholic Relief Services RICE BOWL created an APP for your smart phone/tablet. (http://www.crsricebowl.org/app/) Please consider using this guide for your daily acts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Consider an online donation at https://15181.thankyou4caring.org/orb
PAPAL INTENTIONS:
April
- Ecology and Justice. That governments may foster the protection of creation and the just distribution of natural resources.
- Hope for the Sick. That the Risen Lord may fill with hope the hearts of those who are being tested by pain and sickness.
Corporal Works of Mercy: The seven practices of charity toward our neighbor
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Note: Please consider joining our
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.
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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