Caritas President: We Can Transform Society
Urges Aid Agencies to Be Expressions of God
ROME, APRIL 8, 2009 ( Zenit.org ).- Thanks to Jesus' resurrection, volunteers can transform society into "something better," says the president of Caritas Internationalis.
Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, the archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, said this in an Easter message to the global federation of aid organizations of the Catholic Church.
He told the aid organization that they should be "an expression and a sacrament of the redeeming love of God for the whole of humanity."
"I saw in a recent report" that "donations from some of our Caritas organizations have increased, instead of diminishing during the world economic crisis," explained the archbishop. "This is a sign that the risen Christ can engender more love than hatred in the world, more concern for one's needy neighbor than egoism and avarice."
"We must firmly believe that we can transform our society into something better. A better place to live in, a better place to work in and a better place to praise God," the cardinal continued.
The cardinal appealed to all Caritas collaborators to keep close to their heart "the victims of the earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy. May their suffering be transformed into the joy of the resurrected Lord."
The president of Caritas concluded: "My prayer for the Caritas community around the world is that we be an expression and a sacrament of the redeeming love of God for the whole of humanity."
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Cardinal Donates Savings to Start Bank for Poor
Naples Prelate Enables Offering of Micro-Credits
NAPLES, Italy, APRIL 10, 2009 ( Zenit.org ).- Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe is responding to the world economic crisis with more than exhortations; he is donating a year's stipend and part of his personal savings to initiate a diocesan bank that will offer micro-credits to the poor.
The Naples archbishop explained his plan in a pastoral letter titled "Where Can We Buy Bread," presented in the archdiocese Wednesday. The pastoral letter takes its title from the question posed to Jesus by the disciples before the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes.
Cardinal Sepe said the initiative aims to respond to the needs of "unemployed young people, and also of all those who have lost or will lose their jobs."
"Christ wishes to use our hands today to break the bread of sharing, of fraternity and of charity," he noted, inviting all those who are able to help finance the initiative.
"[F]ar from being a practice of pure welfare, the micro-credit will be the way to make the creativity and ingenuity of our people emerge again," the archbishop affirmed. It means "to have the courage to believe in man and to wager on the possibility of multiplying the loaves and fishes."
Cardinal Sepe underlined that in these times of crisis, "we have before us a hungry throng that, as sheep without a shepherd, asks for bread."
"To offer an opportunity to all those who ask for bread is the only way that we Christians have to address unemployment and new poverties, contributing to the restructuring of the social fabric at a time in which the economy does not succeed in offering a way out," he added.
The cardinal said his diocese is promoting this initiative in continuity with all that the Italian bishops have stated, noting their call "for a crusade of charity and assistance."
Globalized poverty
In describing the crisis, the cardinal observed: "We agree that we have built our society on sand and not on rock and, basing ourselves solely on economic calculation, have built the umpteenth tower of Babel.
"We thought that the globalization of markets would bring us further well-being, wealth for all, and instead we globalized poverty.
"And now, as evening draws near, we all find ourselves in the same boat and, like the disciples, while the Master exhorted them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, we can say nothing other than: 'We have no bread.'"
NAPLES, Italy, APRIL 10, 2009 ( Zenit.org ).- Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe is responding to the world economic crisis with more than exhortations; he is donating a year's stipend and part of his personal savings to initiate a diocesan bank that will offer micro-credits to the poor.
The Naples archbishop explained his plan in a pastoral letter titled "Where Can We Buy Bread," presented in the archdiocese Wednesday. The pastoral letter takes its title from the question posed to Jesus by the disciples before the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes.
Cardinal Sepe said the initiative aims to respond to the needs of "unemployed young people, and also of all those who have lost or will lose their jobs."
"Christ wishes to use our hands today to break the bread of sharing, of fraternity and of charity," he noted, inviting all those who are able to help finance the initiative.
"[F]ar from being a practice of pure welfare, the micro-credit will be the way to make the creativity and ingenuity of our people emerge again," the archbishop affirmed. It means "to have the courage to believe in man and to wager on the possibility of multiplying the loaves and fishes."
Cardinal Sepe underlined that in these times of crisis, "we have before us a hungry throng that, as sheep without a shepherd, asks for bread."
"To offer an opportunity to all those who ask for bread is the only way that we Christians have to address unemployment and new poverties, contributing to the restructuring of the social fabric at a time in which the economy does not succeed in offering a way out," he added.
The cardinal said his diocese is promoting this initiative in continuity with all that the Italian bishops have stated, noting their call "for a crusade of charity and assistance."
Globalized poverty
In describing the crisis, the cardinal observed: "We agree that we have built our society on sand and not on rock and, basing ourselves solely on economic calculation, have built the umpteenth tower of Babel.
"We thought that the globalization of markets would bring us further well-being, wealth for all, and instead we globalized poverty.
"And now, as evening draws near, we all find ourselves in the same boat and, like the disciples, while the Master exhorted them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, we can say nothing other than: 'We have no bread.'"
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Pope Sends Vatican Firemen for Earthquake Aid
Caritas Workers Bring Hope To Area of Grave Destruction
ROME, APRIL 7, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is sending aid to earthquake victims in the form of Vatican firemen, while Caritas workers move forward to assist the affected towns.
Eight rescue workers, sent by the Holy See with the express permission of the Pope, have been collaborating since Monday to help victims of the earthquake in the Abruzzo region, said the corps' commander, Domenico Giani, on Vatican Radio.
The earthquake, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale, struck close to the city of L'Aquila, around 70 miles northeast of Rome. Officials report 228 dead, 15 people missing, and around 1,000 injured.
The official explained: "During the night, no sooner than the tragedy was known, I spoke with our superiors, with Bishop Renato Boccardo and Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, secretary and president respectively of the Governor's Office for Vatican City State. Then we informed the Holy Father, the Secretary of State and the whole Secretariat."
"It seemed to us obligatory, at this time of great sorrow, that a team of our firemen should be present to give a hand," he added, explaining that the Vatican security forces "are also prepared in this area of security and civil protection."
Team approach
The Vatican sent a structural engineer to the area, and an eight-member team, with resources for civil protection and aid for the population.
The team is working in collaboration with the Italian emergency services in one of the most affected areas, the village of Onna, where 41 of the 250 inhabitants perished.
Giani said, "They worked throughout the night, recovering bodies, but now they are dedicated above all to helping the population, recovering what can be salvaged and giving moral support."
"The Holy See," he added, "with its different structures -- Cor Unum, Caritas -- always takes aid in the name of the Holy Father, when there is an emergency." "In this case," he said, "in addition to material and economic aid, professional help has also been provided."
The engineer, Paolo De Angelis, explained on Vatican Radio that the situation "is disastrous" and that despite this, "solidarity between persons" is being manifested.
He continued: "We have been received very positively: this is the message we wished to bring, a message of solidarity which the population has fully welcomed.
"The present climate among the inhabitants is one of consternation. Here above all what people need is consolation, as they have been left without anything by the earthquake."
Grave destruction
Father Vittorio Nozza, the director of Caritas in Italy, told ZENIT that the earthquake's destruction has been very grave, and "not one single house was spared from demolition."
He arrived today to L'Aquila and met with the diocesan bishop, Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari, and with the regional director of Caritas, Alberto Conti.
He said Caritas is meeting with each of the parish priests of the area "to hear firsthand what the most urgent needs are."
They agreed "to divide the affected territory into seven areas to facilitate a homogeneous aid intervention." A coordination center for Italian and diocesan Caritas is to be established immediately which will work not only during this time of emergency but also in the long-term for the region's reconstruction.
They stated the goal to provide places of shelter for children, the elderly and the sick, so that adults can dedicate themselves to reorganizing their daily life.
The priest said: "There is much composure in the villages we have been to, but in places where they have lost one or more loved ones, the question is very strong: Where is God? We answer this question with prayer and our closeness."
Father Dionisio Rodriguez, local Caritas director and pastor in Paganica, a town close to L'Aquila, plans to celebrate Easter Sunday Mass on a sports field for the earthquake victims.
"Easter Sunday offers a sign of hope and optimism," he said, "People aren't feeling much joy at the moment, but Easter Sunday provides us with a sign of life and renewal."
ROME, APRIL 7, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is sending aid to earthquake victims in the form of Vatican firemen, while Caritas workers move forward to assist the affected towns.
Eight rescue workers, sent by the Holy See with the express permission of the Pope, have been collaborating since Monday to help victims of the earthquake in the Abruzzo region, said the corps' commander, Domenico Giani, on Vatican Radio.
The earthquake, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale, struck close to the city of L'Aquila, around 70 miles northeast of Rome. Officials report 228 dead, 15 people missing, and around 1,000 injured.
The official explained: "During the night, no sooner than the tragedy was known, I spoke with our superiors, with Bishop Renato Boccardo and Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, secretary and president respectively of the Governor's Office for Vatican City State. Then we informed the Holy Father, the Secretary of State and the whole Secretariat."
"It seemed to us obligatory, at this time of great sorrow, that a team of our firemen should be present to give a hand," he added, explaining that the Vatican security forces "are also prepared in this area of security and civil protection."
Team approach
The Vatican sent a structural engineer to the area, and an eight-member team, with resources for civil protection and aid for the population.
The team is working in collaboration with the Italian emergency services in one of the most affected areas, the village of Onna, where 41 of the 250 inhabitants perished.
Giani said, "They worked throughout the night, recovering bodies, but now they are dedicated above all to helping the population, recovering what can be salvaged and giving moral support."
"The Holy See," he added, "with its different structures -- Cor Unum, Caritas -- always takes aid in the name of the Holy Father, when there is an emergency." "In this case," he said, "in addition to material and economic aid, professional help has also been provided."
The engineer, Paolo De Angelis, explained on Vatican Radio that the situation "is disastrous" and that despite this, "solidarity between persons" is being manifested.
He continued: "We have been received very positively: this is the message we wished to bring, a message of solidarity which the population has fully welcomed.
"The present climate among the inhabitants is one of consternation. Here above all what people need is consolation, as they have been left without anything by the earthquake."
Grave destruction
Father Vittorio Nozza, the director of Caritas in Italy, told ZENIT that the earthquake's destruction has been very grave, and "not one single house was spared from demolition."
He arrived today to L'Aquila and met with the diocesan bishop, Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari, and with the regional director of Caritas, Alberto Conti.
He said Caritas is meeting with each of the parish priests of the area "to hear firsthand what the most urgent needs are."
They agreed "to divide the affected territory into seven areas to facilitate a homogeneous aid intervention." A coordination center for Italian and diocesan Caritas is to be established immediately which will work not only during this time of emergency but also in the long-term for the region's reconstruction.
They stated the goal to provide places of shelter for children, the elderly and the sick, so that adults can dedicate themselves to reorganizing their daily life.
The priest said: "There is much composure in the villages we have been to, but in places where they have lost one or more loved ones, the question is very strong: Where is God? We answer this question with prayer and our closeness."
Father Dionisio Rodriguez, local Caritas director and pastor in Paganica, a town close to L'Aquila, plans to celebrate Easter Sunday Mass on a sports field for the earthquake victims.
"Easter Sunday offers a sign of hope and optimism," he said, "People aren't feeling much joy at the moment, but Easter Sunday provides us with a sign of life and renewal."
Monday, April 6, 2009
Bishops support introduction of DREAM Act
Say it will make difference in the life of many immigrant young persons
MIGRATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN APPLAUDS INTRODUCTION OF DREAM ACT, EXPRESSES USCCB SUPPORT
WASHINGTON—In an April 3 letter to sponsors of the legislation, Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, Utah, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, expressed the support of the USCCB for the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (or DREAM Act), legislation which would legalize the status of thousands of undocumented youth in the United States.
The legislation (S. 729, H.R. 1751) applies to young persons who entered the United States before the age of fifteen, have been physically present in the United States for five years, and have earned a high school diploma. The bill would also repeal federal restrictions that limit the ability of states to offer them in-state tuition.
The letters were sent to Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), primary sponsors in the U.S. Senate, and Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), primary sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“This legislation would make a difference in the lives of undocumented youth who were brought to the United States by their parents and now, because of their lack of legal status, face obstacles to their future,” Bishop Wester wrote.
The bill would apply to students in both public and private schools, including Catholic schools. Young persons would become eligible for permanent legal status upon completion of two years of college or two years of honorable service in the military. Approximately 65,000 youth per year would benefit from the DREAM Act.
“The DREAM Act represents a practical, fair, and compassionate solution for thousands of young persons who simply want to reach their God-given potential and contribute to the well-being of our nation. We urge Congress to pass this measure as soon as possible,” Bishop Wester
said.
Full text of the correspondence follows.
April 3, 2009
Dear Senator Durbin:
On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), I write to express our support for S. 729, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act).
This legislation would make a difference in the lives of undocumented youth who were brought to the United States by their parents and now, because of their lack of legal status, face obstacles to their future. By removing such barriers, the DREAM Act permits immigrant students to pursue a promising future through college education or military service.
Those who would benefit from the DREAM Act are talented, intelligent, and dedicated young persons who know only the United States as their home. They can become some of the future leaders of our country, provided we are wise enough to provide them the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
Under the DREAM Act, deserving immigrant youth can adjust to permanent resident status provided that they entered the United States before age sixteen, have been physically present in the
United States for not less than five years, demonstrated good moral character, have no criminal record and do not threaten national security, and have earned their high school diploma. This bill also offers students a fair opportunity to earn U.S. citizenship if they commit to and complete at least two years of college or two years of honorable service in the military.
Importantly, this legislation will apply to students in both public and private education, including those attending Catholic schools. It will also place a college degree within their reach by removing restrictions currently in law that limit states from offering them in-state tuition at public colleges and universities.
It is important to note that these young persons entered the United States with their parents at a young age, and therefore did not enter without inspection on their own volition.
The DREAM Act represents a practical, fair, and compassionate solution for thousands of young persons in our nation who simply want to reach their God-given potential and contribute to the well-being of our nation. We urge Congress to pass this measure as soon as possible.
Thank you for introducing this important piece of legislation. We look forward to working with you until it becomes law.
Sincerely,
Most Reverend Bishop John C. Wester
Bishop of Salt Lake City
Chairman, USCCB Committee on Migration
MIGRATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN APPLAUDS INTRODUCTION OF DREAM ACT, EXPRESSES USCCB SUPPORT
WASHINGTON—In an April 3 letter to sponsors of the legislation, Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, Utah, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, expressed the support of the USCCB for the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (or DREAM Act), legislation which would legalize the status of thousands of undocumented youth in the United States.
The legislation (S. 729, H.R. 1751) applies to young persons who entered the United States before the age of fifteen, have been physically present in the United States for five years, and have earned a high school diploma. The bill would also repeal federal restrictions that limit the ability of states to offer them in-state tuition.
The letters were sent to Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), primary sponsors in the U.S. Senate, and Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), primary sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“This legislation would make a difference in the lives of undocumented youth who were brought to the United States by their parents and now, because of their lack of legal status, face obstacles to their future,” Bishop Wester wrote.
The bill would apply to students in both public and private schools, including Catholic schools. Young persons would become eligible for permanent legal status upon completion of two years of college or two years of honorable service in the military. Approximately 65,000 youth per year would benefit from the DREAM Act.
“The DREAM Act represents a practical, fair, and compassionate solution for thousands of young persons who simply want to reach their God-given potential and contribute to the well-being of our nation. We urge Congress to pass this measure as soon as possible,” Bishop Wester
said.
Full text of the correspondence follows.
April 3, 2009
Dear Senator Durbin:
On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), I write to express our support for S. 729, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act).
This legislation would make a difference in the lives of undocumented youth who were brought to the United States by their parents and now, because of their lack of legal status, face obstacles to their future. By removing such barriers, the DREAM Act permits immigrant students to pursue a promising future through college education or military service.
Those who would benefit from the DREAM Act are talented, intelligent, and dedicated young persons who know only the United States as their home. They can become some of the future leaders of our country, provided we are wise enough to provide them the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
Under the DREAM Act, deserving immigrant youth can adjust to permanent resident status provided that they entered the United States before age sixteen, have been physically present in the
United States for not less than five years, demonstrated good moral character, have no criminal record and do not threaten national security, and have earned their high school diploma. This bill also offers students a fair opportunity to earn U.S. citizenship if they commit to and complete at least two years of college or two years of honorable service in the military.
Importantly, this legislation will apply to students in both public and private education, including those attending Catholic schools. It will also place a college degree within their reach by removing restrictions currently in law that limit states from offering them in-state tuition at public colleges and universities.
It is important to note that these young persons entered the United States with their parents at a young age, and therefore did not enter without inspection on their own volition.
The DREAM Act represents a practical, fair, and compassionate solution for thousands of young persons in our nation who simply want to reach their God-given potential and contribute to the well-being of our nation. We urge Congress to pass this measure as soon as possible.
Thank you for introducing this important piece of legislation. We look forward to working with you until it becomes law.
Sincerely,
Most Reverend Bishop John C. Wester
Bishop of Salt Lake City
Chairman, USCCB Committee on Migration
Aide: Care for the Poor Can Solve Financial Crisis
Urges Liberation of World's True Wealth
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 5, 2009 ( Zenit.org ).- At the conclusion of the Group of 20 summit in London, the Vatican's spokesman called for greater confidence in the poor as a way out of the international economic crisis.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, said this in his weekly editorial on the most recent episode of "Octava Dies."
The priest recalled the exhortation that Benedict XVI addressed to the G-20, which met in London last Thursday and Friday, urging them to coordinate with urgency all the means necessary to overcome the present crisis, so that it will never be repeated, and to pay special attention to the poorest and those who do not have a voice.
Citing the letter the Pope sent last Monday to the British prime minister, Gordon Brown, Father Lombardi explained, "Effective confidence in man, above all confidence in the poorest men and women, will be the proof that we truly want to get out of the crisis without exclusions and that we want to decisively avoid repeating situations similar to those we are experiencing today."
The priest then recalled that after returning from his trip to Africa, Benedict XVI brought with him "the dramatic problems and the poverty of that continent, but also the will to live and the hope for the redemption of its inhabitants" and that, on account of this, he "admonishes the wealthy who must not and cannot build the future without taking the poor into consideration."
Solid foundation
"But the crucial point," the spokesman observed, "is identifying the foundation and starting to build a just, stable world order" with solidarity. According to the Pope, he added, "the only true and solid foundation is confidence in man."
He emphasized a foundation that is "no longer a blind confidence in finance, and business or in systems of production, without solid ethical reference, but an economy that really carries 'inside' of it the awareness of the dignity of all human persons and its responsibility to serve their integral development."
"We all want to get out of this present crisis," Father Lombardi continued, "but it would be illusory to think that we could get out of it leaving to the margins those who suffer from it the most and who, today, have a weaker voice, but who can offer so much for the future of the human family."
He concluded: "Struggling to eliminate extreme poverty and so liberate the true wealth of the world: God's creatures, made in his image: This is the priority most worthy of being pursued by those who have our world's fate in their hands today."
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 5, 2009 ( Zenit.org ).- At the conclusion of the Group of 20 summit in London, the Vatican's spokesman called for greater confidence in the poor as a way out of the international economic crisis.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, said this in his weekly editorial on the most recent episode of "Octava Dies."
The priest recalled the exhortation that Benedict XVI addressed to the G-20, which met in London last Thursday and Friday, urging them to coordinate with urgency all the means necessary to overcome the present crisis, so that it will never be repeated, and to pay special attention to the poorest and those who do not have a voice.
Citing the letter the Pope sent last Monday to the British prime minister, Gordon Brown, Father Lombardi explained, "Effective confidence in man, above all confidence in the poorest men and women, will be the proof that we truly want to get out of the crisis without exclusions and that we want to decisively avoid repeating situations similar to those we are experiencing today."
The priest then recalled that after returning from his trip to Africa, Benedict XVI brought with him "the dramatic problems and the poverty of that continent, but also the will to live and the hope for the redemption of its inhabitants" and that, on account of this, he "admonishes the wealthy who must not and cannot build the future without taking the poor into consideration."
Solid foundation
"But the crucial point," the spokesman observed, "is identifying the foundation and starting to build a just, stable world order" with solidarity. According to the Pope, he added, "the only true and solid foundation is confidence in man."
He emphasized a foundation that is "no longer a blind confidence in finance, and business or in systems of production, without solid ethical reference, but an economy that really carries 'inside' of it the awareness of the dignity of all human persons and its responsibility to serve their integral development."
"We all want to get out of this present crisis," Father Lombardi continued, "but it would be illusory to think that we could get out of it leaving to the margins those who suffer from it the most and who, today, have a weaker voice, but who can offer so much for the future of the human family."
He concluded: "Struggling to eliminate extreme poverty and so liberate the true wealth of the world: God's creatures, made in his image: This is the priority most worthy of being pursued by those who have our world's fate in their hands today."
Sunday, April 5, 2009
MONDAY MORNING MISSION MEDITATION week of April 5, 2009
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: 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. Committed to work 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 (Palm Sunday Cycle B) we read in the Gospel of Mark about the Passion and Death of Jesus the Christ. The readings for this Sunday help us reflect upon the humanity of Jesus as related to His Divinity. Jesus witnesses the nature and power of unconditional love by his sacrifice. We are called to do no less as persons who serve in the name of the Church.
Through Catholic Charities persons who come to us seeking material or emotional assistance find that loving presence of God in our work. We bring a healing touch based on love for each person and family we encounter. We know also that sometimes our advocacy on policy and our moral positions may not be in conformity with general norms of society and some disagree with us. But strengthen by the Spirit, we continue to proclaim the truth about human flourishing regardless of public opinion polls. We proclaim that each person is made in God's Image and provide respect and love to each and every individual regardless of their situation or need. That radical belief forms the basis of our continued work in the name of Jesus the Christ.
Some important date(s) this week:
Daily Lenten Resources can be found at:
US Conference of Catholic Bishops
Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Charities USA
THURSDAY, APRIL 9. Holy Thursday. Liturgy of the Chrism Mass, 10:30 at St. Columba Cathedral. Mass of the Lord's Supper at parishes throughout the diocese.
FRIDAY, APRIL 10. Good Friday
SATURDAY, APRIL 11. Holy Saturday. Vigil of the Resurrection.
SUNDAY, APRIL 12. Easter.
Sharing Hope In Tough Times: Catholic Charities Responds to Families Facing Economic Crisis
Reflection: Jesus never sought worldly glory; He humbly accepted help from Simon of Cyrene while carrying His cross. Don’t be afraid to allow your Simon help you make ends meet.
Prayer Intention: That we learn to graciously help others as they carry their daily burdens, and that we are humble enough to accept help from others when we are carrying ours.
PAPAL INTENTIONS:
April 2009
General: That the Lord may bless the farmers with an abundant harvest and sensitise the richer populations to the drama of hunger in the world
Mission: That the Christians who work in areas where the conditions of the poor, the weak and the women and children are most tragic, may be signs of hope, thanks to their courageous testimony to the Gospel of solidarity and love.
Corporal Works of Mercy: The seven practices of charity toward our neighbor
1. Feed the hungry
2. Give drink to the thirsty
3. Clothe the naked
4. Shelter the homeless
5. Visit the sick
6. Visit those in prison
7. Bury the dead
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/
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: 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. Committed to work 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 (Palm Sunday Cycle B) we read in the Gospel of Mark about the Passion and Death of Jesus the Christ. The readings for this Sunday help us reflect upon the humanity of Jesus as related to His Divinity. Jesus witnesses the nature and power of unconditional love by his sacrifice. We are called to do no less as persons who serve in the name of the Church.
Through Catholic Charities persons who come to us seeking material or emotional assistance find that loving presence of God in our work. We bring a healing touch based on love for each person and family we encounter. We know also that sometimes our advocacy on policy and our moral positions may not be in conformity with general norms of society and some disagree with us. But strengthen by the Spirit, we continue to proclaim the truth about human flourishing regardless of public opinion polls. We proclaim that each person is made in God's Image and provide respect and love to each and every individual regardless of their situation or need. That radical belief forms the basis of our continued work in the name of Jesus the Christ.
Some important date(s) this week:
Daily Lenten Resources can be found at:
US Conference of Catholic Bishops
Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Charities USA
THURSDAY, APRIL 9. Holy Thursday. Liturgy of the Chrism Mass, 10:30 at St. Columba Cathedral. Mass of the Lord's Supper at parishes throughout the diocese.
FRIDAY, APRIL 10. Good Friday
SATURDAY, APRIL 11. Holy Saturday. Vigil of the Resurrection.
SUNDAY, APRIL 12. Easter.
Sharing Hope In Tough Times: Catholic Charities Responds to Families Facing Economic Crisis
Reflection: Jesus never sought worldly glory; He humbly accepted help from Simon of Cyrene while carrying His cross. Don’t be afraid to allow your Simon help you make ends meet.
Prayer Intention: That we learn to graciously help others as they carry their daily burdens, and that we are humble enough to accept help from others when we are carrying ours.
PAPAL INTENTIONS:
April 2009
General: That the Lord may bless the farmers with an abundant harvest and sensitise the richer populations to the drama of hunger in the world
Mission: That the Christians who work in areas where the conditions of the poor, the weak and the women and children are most tragic, may be signs of hope, thanks to their courageous testimony to the Gospel of solidarity and love.
Corporal Works of Mercy: The seven practices of charity toward our neighbor
1. Feed the hungry
2. Give drink to the thirsty
3. Clothe the naked
4. Shelter the homeless
5. Visit the sick
6. Visit those in prison
7. Bury the dead
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/
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Pope Benedict XVI: Message to G-20 Leaders
AVOID NATIONALISTIC SELFISHNESS AND PROTECTIONISM
VATICAN CITY, 1 APR 2009 (VIS) - Benedict XVI has expressed his appreciation to heads of State and government who are due to participate in the G20 Summit which will take place in London, England, on 2 and 3 April for the "noble objectives" they have set themselves. These objectives, he writes, arise from the conviction " that the way out of the current global crisis can only be reached together, avoiding solutions marked by any nationalistic selfishness or protectionism".
In his English-language Letter, addressed to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Pope recalls that the aim of the gathering is "to co-ordinate, with urgency, measures necessary to stabilise financial markets and to enable companies and families to weather this period of deep recession, as well as to restore sustainable growth in the world economy and to reform and substantially strengthen systems of global governance, in order to ensure that such a crisis is not repeated in the future".
Pope Benedict mentions his recent visit to Africa , where he was able "to see at first hand the reality of severe poverty and marginalization, which the crisis risks aggravating dramatically".
He also notes the fact that "sub-Saharan Africa is represented [at the meeting] by just one State and some regional organisations". This, he writes, "must prompt a profound reflection among the summit participants, since those whose voice has least force in the political scene are precisely the ones who suffer most from the harmful effects of a crisis for which they do not bear responsibility".
After underlining how "a key element of the crisis is a deficit of ethics in economic structures", the Pope insists that "the same crisis teaches us that ethics is not 'external' to the economy but 'internal' and that the economy cannot function if it does not bear within it an ethical component".
He also emphasises the need for "a courageous and generous strengthening of international co-operation, capable of promoting a truly humane and integral development. Positive faith in the human person, and above all faith in the poorest men and women - of Africa and other regions of the world affected by extreme poverty - is what is needed if we are truly to come through the crisis once and for all, without turning our back on any region, and if we are definitively to prevent any recurrence of a situation similar to that in which we find ourselves today".
The Pope concludes his Letter by expressing the wish to add his voice "to those of the adherents of various religions and cultures who share the conviction that the elimination of extreme poverty by 2015, to which leaders at the UN Millennium Summit committed themselves, remains one of the most important tasks of our time".
Gordon Brown has replied, expressing agreement with the Pope's ideas and indicating the paths to follow in order to implement them.
MESS/.../G20 SUMMIT VIS 090401 (490)
CARDINAL SECRETARY OF STATE TARCISIO BERTONE S.D.B. has sent a message to the labour ministers of the G8 member States (Italy, France, Germany, Great Britain, United States, Japan, Canada and Russia) and of a further six nations with the world's largest economies, who participated in the Social Summit, held in Rome from 29 to 31 March. The aim of the meeting was to formulate proposals to ensure that solutions to the world economic crisis take job protection and workers' rights into account.
MSGR. RENATO VOLANTE, HOLY SEE PERMANENT OBSERVER to the United Nations Organisation for Food and Agriculture, addressed the 29th FAO regional conference for Asia and the Pacific, held in Bangkok , Thailand , on 28 March. In his address Msgr. Volante affirmed, among other things, that "the crisis affecting markets, financial activities and food prices calls for agricultural policies to be revised" and highlighted the need "to work with all possible methods and instruments".
.../IN BRIEF/... VIS 090401 (160)
VATICAN CITY, 1 APR 2009 (VIS) - Benedict XVI has expressed his appreciation to heads of State and government who are due to participate in the G20 Summit which will take place in London, England, on 2 and 3 April for the "noble objectives" they have set themselves. These objectives, he writes, arise from the conviction " that the way out of the current global crisis can only be reached together, avoiding solutions marked by any nationalistic selfishness or protectionism".
In his English-language Letter, addressed to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Pope recalls that the aim of the gathering is "to co-ordinate, with urgency, measures necessary to stabilise financial markets and to enable companies and families to weather this period of deep recession, as well as to restore sustainable growth in the world economy and to reform and substantially strengthen systems of global governance, in order to ensure that such a crisis is not repeated in the future".
Pope Benedict mentions his recent visit to Africa , where he was able "to see at first hand the reality of severe poverty and marginalization, which the crisis risks aggravating dramatically".
He also notes the fact that "sub-Saharan Africa is represented [at the meeting] by just one State and some regional organisations". This, he writes, "must prompt a profound reflection among the summit participants, since those whose voice has least force in the political scene are precisely the ones who suffer most from the harmful effects of a crisis for which they do not bear responsibility".
After underlining how "a key element of the crisis is a deficit of ethics in economic structures", the Pope insists that "the same crisis teaches us that ethics is not 'external' to the economy but 'internal' and that the economy cannot function if it does not bear within it an ethical component".
He also emphasises the need for "a courageous and generous strengthening of international co-operation, capable of promoting a truly humane and integral development. Positive faith in the human person, and above all faith in the poorest men and women - of Africa and other regions of the world affected by extreme poverty - is what is needed if we are truly to come through the crisis once and for all, without turning our back on any region, and if we are definitively to prevent any recurrence of a situation similar to that in which we find ourselves today".
The Pope concludes his Letter by expressing the wish to add his voice "to those of the adherents of various religions and cultures who share the conviction that the elimination of extreme poverty by 2015, to which leaders at the UN Millennium Summit committed themselves, remains one of the most important tasks of our time".
Gordon Brown has replied, expressing agreement with the Pope's ideas and indicating the paths to follow in order to implement them.
MESS/.../G20 SUMMIT VIS 090401 (490)
CARDINAL SECRETARY OF STATE TARCISIO BERTONE S.D.B. has sent a message to the labour ministers of the G8 member States (Italy, France, Germany, Great Britain, United States, Japan, Canada and Russia) and of a further six nations with the world's largest economies, who participated in the Social Summit, held in Rome from 29 to 31 March. The aim of the meeting was to formulate proposals to ensure that solutions to the world economic crisis take job protection and workers' rights into account.
MSGR. RENATO VOLANTE, HOLY SEE PERMANENT OBSERVER to the United Nations Organisation for Food and Agriculture, addressed the 29th FAO regional conference for Asia and the Pacific, held in Bangkok , Thailand , on 28 March. In his address Msgr. Volante affirmed, among other things, that "the crisis affecting markets, financial activities and food prices calls for agricultural policies to be revised" and highlighted the need "to work with all possible methods and instruments".
.../IN BRIEF/... VIS 090401 (160)
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