Against the New Arizona Immigration Law
Albuquerque, NM, Monday, April 26, 2010--
In union with our fellow Bishops in Arizona, we Catholic Bishops in New Mexico speak out strongly against the new Arizona Immigration Law. The Law would require police to question people about their immigration status – including asking for identification – if they suspect someone is in the Country illegally. We are concerned that legal immigrants and U.S. Citizens would probably be interrogated by the police if they look Hispanic, or in any other way, foreign. The law would lead to racial profiling, community distrust and a pervasive fear among immigrants. It would also cause immigrants to hesitate to report crimes or to cooperate with the authorities and other investigations. Serious questions have also been raised about the constitutionality of the law and it is likely that legal challenges will be brought against the law by the U. S. Justice Department.
It is clear that we need immigration reform at the National level in order to deal with the disparities in the present immigration law. We Bishops are concerned that other States might try to initiate such a wrongheaded law as well. We hope that the implementation of the law will be stopped. It is not in keeping with the best traditions of our Nation.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
MONDAY MORNING MISSION MEDITATION for the week of April 25, 2010
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 Easter, Cycle C, http://www.usccb.org/nab/042510.shtml) we read how Jesus and the Father are One, and that like a Good Shepherd, Jesus leads his sheep. That "Oneness" recognizes the unity between the Father and the Son -- and the Holy Spirit -- who empowers us to live in the love of God. Filled with the Holy Spirit, we hear how the early Church proclaimed the Good News of Jesus' message despite criticisms, attacks and jealousy. The disciples, who experienced the "Oneness" with Jesus and thus God, were filled with great joy as they continued to preach the Good News and healed people.
In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org we too share with joy the Good News of Jesus' healing and compassion through each encounter we have with a person who comes to our door. As a ministry of the Church, we share that unity with all other Catholic Charities -- or Caritas -- agencies throughout the world. Just recently, the people of the Diocese of Youngstown collected over $329,000.00 for Catholic Relief Services to help rebuild Haiti. Thanks for all your support and generosity.
Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate
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
SUNDAY, APRIL 25. St. Pedro de San Jose Betancur, 1626-1667. Central America can claim its first saint with the July 30 canonization of Pedro de Betancur by Pope John Paul II in Guatemala City. Known as the "St. Francis of the Americas," Pedro de Betancur is the first saint to have worked and died in Guatemala.
Calling the new saint an “outstanding example” of Christian mercy, the Holy Father noted that St. Pedro practiced mercy “heroically with the lowliest and the most deprived.” Speaking to the estimated 500,000 Guatemalans in attendance, the Holy Father spoke of the social ills that plague the country today and of the need for change.
“Let us think of the children and young people who are homeless or deprived of an education; of abandoned women with their many needs; of the hordes of social outcasts who live in the cities; of the victims of organized crime, of prostitution or of drugs; of the sick who are neglected and the elderly who live in loneliness,” he said in his homily during the three-hour liturgy.
Pedro very much wanted to become a priest, but God had other plans for the young man born into a poor family on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Pedro was a shepherd until age 24, when he began to make his way to Guatemala, hoping to connect with a relative engaged in government service there. By the time he reached Havana, he was out of money. After working there to earn more, he got to Guatemala City the following year. When he arrived he was so destitute that he joined the bread line which the Franciscans had established.
Soon, Pedro enrolled in the local Jesuit college in hopes of studying for the priesthood. No matter how hard he tried, however, he could not master the material; he withdrew from school. In 1655 he joined the Secular Franciscan Order. Three years later he opened a hospital for the convalescent poor; a shelter for the homeless and a school for the poor soon followed. Not wanting to neglect the rich of Guatemala City, Pedro began walking through their part of town ringing a bell and inviting them to repent.
Other men came to share in Pedro's work. Out of this group came the Bethlehemite Congregation, which won papal approval after Pedro's death. A Bethlehemite sisters' community, similarly founded after Pedro's death, was inspired by his life of prayer and compassion.
He is sometimes credited with originating the Christmas Eve posadas procession in which people representing Mary and Joseph seek a night's lodging from their neighbors. The custom soon spread to Mexico and other Central American countries.
THURSDAY, APRIL 29. St. Catherine of Siena, 1347-1380
Her public influence reached great heights because of her evident holiness, her membership in the Dominican Third Order, and the deep impression she made on the pope. She worked tirelessly for the crusade against the Turks and for peace between Florence and the pope
In 1378, the Great Schism began, splitting the allegiance of Christendom between two, then three, popes and putting even saints on opposing sides. Catherine spent the last two years of her life in Rome, in prayer and pleading on behalf of the cause of Urban VI and the unity of the Church. She offered herself as a victim for the Church in its agony. She died surrounded by her "children."
Catherine ranks high among the mystics and spiritual writers of the Church. In 1939, she and Francis of Assisi were declared co-patrons of Italy. Paul VI named her and Teresa of Avila doctors of the Church in 1970. Her spiritual testament is found in The Dialogue.
SATURDAY, MAY 1. St. Joseph the Worker. Apparently in response to the “May Day” celebrations for workers sponsored by Communists, Pius XII instituted the feast of St. Joseph the Worker in 1955. But the relationship between Joseph and the cause of workers has a much longer history.
In a constantly necessary effort to keep Jesus from being removed from ordinary human life, the Church has from the beginning proudly emphasized that Jesus was a carpenter, obviously trained by Joseph in both the satisfactions and the drudgery of that vocation. Humanity is like God not only in thinking and loving, but also in creating. Whether we make a table or a cathedral, we are called to bear fruit with our hands and mind, ultimately for the building up of the Body of Christ.
SUNDAY MAY 9. Mother's Day. Consider sending your mom, or a mom who needs help and support, some fair traded chocolate, coffee, tea or another such product. Visit Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade website at http://www.crsfairtrade.org.
SHARING HOPE IN HARD ECONOMIC TIMES.
Get ready. Catholic Charities will be launching its seventh annual First Step for Change campaign next week. Will your parish be participating? If not, you can mail your individual contribution to Catholic Charities, First Step for Change, P. O. Box 614, Youngstown, Ohio 44501. Funds collected through this special effort are forwarded to the Catholic Charities agency serving the donor’s county/community.
Reflection: Pray for all those touched by our difficult economic times. You may even be praying for yourself!
Prayer Intention: That all will have been affected by our economic decline may find hope in these tough times.
PAPAL INTENTIONS:
APRIL 2010
Fundamentalism and Extremism
General: That every tendency to fundamentalism and extremism may be countered by constant respect, by tolerance and by dialogue among all believers.
Persecuted Christians
Missionary: That Christians persecuted for the sake of the Gospel may persevere, sustained by the Holy Spirit, in faithfully witnessing to the love of God for the entire human race.
MAY 2010
Human Trafficking
General: That the shameful and monstrous commerce in human beings, which sadly involves millions of women and children, may be ended.
Priests, Religious and Committed Lay People
Missionary: That ordained ministers, religious women and men, and lay people involved in apostolic work may understand how to infuse missionary enthusiasm into the communities entrusted to their care.
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
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: 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 Easter, Cycle C, http://www.usccb.org/nab/042510.shtml) we read how Jesus and the Father are One, and that like a Good Shepherd, Jesus leads his sheep. That "Oneness" recognizes the unity between the Father and the Son -- and the Holy Spirit -- who empowers us to live in the love of God. Filled with the Holy Spirit, we hear how the early Church proclaimed the Good News of Jesus' message despite criticisms, attacks and jealousy. The disciples, who experienced the "Oneness" with Jesus and thus God, were filled with great joy as they continued to preach the Good News and healed people.
In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org we too share with joy the Good News of Jesus' healing and compassion through each encounter we have with a person who comes to our door. As a ministry of the Church, we share that unity with all other Catholic Charities -- or Caritas -- agencies throughout the world. Just recently, the people of the Diocese of Youngstown collected over $329,000.00 for Catholic Relief Services to help rebuild Haiti. Thanks for all your support and generosity.
Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate
"This means that moral evaluation and scientific research must go hand in hand, and that charity must animate them in a harmonious interdisciplinary whole, marked by unity and distinction. The Church's social doctrine, which has 'an important interdisciplinary dimension', can exercise, in this perspective, a function of extraordinary effectiveness. It allows faith, theology, metaphysics and science to come together in a collaborative effort in the service of humanity. It is here above all that the Church's social doctrine displays its dimension of wisdom. Paul VI had seen clearly that among the causes of underdevelopment there is a lack of wisdom and reflection, a lack of thinking capable of formulating a guiding synthesis, for which 'a clear vision of all economic, social, cultural and spiritual aspects' is required. The excessive segmentation of knowledge, the rejection of metaphysics by the human sciences, the difficulties encountered by dialogue between science and theology are damaging not only to the development of knowledge, but also to the development of peoples, because these things make it harder to see the integral good of man in its various dimensions. The 'broadening [of] our concept of reason and its application' is indispensable if we are to succeed in adequately weighing all the elements involved in the question of development and in the solution of socio-economic problems."(par. 31)
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
SUNDAY, APRIL 25. St. Pedro de San Jose Betancur, 1626-1667. Central America can claim its first saint with the July 30 canonization of Pedro de Betancur by Pope John Paul II in Guatemala City. Known as the "St. Francis of the Americas," Pedro de Betancur is the first saint to have worked and died in Guatemala.
Calling the new saint an “outstanding example” of Christian mercy, the Holy Father noted that St. Pedro practiced mercy “heroically with the lowliest and the most deprived.” Speaking to the estimated 500,000 Guatemalans in attendance, the Holy Father spoke of the social ills that plague the country today and of the need for change.
“Let us think of the children and young people who are homeless or deprived of an education; of abandoned women with their many needs; of the hordes of social outcasts who live in the cities; of the victims of organized crime, of prostitution or of drugs; of the sick who are neglected and the elderly who live in loneliness,” he said in his homily during the three-hour liturgy.
Pedro very much wanted to become a priest, but God had other plans for the young man born into a poor family on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Pedro was a shepherd until age 24, when he began to make his way to Guatemala, hoping to connect with a relative engaged in government service there. By the time he reached Havana, he was out of money. After working there to earn more, he got to Guatemala City the following year. When he arrived he was so destitute that he joined the bread line which the Franciscans had established.
Soon, Pedro enrolled in the local Jesuit college in hopes of studying for the priesthood. No matter how hard he tried, however, he could not master the material; he withdrew from school. In 1655 he joined the Secular Franciscan Order. Three years later he opened a hospital for the convalescent poor; a shelter for the homeless and a school for the poor soon followed. Not wanting to neglect the rich of Guatemala City, Pedro began walking through their part of town ringing a bell and inviting them to repent.
Other men came to share in Pedro's work. Out of this group came the Bethlehemite Congregation, which won papal approval after Pedro's death. A Bethlehemite sisters' community, similarly founded after Pedro's death, was inspired by his life of prayer and compassion.
He is sometimes credited with originating the Christmas Eve posadas procession in which people representing Mary and Joseph seek a night's lodging from their neighbors. The custom soon spread to Mexico and other Central American countries.
THURSDAY, APRIL 29. St. Catherine of Siena, 1347-1380
Her public influence reached great heights because of her evident holiness, her membership in the Dominican Third Order, and the deep impression she made on the pope. She worked tirelessly for the crusade against the Turks and for peace between Florence and the pope
In 1378, the Great Schism began, splitting the allegiance of Christendom between two, then three, popes and putting even saints on opposing sides. Catherine spent the last two years of her life in Rome, in prayer and pleading on behalf of the cause of Urban VI and the unity of the Church. She offered herself as a victim for the Church in its agony. She died surrounded by her "children."
Catherine ranks high among the mystics and spiritual writers of the Church. In 1939, she and Francis of Assisi were declared co-patrons of Italy. Paul VI named her and Teresa of Avila doctors of the Church in 1970. Her spiritual testament is found in The Dialogue.
SATURDAY, MAY 1. St. Joseph the Worker. Apparently in response to the “May Day” celebrations for workers sponsored by Communists, Pius XII instituted the feast of St. Joseph the Worker in 1955. But the relationship between Joseph and the cause of workers has a much longer history.
In a constantly necessary effort to keep Jesus from being removed from ordinary human life, the Church has from the beginning proudly emphasized that Jesus was a carpenter, obviously trained by Joseph in both the satisfactions and the drudgery of that vocation. Humanity is like God not only in thinking and loving, but also in creating. Whether we make a table or a cathedral, we are called to bear fruit with our hands and mind, ultimately for the building up of the Body of Christ.
SUNDAY MAY 9. Mother's Day. Consider sending your mom, or a mom who needs help and support, some fair traded chocolate, coffee, tea or another such product. Visit Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade website at http://www.crsfairtrade.org.
SHARING HOPE IN HARD ECONOMIC TIMES.
Get ready. Catholic Charities will be launching its seventh annual First Step for Change campaign next week. Will your parish be participating? If not, you can mail your individual contribution to Catholic Charities, First Step for Change, P. O. Box 614, Youngstown, Ohio 44501. Funds collected through this special effort are forwarded to the Catholic Charities agency serving the donor’s county/community.
Reflection: Pray for all those touched by our difficult economic times. You may even be praying for yourself!
Prayer Intention: That all will have been affected by our economic decline may find hope in these tough times.
PAPAL INTENTIONS:
APRIL 2010
Fundamentalism and Extremism
General: That every tendency to fundamentalism and extremism may be countered by constant respect, by tolerance and by dialogue among all believers.
Persecuted Christians
Missionary: That Christians persecuted for the sake of the Gospel may persevere, sustained by the Holy Spirit, in faithfully witnessing to the love of God for the entire human race.
MAY 2010
Human Trafficking
General: That the shameful and monstrous commerce in human beings, which sadly involves millions of women and children, may be ended.
Priests, Religious and Committed Lay People
Missionary: That ordained ministers, religious women and men, and lay people involved in apostolic work may understand how to infuse missionary enthusiasm into the communities entrusted to their care.
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
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/
Sunday, April 18, 2010
MONDAY MORNING MISSION MEDITATION for the week of April 18, 2010
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 Easter, Cycle C, http://www.usccb.org/nab/041810.shtml) we read how the Apostles praised God for empowering them to witness to the name of Jesus. We hear how Jesus, according to John's Gospel, appears to his Apostles again, for the third time. In this encounter, those engaged in their daily work of fishing find no catch in the watch of the night. But as the morning dawns, Jesus engages them to toss the nets over on the other side. With their acknowledgement that "it is the Lord," the men catch an abundance of fish. Then Jesus, ever the practical man, enjoins the disciples to eat breakfast with them -- a sharing and breaking of bread as a remembrance of his dying and rising. Then Peter stands there: will Jesus remember his three time denials in the courtyard? What will Jesus say to him? Is it over? Rather we see the Risen Lord calling upon Peter to love him and to follow him. Jesus forgives and loves in abundance...just like that incredible catch of fish. Jesus brings abundance with every encounter. We are called, in turn, to "follow" Him and do the same.
In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org we too continue to witness to the Lord's abundance. Maybe we are not able to give exactly what every person/family who comes to our door wants or may even need, but we aim to provide an abundance of care, concern and love. We continue Jesus' command to "follow" Him by being that sign of the Church of the healing presence of the Risen Christ, being ever practical to the point of asking: come eat breakfast, have a cup of coffee, what can we do for you today? We are glad that we are partners with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in many areas of the Diocese in order to help each person/family that comes to our door.
Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate:
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
MONDAY, APRIL 19. Blessed Luchesio and Buonadonna d. 1260. Luchesio and his wife Buonadonna wanted to follow St. Francis as a married couple. Thus they set in motion the Secular Franciscan Order.
Luchesio and Buonadonna lived in Poggibonzi where he was a greedy merchant. Meeting Francis—probably in 1213—changed his life. He began to perform many works of charity. At first Buonadonna was not as enthusiastic about giving so much away as Luchesio was. One day after complaining that he was giving everything to strangers, Buonadonna answered the door only to find someone else needing help. Luchesio asked her to give the poor man some bread. She frowned but went to the pantry anyway. There she discovered more bread than had been there the last time she looked. She soon became as zealous for a poor and simple life as Luchesio was. They sold the business, farmed enough land to provide for their needs and distributed the rest to the poor.
To meet this desire, Francis set up the Secular Franciscan Order. Francis wrote a simple Rule for the Third Order (Secular Franciscans) at first; Pope Honorius III approved a more formally worded Rule in 1221.
The charity of Luchesio drew the poor to him, and, like many other saints, he and Buonadonna seemed never to lack the resources to help these people.
TUESDAY, APRIL 20. St. Conrad of Parzham, 1818-1894. Conrad spent most of his life as porter in Altoetting, Bavaria, letting people into the friary and indirectly encouraging them to let God into their lives. As porter he dealt with many people, obtaining many of the friary supplies and generously providing for the poor who came to the door. He treated them all with the courtesy Francis expected of his followers. Conrad also developed a special rapport with the children of the area. He enthusiastically promoted the Seraphic Work of Charity, which aided neglected children.
SATURDAY, APRIL 24. St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, 1577-1622. If a poor man needed some clothing, Fidelis would often give the man the clothes right off his back. Complete generosity to others characterized this saint's life. Born in 1577, Mark Rey (Fidelis was his religious name) became a lawyer who constantly upheld the causes of the poor and oppressed people. Nicknamed "the poor man's lawyer," Fidelis soon grew disgusted with the corruption and injustice he saw among his colleagues. He left his law career to become a priest, joining his brother George as a member of the Capuchin Order. His wealth was divided between needy seminarians and the poor.
As a follower of Francis, Fidelis continued his devotion to the weak and needy. Once, during a severe epidemic in a city where he was guardian of a friary, Fidelis cared for and cured many sick soldiers.
Note: Please consider joining our
FACEBOOK CAUSE http://apps.facebook.com/causes/106889
FACEBOOK GROUP http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=461833870606
TWITTER account, CCDOY, http://twitter.com/CCDOY
for current updates and calls to action that we can all use.
Sharing Hope In Tough Times: Catholic Charities Responds to Families Facing Economic Crisis
Last year, Catholic Charities provided fiscal literacy and money management education to 1,893 people.
PAPAL INTENTIONS: APRIL 2010
Fundamentalism and Extremism
General: That every tendency to fundamentalism and extremism may be countered by constant respect, by tolerance and by dialogue among all believers.
Persecuted Christians
Missionary: That Christians persecuted for the sake of the Gospel may persevere, sustained by the Holy Spirit, in faithfully witnessing to the love of God for the entire human race.
Corporal Works of Mercy: The seven practices of charity toward our neighbor
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: 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 Easter, Cycle C, http://www.usccb.org/nab/041810.shtml) we read how the Apostles praised God for empowering them to witness to the name of Jesus. We hear how Jesus, according to John's Gospel, appears to his Apostles again, for the third time. In this encounter, those engaged in their daily work of fishing find no catch in the watch of the night. But as the morning dawns, Jesus engages them to toss the nets over on the other side. With their acknowledgement that "it is the Lord," the men catch an abundance of fish. Then Jesus, ever the practical man, enjoins the disciples to eat breakfast with them -- a sharing and breaking of bread as a remembrance of his dying and rising. Then Peter stands there: will Jesus remember his three time denials in the courtyard? What will Jesus say to him? Is it over? Rather we see the Risen Lord calling upon Peter to love him and to follow him. Jesus forgives and loves in abundance...just like that incredible catch of fish. Jesus brings abundance with every encounter. We are called, in turn, to "follow" Him and do the same.
In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org we too continue to witness to the Lord's abundance. Maybe we are not able to give exactly what every person/family who comes to our door wants or may even need, but we aim to provide an abundance of care, concern and love. We continue Jesus' command to "follow" Him by being that sign of the Church of the healing presence of the Risen Christ, being ever practical to the point of asking: come eat breakfast, have a cup of coffee, what can we do for you today? We are glad that we are partners with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in many areas of the Diocese in order to help each person/family that comes to our door.
Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate:
"In this context, the theme of integral human development takes on an even broader range of meanings: the correlation between its multiple elements requires a commitment to foster the interaction of the different levels of human knowledge in order to promote the authentic development of peoples. Often it is thought that development, or the socio-economic measures that go with it, merely require to be implemented through joint action. This joint action, however, needs to be given direction, because 'all social action involves a doctrine'. In view of the complexity of the issues, it is obvious that the various disciplines have to work together through an orderly interdisciplinary exchange. Charity does not exclude knowledge, but rather requires, promotes, and animates it from within. Knowledge is never purely the work of the intellect. It can certainly be reduced to calculation and experiment, but if it aspires to be wisdom capable of directing man in the light of his first beginnings and his final ends, it must be 'seasoned' with the 'salt' of charity. Deeds without knowledge are blind, and knowledge without love is sterile. Indeed, 'the individual who is animated by true charity labours skilfully to discover the causes of misery, to find the means to combat it, to overcome it resolutely'. Faced with the phenomena that lie before us, charity in truth requires first of all that we know and understand, acknowledging and respecting the specific competence of every level of knowledge. Charity is not an added extra, like an appendix to work already concluded in each of the various disciplines: it engages them in dialogue from the very beginning. The demands of love do not contradict those of reason. Human knowledge is insufficient and the conclusions of science cannot indicate by themselves the path towards integral human development. There is always a need to push further ahead: this is what is required by charity in truth. Going beyond, however, never means prescinding from the conclusions of reason, nor contradicting its results. Intelligence and love are not in separate compartments: love is rich in intelligence and intelligence is full of love."
(par. 30)
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
MONDAY, APRIL 19. Blessed Luchesio and Buonadonna d. 1260. Luchesio and his wife Buonadonna wanted to follow St. Francis as a married couple. Thus they set in motion the Secular Franciscan Order.
Luchesio and Buonadonna lived in Poggibonzi where he was a greedy merchant. Meeting Francis—probably in 1213—changed his life. He began to perform many works of charity. At first Buonadonna was not as enthusiastic about giving so much away as Luchesio was. One day after complaining that he was giving everything to strangers, Buonadonna answered the door only to find someone else needing help. Luchesio asked her to give the poor man some bread. She frowned but went to the pantry anyway. There she discovered more bread than had been there the last time she looked. She soon became as zealous for a poor and simple life as Luchesio was. They sold the business, farmed enough land to provide for their needs and distributed the rest to the poor.
To meet this desire, Francis set up the Secular Franciscan Order. Francis wrote a simple Rule for the Third Order (Secular Franciscans) at first; Pope Honorius III approved a more formally worded Rule in 1221.
The charity of Luchesio drew the poor to him, and, like many other saints, he and Buonadonna seemed never to lack the resources to help these people.
TUESDAY, APRIL 20. St. Conrad of Parzham, 1818-1894. Conrad spent most of his life as porter in Altoetting, Bavaria, letting people into the friary and indirectly encouraging them to let God into their lives. As porter he dealt with many people, obtaining many of the friary supplies and generously providing for the poor who came to the door. He treated them all with the courtesy Francis expected of his followers. Conrad also developed a special rapport with the children of the area. He enthusiastically promoted the Seraphic Work of Charity, which aided neglected children.
SATURDAY, APRIL 24. St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, 1577-1622. If a poor man needed some clothing, Fidelis would often give the man the clothes right off his back. Complete generosity to others characterized this saint's life. Born in 1577, Mark Rey (Fidelis was his religious name) became a lawyer who constantly upheld the causes of the poor and oppressed people. Nicknamed "the poor man's lawyer," Fidelis soon grew disgusted with the corruption and injustice he saw among his colleagues. He left his law career to become a priest, joining his brother George as a member of the Capuchin Order. His wealth was divided between needy seminarians and the poor.
As a follower of Francis, Fidelis continued his devotion to the weak and needy. Once, during a severe epidemic in a city where he was guardian of a friary, Fidelis cared for and cured many sick soldiers.
Note: Please consider joining our
FACEBOOK CAUSE http://apps.facebook.com/causes/106889
FACEBOOK GROUP http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=461833870606
TWITTER account, CCDOY, http://twitter.com/CCDOY
for current updates and calls to action that we can all use.
Sharing Hope In Tough Times: Catholic Charities Responds to Families Facing Economic Crisis
Last year, Catholic Charities provided fiscal literacy and money management education to 1,893 people.
PAPAL INTENTIONS: APRIL 2010
Fundamentalism and Extremism
General: That every tendency to fundamentalism and extremism may be countered by constant respect, by tolerance and by dialogue among all believers.
Persecuted Christians
Missionary: That Christians persecuted for the sake of the Gospel may persevere, sustained by the Holy Spirit, in faithfully witnessing to the love of God for 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
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 14, 2010
Holy See on Children and Mortality
"Governments Must Continue to Address the Urgent Health Needs of Children"
NEW YORK, APRIL 13, 2010 ( Zenit.org ).- Here is the address Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See at the United Nations, delivered Monday before the Economic and Social Council's commission on population and development.
* * *
Mr. Chairman,
As this Commission on Population and Development convenes in the midst of an ongoing economic and financial crisis, we would do well to listen to a growing opinion among economists that demographic trends are part of the problem and cannot be overlooked as an important part of the solution. The demographic crisis that in a few decades has brought down annual population growth rates from 7% to below 1% in many parts of the world, in tandem with the aging of the population, has resulted in devastating effects for the economy and governance.
The correction of the population deficit with constant immigration does not seem to resolve the problems even in the short term. The same demographic policies that caused population growth rates to plunge to unsustainable levels need to be reviewed and re-designed along with appropriate social policies to encourage births.
Among the topics assigned to this year’s CPD session, global health, morbidity, mortality and development, the preparatory documents focus mainly on maternal mortality.
According to UN statistics there are some half-million maternal deaths annually of which approximately ninety-nine per cent occur in developing countries. Not only do the lives of these mothers end in tragedy but also the lives of their babies begin in turmoil. In the aftermath, the chance of survival of their young children decreases dramatically resulting in the disintegration of their families and hindrance to local development.
Sadly, these deaths represent only the tip of the iceberg. It is estimated that for every mortality, thirty more women suffer long-term damage to their health, such as from obstetric fistulae. The physical devastation caused by fistulae makes them complete outcasts and isolated by family and society. They suffer pain, humiliation, and lifelong disability if not treated. World-wide perhaps two million of these poor, young and forgotten mothers are living with the problem, most of whom are in Africa. These deaths of mothers and babies are all the more shameful especially since they are readily preventable and treatable.
The consensus of the obstetrical community is that mothers need essential prenatal care, skilled attendants at all deliveries and specialist care for life threatening complications. And yet, programs focused on providing the services that ensure mothers and their babies survive pregnancy are badly underfunded.
Investments in education and long-term development programs can provide communities with the means for improving their own health. However, the emigration of individuals with medical knowledge and skills from developing countries results in the loss of the very expertise and people necessary to improve the health-care systems in those countries.
In addition, governments must continue to address the urgent health needs of children around the world. In 2008 alone, there were over 243 million cases of malaria leading to over 800,000 deaths. Similarly, treatable and avoidable respiratory infections, digestive diseases and illnesses resulting from inadequate nutrition continue to be the main causes of death for children in the developing world. Diseases which long have been eliminated in developed countries continue to devastate children in the developing world and global solidarity is necessary to ensure that poor children have access to necessary medication and nutrition.
Mr. Chairman,
In extending health care to all, civil society, including faith-based organizations, must be an engaged partner. In many corners of the globe, Catholic hospitals and clinics continue to be the front-line providers for primary health care, in particular to the most marginalized of society. These nonprofit organizations provide care to those whom society has left behind or for whom offering services is too difficult or too dangerous. By living with and amongst those they serve these organizations promote solidarity within the community and contribute a unique understanding of the community’s needs.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
NEW YORK, APRIL 13, 2010 ( Zenit.org ).- Here is the address Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See at the United Nations, delivered Monday before the Economic and Social Council's commission on population and development.
* * *
Mr. Chairman,
As this Commission on Population and Development convenes in the midst of an ongoing economic and financial crisis, we would do well to listen to a growing opinion among economists that demographic trends are part of the problem and cannot be overlooked as an important part of the solution. The demographic crisis that in a few decades has brought down annual population growth rates from 7% to below 1% in many parts of the world, in tandem with the aging of the population, has resulted in devastating effects for the economy and governance.
The correction of the population deficit with constant immigration does not seem to resolve the problems even in the short term. The same demographic policies that caused population growth rates to plunge to unsustainable levels need to be reviewed and re-designed along with appropriate social policies to encourage births.
Among the topics assigned to this year’s CPD session, global health, morbidity, mortality and development, the preparatory documents focus mainly on maternal mortality.
According to UN statistics there are some half-million maternal deaths annually of which approximately ninety-nine per cent occur in developing countries. Not only do the lives of these mothers end in tragedy but also the lives of their babies begin in turmoil. In the aftermath, the chance of survival of their young children decreases dramatically resulting in the disintegration of their families and hindrance to local development.
Sadly, these deaths represent only the tip of the iceberg. It is estimated that for every mortality, thirty more women suffer long-term damage to their health, such as from obstetric fistulae. The physical devastation caused by fistulae makes them complete outcasts and isolated by family and society. They suffer pain, humiliation, and lifelong disability if not treated. World-wide perhaps two million of these poor, young and forgotten mothers are living with the problem, most of whom are in Africa. These deaths of mothers and babies are all the more shameful especially since they are readily preventable and treatable.
The consensus of the obstetrical community is that mothers need essential prenatal care, skilled attendants at all deliveries and specialist care for life threatening complications. And yet, programs focused on providing the services that ensure mothers and their babies survive pregnancy are badly underfunded.
Investments in education and long-term development programs can provide communities with the means for improving their own health. However, the emigration of individuals with medical knowledge and skills from developing countries results in the loss of the very expertise and people necessary to improve the health-care systems in those countries.
In addition, governments must continue to address the urgent health needs of children around the world. In 2008 alone, there were over 243 million cases of malaria leading to over 800,000 deaths. Similarly, treatable and avoidable respiratory infections, digestive diseases and illnesses resulting from inadequate nutrition continue to be the main causes of death for children in the developing world. Diseases which long have been eliminated in developed countries continue to devastate children in the developing world and global solidarity is necessary to ensure that poor children have access to necessary medication and nutrition.
Mr. Chairman,
In extending health care to all, civil society, including faith-based organizations, must be an engaged partner. In many corners of the globe, Catholic hospitals and clinics continue to be the front-line providers for primary health care, in particular to the most marginalized of society. These nonprofit organizations provide care to those whom society has left behind or for whom offering services is too difficult or too dangerous. By living with and amongst those they serve these organizations promote solidarity within the community and contribute a unique understanding of the community’s needs.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Holy See Welcomes US-Russia Nuclear Deal
Spokesman Says It’s a Step on the Right Path
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 12, 2010 ( Zenit.org ).- A Vatican spokesman welcomed as “good news” the signing of the START-2 Treaty by Russia and the United States.
The presidents of the Cold War antagonists signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty last Thursday in Prague.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, spoke of the event during the most recent edition of Vatican Television’s “Octava Dies.”
The spokesman characterized the treaty as ending a situation of deadlock and renewing the path to arms reduction, “and -- we hope -- the elimination of the most dangerous bellicose arsenals."
The new treaty replaces the recently expired 1991 START agreement. It reduces the strategic warheads permitted both countries to 1,550, down from a previous limit of 2,200.
The nuclear arms allowed by the treaty "continue to be sufficient to destroy our planet,” Father Lombardi said, “but their number is inferior to that of the times of the unlimited, futile and mad, nuclear arms race."
"To talk of peace, confidence and solidarity, when still thousands of very powerful nuclear warheads are calibrated is probably optimistic, but the path is appropriate and it is urgent to continue following it," the spokesman reflected. "In this way, there is more credibility to speak of nuclear non-proliferation to other countries with nuclear ambitions, and immense economic, scientific and human resources can be allocated to the most urgent needs of humanity and its development.
“Every effort in this sense will be encouraged and the Church will always be on the side of the agents of peace.”
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 12, 2010 ( Zenit.org ).- A Vatican spokesman welcomed as “good news” the signing of the START-2 Treaty by Russia and the United States.
The presidents of the Cold War antagonists signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty last Thursday in Prague.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, spoke of the event during the most recent edition of Vatican Television’s “Octava Dies.”
The spokesman characterized the treaty as ending a situation of deadlock and renewing the path to arms reduction, “and -- we hope -- the elimination of the most dangerous bellicose arsenals."
The new treaty replaces the recently expired 1991 START agreement. It reduces the strategic warheads permitted both countries to 1,550, down from a previous limit of 2,200.
The nuclear arms allowed by the treaty "continue to be sufficient to destroy our planet,” Father Lombardi said, “but their number is inferior to that of the times of the unlimited, futile and mad, nuclear arms race."
"To talk of peace, confidence and solidarity, when still thousands of very powerful nuclear warheads are calibrated is probably optimistic, but the path is appropriate and it is urgent to continue following it," the spokesman reflected. "In this way, there is more credibility to speak of nuclear non-proliferation to other countries with nuclear ambitions, and immense economic, scientific and human resources can be allocated to the most urgent needs of humanity and its development.
“Every effort in this sense will be encouraged and the Church will always be on the side of the agents of peace.”
Saturday, April 10, 2010
MONDAY MORNING MISSION MEDITATION for the week of April 11, 2010
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 Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, Cycle C http://www.usccb.org/nab/041110.shtml) we read the story of Jesus' appearance to his disciples a week after His resurrection. The Apostle Thomas had not been present at that first appearance immediately after Jesus' resurrection, and claimed that he would, or could, not accept the news of Jesus' presence unless he could touch Him. Jesus gives Thomas that opportunity; with that moment, Thomas proclaims his belief. Jesus reminds us today how believing without seeing is a graced moment. We also hear in the Acts of the Apostles how many signs were done by Jesus' disciples in that many "believed;" in fact, without ever "seeing" Jesus, the power of the Spirit living in the Apostles provided healing to those needing a cure with the simple passing of the shadow of Peter's cloak.
In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org we believe in the power of the Good News of the Resurrection and continue to provide healing to those who seek relief and help. The Spirit that Jesus breathed on his disciples continues to blow in the work of Catholic Charities in that each person, family, and community can be touched with the love, mercy and peace of God. The Easter news of abundant life remains the center of our work of help and our message hope.
Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate:
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
SUNDAY, APRIL 11.
SATURDAY APRIL 17. St. Benedict Joseph Labre (d. 1783) was truly eccentric, one of God's special little ones. Born in France and the eldest of 18 children, he studied under his uncle, a parish priest. Because of poor health and a lack of suitable academic preparation he was unsuccessful in his attempts to enter the religious life. Then, at 16 years of age, a profound change took place. Benedict lost his desire to study and gave up all thoughts of the priesthood, much to the consternation of his relatives.
He became a pilgrim, traveling from one great shrine to another, living off alms. He wore the rags of a beggar and shared his food with the poor. Filled with the love of God and neighbor, Benedict had special devotion to the Blessed Mother and to the Blessed Sacrament. In Rome, where he lived in the Colosseum for a time, he was called "the poor man of the Forty Hours Devotion" and "the beggar of Rome." The people accepted his ragged appearance better than he did. His excuse to himself was that "our comfort is not in this world." He was officially proclaimed a saint by Pope Leo XIII at canonization ceremonies in 1883. He is the patron saint of the homeless.
Note: Please consider joining our
FACEBOOK CAUSE http://apps.facebook.com/causes/106889
FACEBOOK GROUP http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=461833870606
TWITTER account, CCDOY, http://twitter.com/CCDOY
for current updates and calls to action that we can all use.
Sharing Hope In Tough Times: Catholic Charities Responds to Families Facing Economic Crisis
Catholic Charities asks you to please support the 2010 Bishop’s Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church. Sixty-six percent (66%) of the funds collected in the Appeal help to fund the programs and services offered by Catholic Charities agencies throughout the Diocese of Youngstown.
PAPAL INTENTIONS:
APRIL 2010
Fundamentalism and Extremism
General: That every tendency to fundamentalism and extremism may be countered by constant respect, by tolerance and by dialogue among all believers.
Persecuted Christians
Missionary: That Christians persecuted for the sake of the Gospel may persevere, sustained by the Holy Spirit, in faithfully witnessing to the love of God for the entire human race.
Corporal Works of Mercy: The seven practices of charity toward our neighbor
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: 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 Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, Cycle C http://www.usccb.org/nab/041110.shtml) we read the story of Jesus' appearance to his disciples a week after His resurrection. The Apostle Thomas had not been present at that first appearance immediately after Jesus' resurrection, and claimed that he would, or could, not accept the news of Jesus' presence unless he could touch Him. Jesus gives Thomas that opportunity; with that moment, Thomas proclaims his belief. Jesus reminds us today how believing without seeing is a graced moment. We also hear in the Acts of the Apostles how many signs were done by Jesus' disciples in that many "believed;" in fact, without ever "seeing" Jesus, the power of the Spirit living in the Apostles provided healing to those needing a cure with the simple passing of the shadow of Peter's cloak.
In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org we believe in the power of the Good News of the Resurrection and continue to provide healing to those who seek relief and help. The Spirit that Jesus breathed on his disciples continues to blow in the work of Catholic Charities in that each person, family, and community can be touched with the love, mercy and peace of God. The Easter news of abundant life remains the center of our work of help and our message hope.
Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate:
"Yet it should be added that, as well as religious fanaticism that in some contexts impedes the exercise of the right to religious freedom, so too the deliberate promotion of religious indifference or practical atheism on the part of many countries obstructs the requirements for the development of peoples, depriving them of spiritual and human resources. God is the guarantor of man's true development, inasmuch as, having created him in his image, he also establishes the transcendent dignity of men and women and feeds their innate yearning to “be more”. Man is not a lost atom in a random universe: he is God's creature, whom God chose to endow with an immortal soul and whom he has always loved. If man were merely the fruit of either chance or necessity, or if he had to lower his aspirations to the limited horizon of the world in which he lives, if all reality were merely history and culture, and man did not possess a nature destined to transcend itself in a supernatural life, then one could speak of growth, or evolution, but not development. When the State promotes, teaches, or actually imposes forms of practical atheism, it deprives its citizens of the moral and spiritual strength that is indispensable for attaining integral human development and it impedes them from moving forward with renewed dynamism as they strive to offer a more generous human response to divine love. In the context of cultural, commercial or political relations, it also sometimes happens that economically developed or emerging countries export this reductive vision of the person and his destiny to poor countries. This is the damage that 'superdevelopment' causes to authentic development when it is accompanied by 'moral underdevelopment'."
(par. 29b)
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
SUNDAY, APRIL 11.
The "First Sunday after Easter" ‑ which is designated in "The Liturgy of the Hours and the Celebration of the Eucharist" as the "Octave Day of Easter" ‑ was officially called the Second Sunday of Easter after the liturgical reform of Vatican II. Now, by the Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the name of this liturgical day has been changed to: "Second Sunday of Easter, or of Divine Mercy." http://www.divinemercysunday.com/mercy_sunday.htm
Pope John Paul II made the surprise announcement of this change in his homily at the canonization of Sr. Faustina on April 30, 2000. There, he declared: "It is important then that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter, which from now on throughout the Church, will be called 'Divine Mercy Sunday.' "
By the words "the whole message," the Holy Father was referring to the strict connection between the "Easter Mystery of the Redemption" ‑ the suffering, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, followed by the sending of the Holy Spirit ‑ and this Feast of Divine Mercy, the Octave Day of Easter.
By what the Holy Father continued to say, it becomes clear why Jesus insisted that the sacred image of Himself as The Divine Mercy is to be venerated throughout the world in connection with the observance of this Sunday (see Diary, 49, 88, 299, 341, 570, 742). The Holy Father said: "Before speaking these words, Jesus shows His hands and His side. He points, that is, to the wounds of the Passion, especially the wound in His Heart, the source from which flows the great wave of mercy poured out on humanity.
"From that Heart, Sr. Faustina Kowalska, the blessed whom from now on we will call a saint, will see two rays of light shining from that Heart and illuminating the world: 'The two rays,' Jesus Himself explained to her one day, 'represent blood and water' (Diary,299).
"Divine Mercy reaches human beings through the Heart of Christ crucified: 'Tell, My daughter, [all people] that I am Love and Mercy itself [personified]' Jesus will ask of Sr. Faustina (Diary, 1074). Christ pours out this mercy on humanity through the sending of the Spirit who, in the Trinity, is the Person‑Love. And is not mercy love's 'second name' (cf. Rich in Mercy, n.7), understood in its deepest and most tender aspect, in its ability to take upon itself the burden of any need and, especially, in its most immense capacity for forgiveness?"
SATURDAY APRIL 17. St. Benedict Joseph Labre (d. 1783) was truly eccentric, one of God's special little ones. Born in France and the eldest of 18 children, he studied under his uncle, a parish priest. Because of poor health and a lack of suitable academic preparation he was unsuccessful in his attempts to enter the religious life. Then, at 16 years of age, a profound change took place. Benedict lost his desire to study and gave up all thoughts of the priesthood, much to the consternation of his relatives.
He became a pilgrim, traveling from one great shrine to another, living off alms. He wore the rags of a beggar and shared his food with the poor. Filled with the love of God and neighbor, Benedict had special devotion to the Blessed Mother and to the Blessed Sacrament. In Rome, where he lived in the Colosseum for a time, he was called "the poor man of the Forty Hours Devotion" and "the beggar of Rome." The people accepted his ragged appearance better than he did. His excuse to himself was that "our comfort is not in this world." He was officially proclaimed a saint by Pope Leo XIII at canonization ceremonies in 1883. He is the patron saint of the homeless.
Note: Please consider joining our
FACEBOOK CAUSE http://apps.facebook.com/causes/106889
FACEBOOK GROUP http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=461833870606
TWITTER account, CCDOY, http://twitter.com/CCDOY
for current updates and calls to action that we can all use.
Sharing Hope In Tough Times: Catholic Charities Responds to Families Facing Economic Crisis
Catholic Charities asks you to please support the 2010 Bishop’s Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church. Sixty-six percent (66%) of the funds collected in the Appeal help to fund the programs and services offered by Catholic Charities agencies throughout the Diocese of Youngstown.
PAPAL INTENTIONS:
APRIL 2010
Fundamentalism and Extremism
General: That every tendency to fundamentalism and extremism may be countered by constant respect, by tolerance and by dialogue among all believers.
Persecuted Christians
Missionary: That Christians persecuted for the sake of the Gospel may persevere, sustained by the Holy Spirit, in faithfully witnessing to the love of God for 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
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/
Saturday, April 3, 2010
MONDAY MORNING MISSION MEDITATION for the week of April 4, 2010
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 (Easter Sunday; The Resurrection of the Lord, Cycle C http://www.usccb.org/nab/040410.shtml) we read the words of great joy in Psalm 118: "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad." In the gospel accounts, the women and the disciples visit the tomb of Jesus, after a horrible Friday death sentence. All are amazed since the stone has been removed, and the tomb is empty with only Jesus' burial clothes around as evidence. But the empty tomb is not the full story; the appearances of the Risen Jesus to his friends give hope and joy. They see and believe; they continue to tell the story. It is a story of new beginnings.
In the Letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes that "Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough." The disciples form the new leaven, filled with Easter joy, and go out and shout the good news: Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.
In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org we are called to be leaven in the world as the first witnesses of Jesus' resurrection. By our open doors to those in need, we witness that Easter joy and peace. We give hope and provide help. We can and oftentimes do transform lives by being leaven for someone. We are also called to be leaven in our communities by being voices of justice and peace. We can be leaven by bringing people together to find answers to common problems. Catholic Charities is called to serve, advocate for justice, and convene others to join in our work for the building of a compassionate and just society. It takes a little bit of leaven to transform a loaf of bread. So too, our small and humble actions witness to the great power of the Love of God, and in turn can bring about a new creation. The Resurrection of the Lord is the story of hope we continue to tell to each person we encounter.
Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate:
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
Easter Week
SATURDAY, APRIL 10. St. Magdalen of Canossa (1774-1835) Wealth and privilege did nothing to prevent today’s saint from following her calling to serve Christ in the poor. Nor did the protests of her relatives, concerned that such work was beneath her.
Born in northern Italy in 1774, Magdalen knew her mind—and spoke it. At age 15 she announced she wished to become a nun. After trying out her vocation with the cloistered Carmelites, she realized her desire was to serve the needy without restriction. For years she worked among the poor and sick in hospitals and in their homes and among delinquent and abandoned girls.
In her mid-twenties Magdalen began offering lodging to poor girls in her own home. In time she opened a school, which offered practical training and religious instruction. As other women joined her in the work, the new Congregation of the Daughters of Charity emerged. Over time, houses were opened throughout Italy.
Members of the new religious congregation focused on the educational and spiritual needs of women. Magdalen also founded a smaller congregation for priests and brothers. Both groups continue to this day.
She died in 1835. Pope John Paul II canonized her in 1988.
Note: Please consider joining our
FACEBOOK CAUSE http://apps.facebook.com/causes/106889
FACEBOOK GROUP http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=461833870606
TWITTER account, CCDOY, http://twitter.com/CCDOY
for current updates and calls to action that we can all use.
Sharing Hope In Tough Times: Catholic Charities Responds to Families Facing Economic Crisis
Through the generosity of parishioners and friends who support the Annual Bishop’s Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church, Catholic Charities served over 36,000 people in 2009, impacting 25,000 households in the Diocese of Youngstown. Catholic Charities is one important way to share your gift with those who are in need -- to help our brothers and sisters in the Spirit of the Risen Lord. Thank you for your support!
PAPAL INTENTIONS: APRIL 2010
Fundamentalism and Extremism
General: That every tendency to fundamentalism and extremism may be countered by constant respect, by tolerance and by dialogue among all believers.
Persecuted Christians
Missionary: That Christians persecuted for the sake of the Gospel may persevere, sustained by the Holy Spirit, in faithfully witnessing to the love of God for the entire human race.
Corporal Works of Mercy: The seven practices of charity toward our neighbor
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: 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 (Easter Sunday; The Resurrection of the Lord, Cycle C http://www.usccb.org/nab/040410.shtml) we read the words of great joy in Psalm 118: "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad." In the gospel accounts, the women and the disciples visit the tomb of Jesus, after a horrible Friday death sentence. All are amazed since the stone has been removed, and the tomb is empty with only Jesus' burial clothes around as evidence. But the empty tomb is not the full story; the appearances of the Risen Jesus to his friends give hope and joy. They see and believe; they continue to tell the story. It is a story of new beginnings.
In the Letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes that "Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough." The disciples form the new leaven, filled with Easter joy, and go out and shout the good news: Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.
In Catholic Charities http://www.ccdoy.org we are called to be leaven in the world as the first witnesses of Jesus' resurrection. By our open doors to those in need, we witness that Easter joy and peace. We give hope and provide help. We can and oftentimes do transform lives by being leaven for someone. We are also called to be leaven in our communities by being voices of justice and peace. We can be leaven by bringing people together to find answers to common problems. Catholic Charities is called to serve, advocate for justice, and convene others to join in our work for the building of a compassionate and just society. It takes a little bit of leaven to transform a loaf of bread. So too, our small and humble actions witness to the great power of the Love of God, and in turn can bring about a new creation. The Resurrection of the Lord is the story of hope we continue to tell to each person we encounter.
Reflection from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate:
There is another aspect of modern life that is very closely connected to development: the denial of the right to religious freedom. I am not referring simply to the struggles and conflicts that continue to be fought in the world for religious motives, even if at times the religious motive is merely a cover for other reasons, such as the desire for domination and wealth. Today, in fact, people frequently kill in the holy name of God, as both my predecessor John Paul II and I myself have often publicly acknowledged and lamented. Violence puts the brakes on authentic development and impedes the evolution of peoples towards greater socio-economic and spiritual well-being. This applies especially to terrorism motivated by fundamentalism, which generates grief, destruction and death, obstructs dialogue between nations and diverts extensive resources from their peaceful and civil uses. (par. 29a)
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
Easter Week
SATURDAY, APRIL 10. St. Magdalen of Canossa (1774-1835) Wealth and privilege did nothing to prevent today’s saint from following her calling to serve Christ in the poor. Nor did the protests of her relatives, concerned that such work was beneath her.
Born in northern Italy in 1774, Magdalen knew her mind—and spoke it. At age 15 she announced she wished to become a nun. After trying out her vocation with the cloistered Carmelites, she realized her desire was to serve the needy without restriction. For years she worked among the poor and sick in hospitals and in their homes and among delinquent and abandoned girls.
In her mid-twenties Magdalen began offering lodging to poor girls in her own home. In time she opened a school, which offered practical training and religious instruction. As other women joined her in the work, the new Congregation of the Daughters of Charity emerged. Over time, houses were opened throughout Italy.
Members of the new religious congregation focused on the educational and spiritual needs of women. Magdalen also founded a smaller congregation for priests and brothers. Both groups continue to this day.
She died in 1835. Pope John Paul II canonized her in 1988.
Note: Please consider joining our
FACEBOOK CAUSE http://apps.facebook.com/causes/106889
FACEBOOK GROUP http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=461833870606
TWITTER account, CCDOY, http://twitter.com/CCDOY
for current updates and calls to action that we can all use.
Sharing Hope In Tough Times: Catholic Charities Responds to Families Facing Economic Crisis
Through the generosity of parishioners and friends who support the Annual Bishop’s Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church, Catholic Charities served over 36,000 people in 2009, impacting 25,000 households in the Diocese of Youngstown. Catholic Charities is one important way to share your gift with those who are in need -- to help our brothers and sisters in the Spirit of the Risen Lord. Thank you for your support!
PAPAL INTENTIONS: APRIL 2010
Fundamentalism and Extremism
General: That every tendency to fundamentalism and extremism may be countered by constant respect, by tolerance and by dialogue among all believers.
Persecuted Christians
Missionary: That Christians persecuted for the sake of the Gospel may persevere, sustained by the Holy Spirit, in faithfully witnessing to the love of God for 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
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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