Catholic Relief Services: Please Write Your Congressperson!

Please write your member of Congress on a number of hot topics.

Check current action alerts at: http://tinyurl.com/crs-action-center

This request comes from Catholic Relief Services in coordination with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Many items of upcoming legislation have moral dimensions, e.g. arms control, global poverty, immigration reform.

The website of CRS is sooooo easy to use -- will only take you 5 minutes to send your own representatives an email. If you are unfamiliar with an issue, all the policy statements and summaries are right there so you can understand WHY the Bishops' have a particular position.

The Bishops always apply Catholic doctrine to current issues -- they are not partisan. Their faith is informing their politics, not the other way around!

I just sent an email to my Congressperson regarding international nuclear arms control and global poverty.

Catholic Social Teaching: Solidarity or I Am My Brother's Keeper

Why should we walk for life? Give the gift of English language skills? Give microloans to invest in tiny businesses in developing countries?

To live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To act out our faith. To live our discipleship.

Actions of charity and justice have a deep spiritual dimension.

Matthew 25 is very compelling: "Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40, New American Bible)

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops summarize the Catholic Social Teaching of Solidarity like this:

"We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that “if you want peace, work for justice.” The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict."

-- from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website at http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/projects/socialteaching/excerpt.shtml

Help Others to Speak English: Volunteer as an English Tutor!

Now here is a New Year's Resolution you can make that will make a lasting improvement in someone's life: Give the gift of English language skills to an adult in your community!

Think how important it is for an adult in 21st century America to have good English skills: talking to their children's teachers, navigating the Department of Motor Vehicles, having better job opportunities. Good English skills can be the ticket to lift a family up and out of poverty!

In my parish, we are joining with a longstanding, successful program at the local public library. The only skill we need to qualify as tutors is to speak English. We do not need to be bilingual. The students are already in English as a Second Language classes taught by professional educators -- what they need from us is practice, practice, practice!

My local program is through the Livermore Public Library in the city of Livermore, California: http://www.ci.livermore.ca.us/library/literacy.html

To find a program near you, try the following website:

ProLiteracy (champions the power of literacy to improve the lives of adults and their families, communities, and societies): http://www.proliteracy.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=298

6th Annual Walk for Life, January 23, 2010, San Francisco

Mark your calendars!

Make a New Year's Resolution!

Make a stand against abortion -- and take a walk!

The West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco is January 23, 2010. Learn more at: http://www.walkforlifewc.com/

On the east coast, join the March for Life in Washington, D.C., on January 22, 2010. Learn more at:
http://www.marchforlife.org/content/view/13/26/

Last year, I joined two busloads of people from my parish of St. Michael. The rally at the start was incredible -- so many stories of women who bitterly regretted their abortions, men who regretted their lost fatherhood, and heartwarming stories of women who kept their babies and were so happy they had done so! I found the walk quite relaxing -- just strolling along the San Francisco waterfront with 32,000 of my best friends -- praying the Rosary, chatting, looking at the bystanders looking at us. There were only a handful of counter-protesters.

The walk is strenuous because you end up on your feet for several hours -- from the rally to the walk to the rally at the other end. If you cannot join the walk, please pray for the Walk and the March.

“Among Women” Celebrates the beauty and grace of Catholic Faith and Life among women

I just listened to an episode of the relatively new podcast, "Among Women", and found it very informative, enriching and worthwhile.

Here is a description from the Among Women website (http://www.patgohn.com/patgohn/AmongWomenPodcast.com.html):

Goal and Mission: “Among Women” celebrates the beauty and grace that women experience in their Catholic Faith and Life. They hope this “faith-sharing” program will be "faith building" . . . inspiring women in their call to holiness by drawing closer to Christ and the Catholic Church, by living lives of prayer and loving service.

Pat Gohn hosts this program featuring two segments: (1) “Blessed Are They”, a reflection focusing on faithful women who have gone before us . . . those saints and sages who bring inspiration for Christian life. (2) “Among Women,” features conversations with contemporary women from all walks of life.