Debbie's Weekly Roman Catholic Faith Blog

The High Tech Catholic Blog is getting better and better!

2012-01-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

Brought to you by St. Michael Parish in Livermore, California, we are searching the Cyber Universe to bring you excellent Catholic content on the Internet, iTunes, smartphone apps, blogs, podcasts and more! A big thank you to the editor in chief, Tina!

Website:
http://www.hitechcatholic.com/

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/hitechcatholic

Do you only have music on that iPod? You're missing out!

Have a smartphone? Any Catholic apps on it? Well, how about iMissal, iRosary and the entire Holy Bible? Check it out! Most apps are free!

Archbishop Niederauer to Protest Deportation, Breaking Up Families

2012-01-20T15:50:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, January 28, Archbishop Niederauer and bishops from the Bay Area will call on Gov. Brown and Attorney General Kamala Harris to stop the separation of families and to end SCOMM. SCOMM (“Secure Communities”) is separating families by deporting thousands of people each year in California.

Read more at: http://lupitanews.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/immigration-reform-action/

I have thought a lot about this. Yes, it is wrong for people to enter American illegally. But is it right to grab a husband and father, and suddenly deport him, leaving his wife and children behind? To be separated for years? With the whole family struggling financially? That is not right either. Hence, the US Bishops continuing call for Immigration Reform to find a solution that is morally acceptable.

January is also Poverty Awareness Month

2012-01-15T11:44:00.000-08:00

Because compassion for those who are poor and vulnerable was a central part of Jesus' mission, the USCCB's PovertyUSA Campaign seeks to broaden the general understanding of and concern for people living in poverty in America. The Campaign strives to engage as many people as possible in our shared responsibility to care for those who are in need. Help shed light on the seriousness of poverty in America and find ways to do something about it by joining the Poverty Awareness Facebook Event in January. Click on this link and join today!

Go check out the event on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/events/235829976489571/

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

2012-01-15T11:37:00.000-08:00

January has been declared National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

As a global institution, the Catholic Church, well positioned to respond to human trafficking, has denounced this horrific crime because it constitutes an offense against human dignity and fundamental human rights.

For more information, Click here

Bay Area Social Justice Forum: “People of Hope Agents for Change”

2012-01-15T11:23:00.000-08:00

Join other concerned people of faith from parishes and schools throughout the Bay Area for the Second Annual Bay Area Social Justice Forum Saturday February 11th 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. The conference is sponsored by the Holy Names University, Diocese of Oakland’s Office for Life and Justice, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, JustFaith Oakland, Sisters of the Holy Family, Sisters of Saint Francis and Stop Slavery: Northern CA Coalition of Catholic Sisters.

Keynote speakers Fr. Daniel Groody, University of Notre Dame award winning author and film director and Jack Weinstein. Workshop topics include: Human trafficking, Immigration, Restorative Justice, Muslim-Christian Dialogue, Water Security, Death Penalty, Affordable Housing, Racism, and many more.

The workshops will be held in the Valley Center for the Performing Arts, Holy Names University, 3500 Mountain Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619. To learn more and register for the forum, go to www.hnu.edu/SocialJustice. To download flyer, click here.

It helps us if you complete the registration process online, however if you prefer NOT to register online, you can download and print a paper registration form here.

Pope to Visit Mexico in 2012.

2012-01-15T10:49:00.000-08:00

During his homily on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Benedict XVI confirmed he would visit Mexico in 2012.

The pope called upon the people of Latin America to be defenders of human life from the moment of conception until natural death and promoters of peace; they must also safeguard the genuine nature and mission of the family, strengthen schools and help parents prepare their children to be good and upright citizens, promote reconciliation and solidarity, do more to protect the environment and strengthen efforts to overcome poverty, illiteracy and corruption and eradicate all forms of injustice, violence, criminality, citizens' insecurity, drug trafficking and extortion.

Read more at Catholic News Service, http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1104859.htm

Book Review: “Exodus from Hunger” by David Beckmann

2012-01-08T09:28:00.001-08:00

In the new book, “Exodus from Hunger: We Are Called to Change the Politics of Hunger,” author David Beckmann argues that we can end world hunger in our lifetime. Ordinary citizens, especially people of faith, can achieve this by mustering the political will of nations. David combines an optimism born from faith and a down-in-the trenches approach to ending hunger. David is Lutheran pastor, economist, and head of Bread for the World, a Christian organization dedicated to ending hunger. Learn more at: http://www.exodusfromhunger.org

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is Blogging

2012-01-08T09:25:00.000-08:00

Our bishops have a blog! And you can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Hear what our bishops have to say on immigration reform, hunger, unemployment, sexual abuse and all the tough issues of our time: http://usccbmedia.blogspot.com

This blog is for the world to read -- the bishops are really hanging it all out there. Cool!

Dress a Girl Around the World Sew Fest, St. Michael Hall, Jan 14

2012-01-02T11:06:00.000-08:00

Monthly Dress A Girl Around the World Sew Fest
Saturday, January 14, 2012, 9am – 3pm
St. Michael Parish Hall, 300 Block of Maple Street, Livermore

If you like to sew, please bring your sewing machine and creative imagination as we make 100 dresses in a single day for girls in developing countries. We also need people to setup, clean up, iron, snip, sort, fetch and carry!

For more information, please contact Suzanne: suzanneslu@yahoo.com, 925-352-8447.

Sew fests will be scheduled monthly at the St. Michael Hall for all of 2012.

Why do we make dresses? To fight human trafficking. Little girls dressed in rags are a target, while a well dressed girl is assumed to be well cared for by an adult protector. This project is in concert with the national Dress A Girl Around the World project (http://www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com) and Hope 4 Women International (http://www.hope4kidsinternational.org/h4wi).

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dress-A-Girl-Around-the-World-CA-East-Bay/211574008875959?sk=wall&filter=1

Catholic World Day of Peace, January 1st.

2011-12-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

Catholic teaching promotes peace as a positive, action-oriented concept. In the words of Pope John Paul II, "Peace is not just the absence of war. It involves mutual respect and confidence between peoples and nations. It involves collaboration and binding agreements.” There is a close relationship in Catholic teaching between peace and justice. Peace is the fruit of justice and is dependent upon right order among human beings. -- Catholic Charities Office for Social Justice, http://www.osjspm.org/page.aspx?pid=491

Read more quotes on peace at: http://www.osjspm.org/admin/document.doc?id=22

Catholic News Service covered the Pope's 2012 message for World Day of Peace:
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1104930.htm

Humor for the Holidays: Silent Monks Sign Hallelujah Chorus

2011-12-14T19:00:00.000-08:00

Here is a delightful YouTube video of the Hallelujah Chorus cleverly done with signs by "monks". Playful but the words are so wonderful! Merry Christmas!

And He shall reign forever and ever! Amen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOTCvzbRQ2U&feature=endscreen&NR=1

What is “charity” and what is “justice” for a practicing Catholic?

2011-12-04T15:36:00.000-08:00

Msgr. Marvin Mottet, Diocese of Davenport, explains it this way: It takes two feet to walk and to keep our balance: one “justice,” the other “charity.” One foot is focused on institutional change, the other on direct service.

Without both feet, we lose balance. When I served on the National Committee of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, I saw an application from Bread for the World: they weren’t passing out food baskets or running soup kitchens, but working for institutional change—addressing public policies that could relieve hunger and poverty. I said, “This is what we are all about.”

If we use only the first foot (direct service), we could make matters worse by fostering dependency. If we use only the second foot (institutional change), we might become too far removed from the realities of the situation. A true Christian lifestyle requires of us that we live in solidarity with those in need and come to their assistance in emergencies. We cannot isolate ourselves.

Direct service can provide us with the data needed for institutional changes. It is sometimes classified as “charity.” Institutional change is “working for justice.” There can be no love without justice. If we really love, we will work to change structures, systems, laws, and policies that are harmful to people.

Read Msgr Mottet's full article at http://tinyurl.com/charity-justice

The Parish and Good Works

2011-12-03T11:28:00.000-08:00

A parish is . . . the place where all the faithful can be gathered together for the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist. The parish initiates the Christian people into the ordinary expression of the liturgical life: it gathers them together in this celebration; it teaches Christ's saving doctrine; it practices the charity of the Lord in good works and brotherly love. -- #2179 Catechism of the Catholic Church

Advent Reflections

2011-11-22T09:24:00.000-08:00

A reflection on Advent from Blessed Pope John Paul II:

http://stm-fet-weekly-reflection.blogspot.com/2011/11/sunday-27-november-2011.html

Keep Christ in Christmas Campaign at my parish -- how about yours?

2011-11-21T11:58:00.000-08:00

My priest asked a committee that I am on to help with a campaign to Keep Christ in Christmas. Did you know that Christmas means "Christ Mass", or the Roman Catholic feast to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Christmas is very Catholic!

Check out these links to find all of our ideas to thank local businesses for acknowledging Christmas as a religious holiday:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Michael-Parish-Keep-Christ-in-Christmas-Campaign/160199327411336

http://stm-fet.blogspot.com/p/keep-christ-in-christmas.html

Did you know the United States Post Office is now selling a Madonna and Child postage stamp?

Will you say Grace before meals at family gatherings? Even the ones at restaurants?

If you spot a store selling "JESUS" chocolates from Russell Stover / Whitman's, will you thank the store manager personally?

Please comment on this posting if you have more ideas! Thanks!

Catholic Stuff You Should Know podcast

2011-11-11T18:05:00.000-08:00

Have a lot of fun and learn stuff!

The podcast, "Catholic Stuff You Should Know", was started a couple of years ago by Catholic seminarians in Colorado. One is now an ordained priest. One is now an ordained deacon. The other podcasters are current seminarians.

This podcast is great! Imagine learning right from young men who are studying Jesus Christ and Roman Catholic theology right now! They pick all kinds of different topics, and have a great banter back and forth to keep it light and fun.

Website: http://www.catholicstuffpodcast.com/Catholic_Stuff_You_Should_Know/Catholic_Stuff_Home.html

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-stuff-you-should/id412678859

Email these seminarians, deacons and priests your questions of faith: catholicstuffpodcast@gmail.com

Catholic Bible Study Resources

2011-11-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

I just added a new page to this blog with Catholic Bible Study Resources from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
http://debbiecatholic.blogspot.com/p/catholic-bible-study-resources.html

For those of you following who do not have time to get to the website, here are the links in brief:

New American Bible Revised Edition (text)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

Today's Readings for Mass (text):
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings

Daily Readings (audio):
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings-audio.cfm

Daily Reflection (video):
http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/

Mobile Gabriel (for smartphones and small electronics): http://www.mobilegabriel.com/

Compline: a free app for learning the Liturgy of the Hours, the night prayer

2011-10-30T12:02:00.001-07:00

The Roman Catholic Church has two great prayers to be said by the faithful: the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours. Until I went through the School for Pastoral Ministry at the Oakland Diocese, I had not heard of the Liturgy of the Hours. This is a prayer form you can do on your own, or with a group, or organize for your parish church.

This free app gives you the night prayer, "Compline", which is centuries old. Compline is the last prayer said at night, and reflects back over the day just past. The folks at DivineOffice.org give a full explanation on their website.

The Compline app has the prayers in writing and in audio, so you can pray the responses along with the readers. Nice way to learn if you are not familiar with these prayers.

Website for Divine Office: http://divineoffice.org/

Apple App Store page: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/night-prayer-compline-audio/id337995045?mt=8

Cost: Free

Where I Found It: iTunes

iPadre: App, Website, Podcast from Fr. Jay Finelli

2011-10-23T22:34:00.001-07:00

One of my all time favorite Catholic podcasts is “iPadre” by Father Jay Finelli.

He always begins his show with excellent Christian music. Then, Fr. Jay answers questions on the Roman Catholic faith from listeners, and addresses a timely topic of faith. Fr. Jay has done shows on the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Blessed Kateri (an Iroquois woman on her way to being the first Native American Saint), the Holiness of Marriage, interviews with nuns and seminarians to help us understand the call to vocations, and so on. Fr. Jay presents his material in a very understandable and pastoral manner. A great way to know your faith so you can grown in your faith.

The iPadre App is very nice and easy to use. (See screen captures below). I bought it through the iTunes App Store. The iPadre app makes it easy to listen to the podcast, and to send in feedback.

The iPadre podcast is free on iTunes

The App is $2. Here is the iTunes store page: http://j.mp/9J4dsJ#pdcst

Father Jay’s website is: http://www.ipadre.net/

Father Jay has a fan page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/18140513512/

New English Translation of the Roman Missal: Getting to Know Your Part

2011-10-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

At my prayer group this past week, we went through the people's parts of the Roman Missal, comparing the current wording with the new wording. We spent time pondering the meaning of the words, and the mysteries that God brings us in the Holy Eucharist. You can find all you need to know on the web:

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has a great website on the new English translation: http://old.usccb.org/romanmissal/

The comparison of the new and old wording of the laity's speaking parts is at: http://old.usccb.org/romanmissal/samples-people.shtml

I was raised Lutheran (and converted to the Roman Catholic Church about 15 years ago): the "new" text sounds familiar to me. The other women in my prayer group also found the "new" text to be very familiar from their Catholic childhood.

What thoughts does pondering the words of the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass bring to you?

Blessed John Paul II on the Dignity of Work

2011-10-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

"Awareness that man's work is a participation in God's activity ought to permeate even the most ordinary everyday activities. For, while providing the substance of life for themselves and their families, men and women are performing their activities in a way which appropriately benefits society. They can justly consider that by their labor they are unfolding the Creator's work, consulting the advantages of their brothers and sisters, and contributing by their personal industry to the realization in history of the divine plan."

-- Blessed John Paul II, Laborem Exercens (On Work)

Catholic Social Teaching Resources:

"The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers" is just one of the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching. Learn more from:

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (http://tinyurl.com/BishopsSocialTeaching) and
Pope Benedict XVI (http://tinyurl.com/CatholicSocialTeaching).

The image above is from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website, on the page "Transforming Our World: Our Catholic Faith in Action":
http://nccbuscc.org/campus/teaching-worker.shtml

Life and Dignity Sunday: If you're a voter, please sign up!

2011-09-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

Our Bishops are asking all Catholic voters to sign up with the Catholic Legislative Network.

The CLN sends out Action Alerts when legislation with moral implications is on the floor of the House, or the Senate, or a State Legislature. At such a time, we, the Catholic voters, need to contact our legislators immediately.

http://www.cacatholic.org/index.php/take-action/legislation/l-and-d-sunday.html

Recent pieces of legislation include the protection of the conscience rights of health care workers (i.e., to allow Catholic doctors and other healthcare workers to refuse to conduct abortions, euthansia, or physician-assisted suicide) and also to prevent the federal funding of abortions.

67 million Catholic voters can be heard --- but only if you sign up and act.

The Action Alerts are not onerous -- perhaps an email per month at most while the legislature is in session. The Action Alerts take less than 5 minutes -- a few clicks of the mouse and your letter is automatically sent to your own legislators. The CLN does not take a position on every single piece of legislation: just those with moral implications.

10th Anniversary Observance of 9/11 Attacks: San Francisco

2011-08-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco Interfaith Council is joining forces with Mayor Ed Lee's office and the San Francisco Opera to convene the 10th anniversary observance of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

This observance will be held in concert with the San Francisco Opera's annual Opera in the Park, scheduled for:

2:00 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011
Sharon Meadows,
Golden Gate Park,
San Francisco, California

For more information: http://www.sfinterfaithcouncil.org/10th_anniv_911.html

On Facebook, search for: 'San Francisco Interfaith Council' or go to (http://www.facebook.com/pages/San-Francisco-Interfaith-Council/120323438022137?sk=wall)

Please Contact Your US Senators to Support Respect for Rights of Conscience Act.

2011-08-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

You, the Catholic voter, are the only one who can make a difference: millions of Catholic voters do have a voice. Together we can defend all the Catholic doctors and nurses in America who must defend life directly in their day to day jobs. What to do? Write or phone your Congressperson.

The 2010 comprehensive health care reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), poses new risks to religious freedom and rights of conscience.

To correct these problems, Reps. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Dan Boren (D-OK) introduced the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (H.R. 1179). This measure will ensure that those who participate in the health care system "retain the right to provide, purchase, or enroll in health coverage that is consistent with their religious beliefs and moral convictions".

Please contact your U.S. Senators: (1) Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: 202-224-3121, or (2) send an e-mail through NCHLA's Action Center: http://www.nchla.org, or (3) find contact info at: www.senate.gov.

UPDATE: I just went to the NCHLA website, and found many current Action Alerts for legislation pending before the US Congress regarding protection for the unborn and protection of the conscience rights of health care workers. It only took me 5 minutes to send emails -- the form letter is all ready to go -- EASY!

Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, August 21, 2011

2011-08-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

In today's Gospel, St. Peter is given the keys of the Kingdom by Jesus Christ. In other words, St. Peter is made Prime Minister.

The Old Testament reading shows the ancient Hebrew practice of appointing a Prime Minister: giving the authority to open/shut, bind/loose.

Bible readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082111.cfm

Reflect more at this link: http://stm-fet.blogspot.com/p/adult-faith-formation-column_26.html#21aug11

A woman at my parish runs a weekly bulletin article with reflections on the Sunday Gospel taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, writings of Popes, and Saints.

God bless you all.

National Catholic Rural Life Conference reaches out to rural America

2011-08-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing. --Deuteronomy 10:18

Catholic Church Helps Rural America.
The National Catholic Rural Life Conference is dedicated to applying the teachings of Jesus Christ for the betterment of rural America. NCRLC is sponsored by Catholic dioceses across America. Their website has a wealth of information on food justice, the ethics of eating, and spiritual resources. Of especial note is their "Faith-Based Study Guide on Poverty and Hunger" to help us understand the facts, reflect and pray, and choose appropriate action. Learn more at: http://www.ncrlc.com

Hunger Damages Children and Adults.
Did you know? "Hunger is more than pangs in the stomach. Malnutrition and undernutrition lead to physical impairment; a person who hungers on a daily basis can no longer maintain natural bodily capacities. For children, this means impairment to growth and learning abilities. For women, hunger affects pregnancy and lactation; for men, physical work. For all people, the lack of food leads to various diseases and prevents the ability to recover quickly, if at all." (from "A Faith-Based Study Guide on Poverty and Hunger", NCRLC, www.ncrlc.com)

Rich and poor have a common bond: the LORD is the maker of them all. - Proverbs 22:2

Pope Speaks Out on Church's Responsibility for Creation.

2011-07-31T20:52:00.001-07:00

Here are some quotes form Pope Benedict XVI on care for creation:

"The Church has a responsibility towards creation and she must assert this responsibility in the public sphere." (Pope Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 2009, No. 51).

"In a word, concern for the environment calls for a broad global vision of the world; a responsible common effort to move beyond approaches based on selfish nationalistic interests towards a vision constantly open to the needs of all peoples." (Pope Benedict XVI, 2010 World Day of Peace Message, No. 11)

Read more Catholic teaching on the environment from the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, http://tinyurl.com/ClimateTeaching

Reflection on the Sunday Readings for July 31

2011-07-31T20:41:00.000-07:00

31 July 2011, Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Bible readings

Reflection

A woman at my parish does a weekly bulletin article with reflections on the Gospel of the week. Thought you would enjoy this!

Detroit Parish Takes to Heart Stewardship of God's Creation

2011-07-24T16:44:00.000-07:00

Nativity of our Lord Catholic Church in Detroit has taken the message of “being good stewards of the earth” seriously: inviting speakers to discuss reducing carbon footprints, holding sustainability workshops, reducing waste management costs by 50% through aggressive recycling, upgrading lights and windows, reducing water use, creating a parish garden, and composting yard waste for the local 4H community center.

Learn more at: http://tinyurl.com/Nativity-Stewardship

Catholic Social Teaching is a Treasure

2011-07-03T14:28:00.000-07:00

Rich and poor have a common bond: the LORD is the maker of them all. – Proverbs 22:2

Find an excellent summary of Catholic Social Teaching at the Catholic Climate Covenant website:
http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Climate-Change-and-Catholic-Social-Teaching.pdf

The Church’s social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of our society. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) outlines Seven Key Themes of Catholic Social Teaching:
(1) Life and Dignity of the Human Person,
(2) Call to Family, Community, and Participation,
(3) Rights and Responsibilities,
(4) Option for the Poor and Vulnerable,
(5) The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers,
(6) Solidarity,
(7) Care for God’s Creation.

“[W]e cannot interfere in one area of the ecosystem without paying due attention both to the consequences of such interference in other areas and to the well-being of future generations.” (Blessed Pope John Paul II, 1990 World Day of Peace Message, No. 6)

The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it. – Genesis 2:15

Catholic Bishops' Statements on Climate Change: Food for Thought

2011-06-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

Then God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground." --Genesis 1:26

The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change (www.catholicsandclimatechange.org) was launched in 2006 to help the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Catholic community address issues such as: What are the moral implications of climate change? Who is most impacted? What should the Catholic community do? Our bishops say: “We … call for a civil dialogue and prudent and constructive action to protect God’s precious gift of the earth’s atmosphere with a sense of genuine solidarity and justice for all God’s children.”

The Catholic Principles and Teachings applied to the issue of global climate change are (1) Prudence: thoughtful, deliberate, and reasoned action, (2) Poverty: concern for those least able to bear the burden, and (3) the Common Good: promotion of solidarity over self-interest. (www.catholicsandclimatechange.org)

Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence, and the Common Good is the title of a statement from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The statement begins: “As people of faith, we are convinced that ‘the earth is the Lord's and all it holds’ (Ps 24:1). Our Creator has given us the gift of creation: the air we breathe, the water that sustains life, the fruits of the land that nourish us, and the entire web of life without which human life cannot flourish. All of this God created and found ‘very good.’ We believe our response to global climate change should be a sign of our respect for God's creation.” Read the entire statement at: http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/globalclimate.shtml

The earth is the LORD'S and all it holds, the world and those who live there. – Psalm 24:1

First Fridays for Food Security

2011-06-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

US Bishops Challenge: First Fridays for Food Security.

On every first Friday for a year, eat meals that cost only as much as is allotted for a family of your size who would be on food stamps. You will probably discover a big gap between the actual cost of your normal meals and the budget available using food stamps. Your efforts may require a partial fast, and be a spiritual sacrifice. Participating in this First Friday fast can help you be open to the Holy Spirit and walk in solidarity with all those for whom access to adequate, nutritious food is difficult. Learn the details on Facebook (First Fridays for Food Security) or http://usccb.org/sdwp/Fasting-Resource-Intro-May-6.pdf

Why Do Catholics Fast?
“Voluntary fasting from food creates in us a greater openness to God's Spirit and deepens our compassion for those who are forced to go without food. The discomfort brought about by fasting unites us to the sufferings of Christ. Fasting should bring to mind the sufferings of all those for whom Christ suffered.” -- United States Catholic Bishops, Penitential Practices for Today’s Catholics, 2000

US Bishops new Facebook page for Justice for Immigrants Campaign

2011-05-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Follow “Justice for Immigrants Campaign” on Facebook and keep updated on the latest developments with the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ campaign for comprehensive immigration reform.

http://www.facebook.com/JusticeForImmigrants

Website with reflections on the Sunday readings

2011-04-24T15:12:00.000-07:00

My parish publishes a weekly reflection on the Sunday readings. The reflection is drawn from the Catechism, writings of Saints, papal encyclicals, and prayers of the Saints. It is so good, that I am putting it on the web.

http://stm-fet.blogspot.com/p/adult-faith-formation-column.html

Divine Mercy Sunday, May 1: Get Yourself Some Big Time Grace

2011-04-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

http://www.divinemercysunday.com/packet.htm

Here is the best link I have found with practical steps for observing Divine Mercy Sunday.

The take home point is that you can receive a huge outpouring of grace by going to Confession, receiving the Eucharist, doing some simple praying -- that's it!

I did this last year, and it was a really beautiful way to enter into the Easter Season.

God's blessings to you all!

One Million Rosaries for Unborn Babies: May 6-8

2011-04-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here is the website: http://www.saintmichaelthearchangelorganization.org/

A multinational effor is underway to get a least 1,000,000 rosaries said for unborn babies!

Please pray a rosary May 6-8 for unborn babies.

Bishops’ Website Honors Legacy of Pope John Paul II

2011-04-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

Memorial video captures key moments, messages during U.S. visits

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has launched a new website to honor the legacy of the late Pope John Paul II.

The site (www.usccb.org/popejohnpaulii/) features a 17-minute “John Paul II Memorial Video,” which recaptures touching moments and key messages during the late pope’s visits to the United States. Other contents on the site include a biography and a timeline, as well as major writings, backgrounders, canonizations and beatifications, and more.

Several essays by USCCB experts also explore Pope John Paul’s influence and legacy in areas as diverse as East-West relations, his interaction with mass media, ethical use of technology, or the social mission of the Church. New says will be posted leading up to his beatification.

“Pope John Paul II touched the lives of many people across the globe, in particular Americans during his seven visits to the United States.

Source: Vatican website, “Pontifical Council for Social Communications”, http://www.pccs.va/

Catholic Twitter Feeds

2011-04-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

Pope Calls for Christian Presence on Social Networking Sites: Facebook, MySpace and Twitter should be used by Christians looking to bring "truth, proclamation and authenticity of life" to the web today, the Pope said in his message for the 45th World Day of Social Communications. If technologies are used with wisdom, the Pope explained, "they can contribute to the satisfaction of the desire for meaning, truth and unity which remain the most profound aspirations of each human being."

Here are just a few of the excellent Christian Twitter feeds that I have found. Join today and start adding your own contribution of “meaning, truth and unity”.

CatholicNewsSvc: The daily news service of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

CatholicPriest: Catholic priest in the Society of St. Paul who tweets on scripture, liturgy, prayer, pop culture, morality, vocations to priesthood, religious life and marriage.

CatholicDadsHQ: Faith formation is job #1 with content to enrich the lives of Catholic dads, their families and communities.

RightToLifeCA: News from the group, “Right to Life of Central California”, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to restoring societal respect and effective legal protection for all human beings from conception to natural death.

BenedictineSis: News from the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, including information on saints, books, prayer, Bible quotes, and daily activities in their monasteries.

CatholicClimate: News from the Catholic Climate Covenant with quotes from papal statements, prayers, practical actions that families can take to “Care for Creation, Care for the Poor”

dspost: (http://twitter.com/dspost)

I use Twitter as a mini-blog, repeating the articles shown here on the Home tab on this blog

Our Bishops Need You Voters to Email, Write, Phone Your Representatives

2011-04-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

Cardinal Roger Mahony,
Archbishop of Los Angeles

The California Catholic Conference is the staff office of the California Catholic Conference of Bishops. It is the official voice of the Catholic community in California's public policy arena. On a regular basis, our bishops need you, the Catholic voter, to contact your representatives. The bishops’ website has form letters ready to go: a few clicks of a mouse and you’re done in 5 minutes.

As of this writing, the action alerts are
(1) Raise a voice for life and dignity in California,
(2) Support conscience protection for health care providers,
(3) Protect the poor and vulnerable in the federal budget,
(4) HR 3 No Tax Payer Funding of Abortion Act,
(5) Protect Life in the New Health Care Reform Law.

To find action alerts, click here: http://capwiz.com/cacatholic/home/

I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. -- Psalm 140:12

Going to the Movies? Check Out Christian Movie Reviews!

2011-04-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

Before heading out to the movies, why not read a review from a Christian perspective? If you have older children and teens, why not have a discussion about why, or why not, you choose to view a particular movie? After viewing a movie, why not have a family discussion about moral values? Become an informed, thinking consumer of entertainment!

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Office for Film and Broadcasting

www.usccb.org/movies

Check out the reviews for current movies, those new on DVD/Video, upcoming TV, and even the Vatican's Top 45 List! The reviews clearly explain the ratings so that you understand any potential issues with a particular movie.

Catholic Christian Movie Reviews

www.americancatholic.org/movies

Catholic Movie Reviews offers Christian movie reviews and news with a Catholic perspective from St. Anthony Messenger magazine, Every Day Catholic and Catholic News Service. The reviews link to the USCCB rating, and also show the Motion Picture Association of America rating.

Decent Films Guide

www.decentfilms.com

A site of film appreciation, information, and criticism informed by Christian faith. This site evaluates films for overall quality, artistic-entertainment value, moral-spiritual value, and age-appropriateness.

Message of Pope for Lent: Fast from Consumption

2011-04-03T17:08:00.000-07:00

In his 2011 Message for Lent, Pope Benedict XVI addressed the issue of consumption as one which prevents us from fully living the Christian life:

“The idolatry of goods, on the other hand, not only causes us to drift away from others, but divests man, making him unhappy, deceiving him, deluding him without fulfilling its promises, since it puts materialistic goods in the place of God, the only source of life.”

Read the entire message on the Vatican website: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/lent/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20101104_lent-2011_en.html

The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) now in publication!

2011-03-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

New American Bible, Revised Edition

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has now released the revised edition of the Bible we use during Mass in the United States.

Check out the Bishops' website: http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/nabre.shtml

Platoons of theologians and scholars have been working on this for many, many years. I am looking forward to getting a copy!

Publishers will start coming out with editions in June, and the USCCB online version of the Bible will be updated -- they are working on it.

For Lent, here is an online version of the Seven Penitential Psalms and Songs of the Suffering Servant from Isaiah:

http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/seven-psalms-songs.shtml

For more previews of the new text, visit: http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/text-changes.shtml

Operation Rice Bowl is a great way to observe Lent for whole family

2011-03-20T13:09:00.000-07:00

Each Lent, nearly 13,000 faith communities across the U.S. participate in Operation Rice Bowl to demonstrate solidarity with the poor around the world.

Sponsored by Catholic Relief Services, 75 percent of Operation Rice Bowl donations go to help fund increased food security around the world. Twenty-five percent support hunger and poverty alleviation in the USA.

At the Operation Rice Bowl website (http://orb.crs.org), you can find a calendar of daily activities, prayers, reflections, stories from people around the world, and tasty recipes from many countries.

Operation Rice Bowl Prayer

We lift our prayers to you, God of Love, on behalf of our brothers and sisters in need. As we learn about their struggles, our almsgiving comes to their aid; our fasting unites us in their hunger. You call us to be disciples for all nations. Bless us this Lenten season. Amen.

Write Your Congressperson to Support Pro-Life Legislation

2011-03-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

As of this writing, three pro-life bills were active in the U.S. House of Representatives:

HR 3, the No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act,
HR 358, the Protect Life Act, and
HR 361, the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act of 2011.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops needs you, the voter, to contact your Congressperson to urge them to support Pro-Life legislation.

This will take approximate five minutes of your time at: http://www.cacatholic.org (click on “Current Alerts” at the right side).

The Church has limited influence on legislators; however, you have a tremendous influence on your representative as one of their constituents.

To read more about these three bills, go to: http://www.cacatholic.org/index.php/topics/pro-life.html

Great Catholic Facebook Pages

2011-02-27T11:54:00.000-08:00

Pope Calls for Christian Presence on Social Networks:

Catholics Invade Facebook!

“I would like then to invite Christians, confidently and with an informed and responsible creativity, to join the network of relationships which the digital era has made possible . . . In this field too we are called to proclaim our faith that Christ is God, the Savior of humanity and of history, the one in whom all things find their fulfillment (cf. Eph 1:10).” -- From the Vatican, 24 January 2011, “Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age”, Feast of Saint Francis de Sales, http://www.pccs.va

are just a few Catholic social networking sites you can participate in and share with your friends. These are all on Facebook; if a person or group has a webpage, that is listed, too:

Walk for Life West Coast -- Official Group Page (http://www.walkforlifewc.com). Join the growing numbers of Catholics and people of good will speaking out for life.

Busted Halo Show (http://www.bustedhalo.com). Sirius XM Radio show and podcasts answering questions of faith and being Catholic today.

Lino at Large (http://catholicguy.com). Zany, fun Catholic comedy show with host, Lino Rulli.

SQPN (http://sqpn.com). Dozens of podcasts for Catholics young and old with a vigorous online community.

Catholic: Under the Hood ... The Fanclub! (http://catholicunderthehood.com). Priest and professor of history tells you everything you need to know about Catholic history.

Perpetual Divine Mercy Marathon. Join with others to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet year-round.

iPadre Catholic Podcast (http://www.ipadre.net). Father Jay Finelli answers your questions of faith with great compassion; has terrific music on podcast, too.

August 15, 2011 Worldwide Consecration to Jesus Through Mary. Join with others who are consecrating themselves and the world to Jesus through Mary.

Thy Daily Bread Forum (http://thydailybreadforum.proboards.com). Daily readings and prayers for spiritual nourishment every day.

Catholic News Service (http://www.catholicnews.com). World and national news from the US Bishops news service.

Debbie Post (facebook.com/Debbie.Jane.Post; http://debbiecatholic.blogspot.com). Friend me on Facebook to see how I am trying to have a Catholic presence.

Great Catholic Twitter Feeds

2011-02-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

Twitter Goes Catholic:
Pope Calls for Christian Presence on Social Networking Sites

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-calls-for-christian-presence-on-social-networking-sites/

Facebook, MySpace and Twitter should be used by Christians looking to bring "truth, proclamation and authenticity of life" to the web today, the Pope said in his message for the 45th World Day of Social Communications. If technologies are used with wisdom, the Pope explained, "they can contribute to the satisfaction of the desire for meaning, truth and unity which remain the most profound aspirations of each human being."

I have used Twitter to share Catholic content, and currently follows 34 feeds on Twitter, and am followed by 61. Here are just a few of the excellent Christian Twitter feeds that I have found. Join today and start adding your own contribution of “meaning, truth and unity”.

CatholicNewsSvc: The daily news service of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

CatholicPriest: Catholic priest in the Society of St. Paul who tweets on scripture, liturgy, prayer, pop culture, morality, vocations to priesthood, religious life and marriage.

CatholicDadsHQ: Faith formation is job #1 with content to enrich the lives of Catholic dads, their families and communities.

RightToLifeCA: News from the group, “Right to Life of Central California”, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to restoring societal respect and effective legal protection for all human beings from conception to natural death.

BenedictineSis: News from the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, including information on saints, books, prayer, Bible quotes, and daily activities in their monasteries.

CatholicClimate: News from the Catholic Climate Covenant with quotes from papal statements, prayers, practical actions that families can take to “Care for Creation, Care for the Poor”

dspost: I use Twitter to repeat the content that I post here, kind of a "micro-blog" companion to this blog (http://twitter.com/dspost)

Catholic Youth Advocacy Day, Sacramento, March 22

2011-02-20T10:44:00.000-08:00

Come to a gathering of young people of faith raising their voices in “sincere dialogue and with anxious interest seeking the common good.”

The California Catholic Conference (CCC) invites Catholic youth from all over California who are interested in exercising their “faithful citizenship” in their state’s Capitol. The CCC welcomes all who are interested in meeting with elected officials to speak on behalf of those who are poor, vulnerable or voiceless.

This one-day event will include a Mass celebrated at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, information sessions, visits with legislators and a time to debrief with fellow students.

To register, visit: http://www.cacatholic.org, or contact Linda Wanner, 916-313-4017, lwanner@cacatholic.org

The full flyer is at: http://www.cacatholic.org/images/stories/pdfs/Youth-advocacy.pdf

If you live in a different state, check with the Catholic Conference of your own state bishops -- they should have an advocacy day at your state's capital.

Dress a Girl Around the World

2011-02-20T09:12:00.001-08:00

A friend at church gave me an article about this charming charity, "Dress a Girl Around the World": http://www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.org/

Think of a world where every little girl has one pretty dress, instead of rags, to wear.

Being well dressed is important: girls are at risk from human traffickers.

If you like to sew, their website has dress patterns.

If you have spare pillowcases, box them up and send them to: Judy Conley, 311 Wyndale Rd., Rochester, NY 14617.

$25 Microloans Fight Poverty & Change Lives

2011-02-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

I have been investing in small business women for several years now. Today, many loans had been repaid, so I turned the money around and re-lent it to others.

Meet the Kayonza Twimuke Group of Kyenjojo, Uganda. One of their members, Anna, needs a microloan to buy beans for resale. The Group has eleven members and all work together to guarantee the loan will be repaid. Anna is a farmer and has been in business for the last four years. Her desires include educating her children and building a permanent house.

Join me and a world-wide community dedicated to combating poverty on http://www.kiva.org

Kiva allows you to make small loans to entrepreneurs on five continents, leveraging just $25 to change a life.

Microloans allow people to help themselves; microloans are not a hand out, but a hand up -- I am a business partner with these people, and they are hard working.

"Marriage: Unique for a Reason" says Catholic Bishops

2011-01-30T15:41:00.000-08:00

My own bishop, Salvatore Cordileone of Oakland, was recently appointed the new chairman of the American Catholic bishops' Defense of Marriage Committee.

The Committee's campaign is titled, “Marriage: Unique for a Reason”.

The Committee's website is full of information, brochures, videos": www.marriageuniqueforareason.org

The picture at right is a mosaic of the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joachim and St. Anne. How sweet!

“Marriage and the family are the essential coordinates for society. How well we as a society protect and promote marriage and the family is the measure of how well we stand for the inviolable dignity and good of every individual in our society, without exception. The consequences for our future—especially that of our nation’s children—cannot be greater and must not be ignored,” said Bishop Cordileone.

Homeboy Industries Turns Lives Around

2011-01-30T15:35:00.000-08:00

He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. -- Psalm 72:14

Recently, Fr. Gregory Boyle spoke to parishes around the San Francisco Bay Area about Homeboy Industries, a ministry that provides jobs and training for ex-prison inmates.

This is an excellent example of the importance of intervening in the lives prisoners, so they go on to become productive members of society; we need to break the downward spiral into poverty and crime.

Learn more at: http://www.homeboy-industries.org, 323-526-1254, gboylesj@aol.com.

Catholic Bishops Announces National Migration Week, January 2-8, 2011

2010-12-23T12:51:00.000-08:00

Migration and Refugee Services of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has announced "Renewing Hope, Seeking Justice" as the theme for National Migration Week celebrated the first week of January (2-8, 2011).

Learn more at their website: http://www.usccb.org/mrs/nmw/index.shtml

They have a spiritual Rosary for world unity, brochures, and bulletin inserts for parishes.

When I went through the "JustFaith" program a few years ago, I learned that the vast majority of migrants would have preferred to remain home, just like you or I. Only really tough conditions can drive people out of their homes, e.g. devastatingly bad economy, political oppression (real torture and death), environmental catastrophe.

My own great, great grandparents on all sides of my family are migrants to America. They came from England, Scotland, France and Germany. Many were fleeing the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars. What about your family?

The Catholic Social Teaching of "Solidarity" talks about us being responsible for one another globally: "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.”1 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. "

Children's Book Review: "Care for Creation" by Christy Baldwin

2010-12-22T12:44:00.000-08:00

I was recently given the opportunity to review this new children's book, "Care for Creation" by Christy Baldwin from Tribute Books. http://www.tribute-books.com/careforcreation/index.html

This is a delightful book that clearly explains how caring for God's creation is our job as Christians. Each page has a clear description about some aspect of caring for the environment, a Bible verse, and an illustration of children caring for creation. The book gives practical suggestions that families and children can do, e.g. use less water, clean up a local park, recycle.

My guess is that this book is for about age 8-12, but can benefit younger and older. Parents, I'll leave it to you. This book would also work well for children's "Sunday School" or faith formation classes -- it has activities and discussion questions at the end.

The Bible verses come from a paraphrase translation called "The Message" described on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Message_%28Bible%29) or you can google "The Message Bible Paraphrase". This idiomatic paraphrase should be very easy for children to understand, but you may also want to look up the verses in the New American Bible translation (used at Masses in the USA) to compare.

To learn more about Catholic Social Teaching and specifically Caring for God's Creation, see the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: scroll down -- caring for creation is the seventh theme of Catholic Social Teaching.

Care for God's Creation: Recycle Your Christmas Tree

2010-12-12T09:28:00.000-08:00

You and your family can practice the Catholic Social Teaching of caring for God’s creation by recycling your Christmas tree. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, between 25 and 30 million fresh-cut Christmas trees are sold in the United States every year. Christmas tree recycling helps return a renewable resource back to the environment.

For Christmas tree recycling in your city, enter your zipcode into the Earth 911 website: http://earth911.com/recycling/garden/christmas-trees

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's summarizes the Catholic Social Teaching of "Care for God’s Creation": "We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored."

"Religious Freedom: The Path to Peace” is Pope’s Theme for World Day of Peace, January 1, 2011

2010-12-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

I found this on the Vatican Radio website and the Vatican website: "In many parts of the world there exist various forms of restrictions or denials of religious freedom, from discrimination and marginalization based on religion, to acts of violence against religious minorities. Religious freedom is rooted in the equal and inherent dignity of man, it is oriented toward the search for unchangeable truth, and thus can rightly be presented as the freedom of freedoms."

See the Vatican website for the full text of the Pope’s message to be posted soon (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace/index_en.htm).

How to Shop for Fair Trade Crafts, Coffee, Tea, Chocolate

2010-11-10T07:37:00.000-08:00

To buy fairly traded coffee, tea or chocolate, next time you go to the grocery store (Safeway, Nob Hill, Lucky, Albertson's, etc.) or Target or CostCo, just look for these logos clearly displayed on the front of the package:

Fair Trade Certified

Fair Trade Federation

Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade

Rainforest Alliance Certified

Whole Trade Guarantee

To shop for Christmas gift items, phone Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade at 1-800-685-7572 for a free catalog, or online and click “Products” at: http://www.crsfairtrade.org

Your purchases really do help the artisans and farmers make a living wage. I have found the crafts to be beautiful and at about half the price for similar items at, say, Pier 1 Imports or a department store. The coffee and tea are the same price and quality as other products from the particular brand, e.g. Yuban, Seattle's Best Coffee, Peet's, Stash, Numi, etc. Do not compromise quality or price to buy fairly traded items.

Feel good about what you buy. Help someone help themselves up and out of poverty. Buy fairly traded goods.

Faithful Citizenship: Voting is a Catholic Duty

2010-10-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

“Every person has a fundamental right to life,” say the U.S. Bishops, “the right that makes all other rights possible. Each person also has a right to the conditions for living a decent life—faith and family life, food and shelter, education and employment, health care and housing. We also have a duty to secure and respect these rights not only for ourselves, but for others, and to fulfill our responsibilities to our families, to each other, and to the larger society.” --excerpt from Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, 2003 (http://www.nccbuscc.org/faithfulcitizenship/faithfulcitizenship03.pdf)

I found the above quote from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website that is dedicated to our role as United States citizens of faith called Faithful Citizenship: http://www.faithfulcitizenship.org/

When filling out my absentee ballot today, I used the California Catholic Conference website to learn what the California bishops had to say about the nine propositions coming up on Nov 2nd. You may find this helpful, too: http://www.cacatholic.org/index.php/take-action/election.html

California Bishops Name November as Restorative Justice Month

2010-10-24T16:19:00.000-07:00

Starting with their 2000 pastoral letter “Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice,” U.S. bishops have advocated for a more humane approach called “Restorative Justice” to repair the harm caused by criminal behavior to the extent possible. The growing social justice movement encourages victims, offenders and their impacted communities to fully participate in the healing process through victim/offender dialogue, restitution, victim and ex-offender assistance, sentencing circles and community service.

Learn more at the website of the California Bishops:
http://www.cacatholic.org/index.php/topics/restorativejustice/896-rj-month.html

RestoreJustice.com is an outreach of the California Catholic Conference offering healing and support to everyone affected by the criminal justice system throughout the U.S. The purpose of RestoreJustice.com is to offer a place of compassion and assistance, resources and services and educational information for anyone who is affected by crime - victims of crime, offenders and their families, corrections staff, chaplains, criminal justice system employees and management, and advocates for restorative justice.

Learn more at: http://restorejustice.com

PG&E has many ways to save energy starting at home

2010-10-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), my local utility, has a great website with all kinds of ways you can save energy at home, reducing your own carbon footprint. Ideas include buying Energy Star appliances, using CFC light bulbs, keeping your house a little warmer in summer and cooler in winter, set your water heater a bit cooler and so on. All of these are realistic, feasible and add up to measurable savings.

Learn more at: http://www.pge.com/myhome/saveenergymoney/savingstips/

What has PG&E to do with faith? "Care for God’s Creation" is a theme of Catholic Social Teaching.

Even the Vatican is going green. With the installation of solar panels on the roof of the Paul VI Audience Hall, the Vatican began selling power back to the Roman electric grid in November 2008.

Concern for the environment is one of the newer dimensions of Catholic social teaching, paralleling the growing awareness in society as a whole. Prior to the industrial revolution, human impact on the environment was limited and localized. With the growth of economies, the use of fossil fuels, and the demand for consumer goods, the amount of natural resources people pulled from the planet rose substantially.

So . . . it's a Catholic thing to care for God's Creation.

Register to Vote before October 18th for the November 2nd General Election

2010-10-03T13:19:00.000-07:00

Have you recently moved? Turned 18? Recently become a US Citizen? If so, you need to register to vote before October 18th for the next General Election.

Voter Registration forms are generally available at public libraries and city halls. Register online at the League of Women Voters website (http://www.vote411.org).

At my parish, my Social Concerns Ministry has put a reminder in the bulletin, and will put voter registration forms in the vestibule.

The California Catholic Bishops provide information on current legislation on their website (http://www.cacatholic.org).

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ask Catholics to become informed and vote using their conscience and judgment. The Catholic Church never tells people how to vote; the Catholic Church does point out moral issues with respect to legislation. See their Faithful Citizenship website for more information: http://www.faithfulcitizenship.org/

"In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation." – United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship”, No. 13

Fair Trade Gifts for the Holidays

2010-09-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

At my parish, we have just ordered a consignment of Fair Trade craft items from Catholic Relief Services. My Social Concerns Committee will hold a craft sale at the end of October so people can do some Christmas shopping with a conscience. We are not doing this to raise money, but rather, to raise awareness of Fair Trade crafts, coffee and chocolate.

The sale will literally help the artisans help themselves up and out of poverty, and with dignity.

As American consumers, we can use our purchases to help people who are poor around the world lift themselves, their families, and their communities up and out of poverty. I think the key is that Catholic Relief Services is on the ground in communities around the world, helping people learn better farming methods, gain money management skills, establish schools, etc. CRS eliminates the middle man, bringing gifts, chocolate, coffee, etc., direct from the artisans and farmers to us, the consumer, and guaranteeing that the artisans and farmers get a living wage.

I have personally bought Fair Trade gifts for all of my out-of-town relatives for four years now, and everyone is very happy with the quality. The Divine Chocolate is wonderful (and the women of my family are connoisseurs). Fair Trade coffee and teas are available in stores all around my town (Target, Safeway, Trader Joe's, Peet's Coffee & Tea, etc).

The Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade website explains it all very well: http://www.crsfairtrade.org/

If you want to hold a gift, chocolate or coffee sale yourself, it is very, very easy. The CRS website has step-by-step instructions with beautiful flyers and posters to help you promote your sale.

If you want to do some Christmas shopping for yourself, you can buy products online at the CRS Fair Trade website.

Pope and Patriarch Urge Preservation of Planet for Future Generations

2010-09-10T07:47:00.000-07:00

I put this article in my parish's bulletin to underscore how deeply concerned the Vatican is regarding the environment and the poorest among us. Those without resources are always hit hardest by environmental problems.

Pope Benedict urged all people to remember the duty we have today to safeguard the future for generations to come. Speaking in support of the Day for Safeguarding Creation (a tradition in Italy and in the Greek Orthodox Church), the Holy Father said, “There can be no peace in the world without respecting the environment.” Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople echoed these sentiments, calling efforts to address the environmental crisis, “This titanic and just fight.”

Read more at the Catholic News Service website for August 30th: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1003496.htm

Here is the Vatican website with the Pope's full address:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20090826_en.html

Catholic News Service: Bringing Catholic News from USA and World to You

2010-09-06T13:36:00.001-07:00

You probably already know this, but today I finally understood what the "Catholic News Service" (CNS) is all about.

This agency was founded in 1920 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, yet is financially self sustaining, and editorially independent. Their mission is to bring the good, the bad and ugly to us regarding the Catholic world -- great! You can subscribe to their RSS feed, and they also are probably providing much of the news coverage you hear on your local Catholic radio stations. What a terrific organization!

CNS homepage: http://www.catholicnews.com/

Here's what CNS says about itself:

The mission of Catholic News Service is the mission of the Church itself -- to spread the Gospel through contemporary means of communication. Our mission is to perform this task by reporting the news which affects Catholics in their everyday lives.

Some of that news is good and some is bad, but it is what readers need to know in order to work for salvation. They need to know that there are saints in the making in the Church today and they need to know that there are sinners too.

Our mission is to report fully, fairly and freely about the involvement of the Church in the world today.

International Day of Peace, September 21

2010-09-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

Many activities are happening around the country and the world for the International Day of Peace.

This is a day that the whole family can get involved in. For example, observe one minute of silence at noon on September 21st. Hold a city-wide prayer meeting for all faiths, all ethnic groups. Make peace in your own relationships.

For more information, visit: http://internationaldayofpeace.org/

To find an event near you, visit: http://internationaldayofpeace.org/participate/find_an_event.html

Catholic iTunes Apps on My iPod Touch

2010-08-14T13:42:00.001-07:00

Here is a list of the Catholic apps that I currently have on my new iPod Touch. I found all of these through the iTunes Apps store by searching on the word "Catholic". These are all free. I believe they are all faithful to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church; they certainly enrich my faith journey! The titles listed below match the titles in iTunes.

Catholic Bible: Yes, the entire Bible!

Catholic Mass Times Church Directory: Awesome! Easily shows the Catholic churches closest to my location with a link to addresses, maps and Mass times.

Divine Mercy Guide: Steps me through the Divine Mercy chaplet, etc.

Evangelizo -- Daily Gospel: Terrific! Automatically loads the Mass readings for the day, and has other prayers for the season.

The Holy Rosary: Nice aid to prayer.

iCatholicRadio - The Station of the Cross: Indispensable! Easy access to 101.7 FM (Buffalo): livestream their radio broadcasts and get their podcasts, etc.

The Lord's Prayer: Meditative music to listen to while contemplating the prayer that Jesus taught us.

Night Prayer, Compline -- FREE Audio Liturgy of the Hours by DivineOffice.org: Automatically downloads the Liturgy of the Hours for the day, the night prayer.

Rosary - Mysteries of the Holy Rosary: Nice prayer aid.

iBooks (this is general app for reading any book, but I downloaded from the Gutenberg Project an ePub format file of Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica)

Upon googling Evangelizo to get the art for this blog post, I see that Evangelizo is also available for the Android, and that is probably true for others.

Free Catholic Apps on iTunes!

2010-08-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

I got an iPod Touch for my birthday! Yippee!

I immediately loaded it up with all of the free, wonderful Catholic Apps on the iTunes Store!

I now have the entire Bible, St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica, Rosary prayers, Divine Office, etc.

The Station of the Cross (101.7 FM Buffalo) App gives a livestream of their radio station -- Mother Angelica of EWTN fame was on when I fired up the App. Also has easy access to their podcasts (as reviewed earlier in this blog).

In iTunes in the App Store, search on "Catholic".

Podcast Review: "Divine Mercy in My Soul"

2010-08-05T05:47:00.000-07:00

Awesome podcast! I have prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet. This past Easter season, I prayed the Divine Mercy Novena and observed Divine Mercy Sunday. I have heard a little bit about the life of St. Faustina.

But until now, I have never studied her writings.

This podcast is by a priest and a layman who are very knowledgeable about the Diary of St. Faustina. Here is your chance to deeply understand the writings, prayers and blessings of St. Faustina, and the great message of His Divine Mercy that Jesus Christ communicated to the world through her.

Great way to learn and grow in your faith! Thanks, Station of the Cross in Buffalo, New York!

http://www.wlof.net/programming/podcasts/

The Station of the Cross
101.7 FM Buffalo, New York
"Proclaiming the fullness of Truth with clarity and charity."

Podcast Review: "The Station of the Cross: Various Talks"

2010-07-08T06:48:00.000-07:00

"The Station of the Cross", 101.7 FM Buffalo, New York, USA, is a Catholic radio station. They put some of their programming out on the Internet as podcasts.

I have listened to a couple of episodes of the podcast "The Station of the Cross: Various Talks" and highly recommend it.

The talks range from inspiring lectures on the faith by priests and theologians to recordings of call-in question and answer live radio shows. The episode with Father Corapi (of EWTN renown) was terrific.

The speakers are all very faithful to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, and extremely good public speakers. It looks like most of them are priests. This podcast is a great way for adults to learn and grow in their faith.

iTunes Name: "Various Talks"

Website: http://www.wlof.net/programming/podcasts/

Podcast Review: "Calling All Catholics"

2010-07-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

I have listened to three episodes of the Catholic podcast, "Calling All Catholics", and I really like it!

"Calling All Catholics" is the podcast version of a Catholic radio call-in talk show. The host is a Roman Catholic priest who answers questions of faith, prays for people, and discusses Catholic doctrine in an easy to understand and friendly way. A very enjoyable podcast for learning about our faith and its challenges in 21st Century America; I also appreciated the opportunity to pray for people with troubles.

iTunes name: "Calling All Catholics"

Website: http://www.wlof.net/grid/all-shows-list/calling-all-catholics.html

From the radio station: "Station of the Cross", 101.7 FM, Buffalo, New York, USA, http://www.wlof.net/index.php

The Catholic Climate Covenant is Champion for the Poor

2010-06-27T19:50:00.001-07:00

The Catholic Climate Covenant is really cool.

http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops fully supports this group who is advocating for people in poverty -- these people would otherwise have no voice in the climate change debate. Also, the poorest among us will be hit the hardest by climate change.

Their website gives great tips on how we can each reduce our own impact, e.g. eat one less meat meal a week, use cloth shopping bags, etc. Their website also has news on current topics, e.g. what are Catholics doing to help the oil spill in the Gulf?

Catholic Climate Covenant is on Twitter (ClimateCovenant), Facebook (Catholic Climate Covenant) and MySpace (Catholic Climate Covenant), too!

iCatholicRadio -- The Station of the Cross!

2010-06-23T21:22:00.000-07:00

iCatholicRadio is a mobile service of The Station of the Cross, a not-for-profit Catholic Radio Network that exists in order to effectively evangelize through radio programming.

http://www.icatholicradio.com/index.php

We strive to proclaim
the Truth revealed in the person of Jesus Christ,
handed on by the power of the Holy Spirit,
through the Magisterium of the Catholic Church,
for the past 2,000 years,
and now laid out for us in the Catechism.

I just learned about this today, and at a glance, it looks faithful and informative. They are starting a drive to consecrate the world to Jesus through Mary! Praise God!

Looks like they have three podcasts in iTunes:

Calling All Catholics
Divine Mercy in My Soul
The Station of the Cross: Various Talks

I plan to download these and try them out. If you listen and can recommend them (or not), let me know!

Catholic Church Has a Patron Saint for the Unemployed

2010-06-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

Patron Saint of the Unemployed

One of my relatives is out of a job just now, so I googled the patron saint of the unemployed and those seeking employment.

Saint Cajetan is our friend for employment troubles.

SQPN has a good website on this (and other) saints at: http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-cajetan/

Saint Cajetan is also known by other names, e.g. Gaetano.

Why pray to a saint? Saints are currently in heaven and can present our prayers before the Throne of God. Ask them to pray for you, just as you would any friend or family member. They are fully within the will of God, and all grace and power they may have come from Him.

The Communion of Saints as stated in the Nicene Creed consists of the Church Militant (all of us here on Earth), the Church Suffering (those getting purified for heaven in purgatory), and the Church Triumphant (everyone in heaven).

Dear Saint Cajetan, please pray for all who are struggling to find a job that is good for them and their families. Amen.

Why Should a Catholic Care for Creation?

2010-06-14T20:36:00.000-07:00

Here's some food for thought that I just submitted as an article to my parish bulletin. I like the blending of care for God's creation with care for God's children in the Pope's encyclical.

Scripture: The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it. – Genesis 2:15

Pope Benedict: The environment is God's gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole. -- Caritas in Veritate #48, Pope Benedict XVI

Top Ten Reasons to Care for Creation:
1. God is the Creator of the Universe and maintains its existence through an ongoing creative will.

2. God has blessed and called "very good" all that is created.

3. God's plan for Creation is one of harmony and order. Creation forms a whole, a cosmos.

4. God loves the community of life.

5. God's creatures share a common home.

6. God's presence is discernable in all Creation.

7. God intends the Earth's goods to be equitably shared.

8. Within Creation, the human person enjoys a consummate dignity. Inherent to this dignity is that of exercising a wise and just stewardship over the rest of Creation.

9. Sin brought division into the entire world, but not only within and between human persons. The consequences of sin also affect the Earth.

10. In a mysterious way, Christ's redemptive mission extends to all of Creation.

-- from the Catholic Conservation Center, http://conservation.catholic.org/