Opportunities to live out your faith in action.
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Office for Social Concerns
Catholic Diocese of Columbus
I
nformation and Response NETWORK
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Latest Updates
Office for Social Concerns
Opportunities to live out your faith in action.
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Prayers and Support
for Farmers and Rural Families
Due to historic wet weather and flooding, many rural families in Ohio are concerned about their homes, crops, and livestock. Please keep these families in your prayers. Catholic Rural Life has prayers and other resources,
CLICK HERE
.
If you are affected by the recent flooding wherever you live and need assistance, contact Erin Cordle of the diocesan Office for Social Concerns at 614-241-2540 or
socmailbox@columbuscatholic.org
.
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Upcoming Events
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Walking with the Saints: A Day with Bishop Joseph N. Perry will be on Saturday, August 3, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Catholic Ethnic Ministries invites you to join His Excellency, The Most Rev. Joseph N. Perry, auxiliary bishop of Chicago, to discuss five America causes for canonization: Fr. Augustus Tolton, Mother Mary Lange, OSP, Sr. Thea Bowman, FSPA, Ven. Pierre Toussaint, Mother Ven. Henriette DeLille, SHF, and Julia Greely, OSF. Let all rejoice when they hear we have members of the Church in America on the road to Sainthood! ALL ARE WELCOME. Sponsored by Catholic Ethnic Ministries. To register,
CLICK HERE.
Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
Sunday, September 1, 2019
As a Church we are called to spend time in prayer for the care of creation and to act as good stewards of God's gifts. Visit our
Care for God's Creation webpage
for ways to you celebrate this day and care for God's creation. Our webpage includes a Creation Care Guide for families, parishes, and schools.
CLICK HERE.
Monday, September 2, 2019
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issues a Labor Day Statement each year in light of Catholic Social Teaching. Last year the bishops 2018 Labor Day Statement called for just wages for a flourishing society. To read the statement, 2018 statement
CLICK HERE
.
Resources: English
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Spanish
When the bishops issue the 2019 statement we will send it out to the network.
Breakfast with the Bishop
Catholic Social Services
Friday, September 6, 2019
Please join Catholic Social Services and our new bishop, Robert J. Brennan for the annual Breakfast with the Bishop! The event takes place on Friday, September 6, 2019 from 7:00 am–9:00 am at the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel. Keynote speaker will be Sister Norma Pimentel, a Sister with the Missionaries of Jesus and Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. Sister Norma, who has been referred to as the “Mother Teresa of South Texas,” has gained national recognition for her humanitarian work at the Texas border. She was honored as one of Fortune’s 2019 World’s Greatest Leaders and received The University of Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal last year. Her Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, Texas provides immigrant families with food, shelter, a shower, a change of clothes, and travel assistance. Motivated by faith, the center has helped more than 100,000 people since 2014. Tickets are selling fast! Registration and sponsorship opportunities are available online at
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/breakfast-with-the-bishop-tickets-60935289090
.
Please contact Julie Naporano, Director of Development and Communications, at
jnaporano@colscss.org
with any questions.
Friends of the Poor Walk & 5K Run/Walk
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Join the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for the 2019 Columbus Friends of the Poor Walk & 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, September 28, 2019 at 9 a.m. to Noon. It will be held at St. Francis de Sales High School, 4212 Karl Road, Columbus. 100% of all proceeds go to support persons living in poverty in our diocese.
CLICK HERE for Registration - Pledge Form
.
Christ Our Hope: In Every Season of Life
October is Respect Life Month and Respect Life Sunday is October 6, 2019.
The theme—Christ Our Hope: In Every Season of Life— highlights the Lord’s presence in every stage of our lives. The USCCB Respect Life Program includes timely articles in the form of bulletin inserts, posters, and prayer and worship resources.
For resources to promote the dignity of human life visit our
www.usccb.org/respectlife.
Feast of St. Francis Program
October 4, 2019
Every October 4th, the Feast of St. Francis celebrates the saint who saw all created beings as his brother or sister. Inspired by this example, Catholic Climate Covenant produces a free educational program to help your faith community explore how it can better care for creation and the poor. To learn more,
CLICK HERE.
Building a Culture of Life Conference
Save the Date
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Save the date for our upcoming Building a Culture of Life Conference to be held on Saturday, October 19, 2019, at St. John Neumann Church, Sunbury. We are lining up great speakers including our new bishop, Bishop Robert Brennan! Schedule and registrations information will come out in the summer. Hope you can join us for this life-affirming and inspirational day.
ARCH
Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope
ARCH (Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope) is a program aimed to minister to and meet the needs of the formerly incarcerated and their families. ARCH is sponsored by the Office for Social Concerns and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. To learn more about ARCH, call 614-643-2140 or visit
www.svdpcolumbus.org/arch
.
ARCH Summer Newsletter
LEAF
Listening, Encouraging and Assisting Families of the Incarcerated
LEAF is a ministry supporting families and loved ones of the incarcerated, irrespective of faith affiliation. Meetings are the 2nd Sunday of each month. Locations: St. John Neumann Church,
9633 E, OH-37,
Sunbury at 4 p.m. in the Faith & Family Center (classroom 9). Corpus Christi Church,
1111 Stewart Ave,
Columbus at 2 p.m. For details, visit
www.svdpcolumbus.org/leaf_ministry
.
If your parish is interested in starting a LEAF ministry, please contact the Office for Social Concerns at 614-241-2540 or
socmailbox@columbuscatholic.org
.
Death Penalty Speakers
Ohioans to Stop Executions is offering speakers for parish presentations. Speakers include exonerated death row inmates, murder victim family members opposed to the death penalty, and OTSE staff. A connection to Catholic teaching on the death penalty is part of the program. If interested, please contact Jerry Freewalt of the Office for Social Concerns at 614-241-2540 or
jfreewalt@columbuscatholic.org
.
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Foster Parents Needed.
Want to learn more?
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St. Vincent Family Center
is responding to the most urgent crisis our community faces, the damaging effects of the opioid epidemic which has resulted in an increasing need for foster homes. The demand for compassionate foster parents is greater than ever, as children are being abandoned by addiction with no place to go. St. Vincent Family Center is deeply committed to providing these children with a safe family and a loving home while their families heal.
Our team partners with you every step of the way – from initial call to licensing. Most importantly, we provide expert treatment to help your foster child AND we coach, encourage and support you.
Are you interested in learning more about what it means to be a foster parent? Let
St. Vincent Family Center
be your partner in your
best job ever
. Visit
www.svfc.org
or call
(614) 940-6399
to learn more today.
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Put your faith into action.
You can make a difference.
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Federal Level
U.S. Bishops' Chairman of Migration and Domestic Justice Express Opposition to Proposed Rule that Would Lead to Family Separation and Housing Instability
More
U.S. Bishop Chairman Affirm SCOTUS Decision and Urge that All People Count and Should Be Included in Census
More
U.S. Bishops' President and Committee Chairman Say Horrific Death of Father and Daughter at Border and Appalling Conditions for Children are Cries that Reach Heaven Itself
More
Assisting Children and Families at the Border.
Our office has received requests asking about donations to assist children and families at the border. We are asking the faithful to send donations to Catholic Charities USA at
https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/border-crisis/
. 100% of your donation will help Catholic agencies along the border meet basic needs and ensure that children are being treated with care and kindness. We are aware that religious orders are working in tandem with these agencies in a coordinated effort.
If you wish to send a check instead of an online donation, please make check payable to:
Catholic Charities USA
Memo line: Border Crisis
2050 Ballenger Ave, Suite 400
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-549-1390
The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act continues to sit in committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Please urge your U.S. Representative to support this bill.
More
State Level
Ohio Budget
The Ohio budget bill continues to be ironed out in Conference Committee. State legislators passed a continuing resolution for 17 days until the committee can come to a resolution on the bill. In late June, the Ohio Senate Passed
Sub HB 166
by a vote of 33-0. The Catholic Conference of Ohio commends this legislation’s focus on children; foster care; multi-system youth; interventions for at-risk infants, youth, families, victims of human trafficking, and seniors; education and early learning; clean water; lead abatements; hunger and housing responses; disaster assistance; jobs, and tax reductions to name a few. Thank you for your continued advocacy. For updates, visit the
Catholic Conference of Ohio website.
Multi-System Youth
Your advocacy is making a real difference. As reported earlier, the budget bill as passed by the Ohio Senate
includes flexible funding for Multi-System Youth of $6M for 2020 and $12 for 2021 and language aimed to end child custody relinquishment
for the sole purpose of accessing needed services. Thank you for your continued advocacy!
For a Blog Update, CLICK HERE.
Death Penalty
As reported earlier the Ohio House of Representatives passed HB 136 which would prohibit the execution of persons with serious mental illness. Thank you for your advocacy. There are promising signs this measure will be adopted by the Ohio Senate. Please contact your Ohio senator and urge passage of this bill.
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Thank you for a Wonderful
Diocesan Senior Citizens Celebration!
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Bishop Robert Brennan joined senior citizens from around the diocese for the
42
nd
Diocesan Senior Citizens Celebration
on June 18
th
. This year’s host was St. Mary Church, Chillicothe. Thank you! It was a wonderful day of prayer, food, and fellowship. This annual event is sponsored by the diocesan Office for Social Concerns.
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Advocacy, Upcoming Events, Resources
For online resources, visit our website at
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Sent by
Jerry Freewalt
Office for Social Concerns
Catholic Diocese of Columbus
197 E. Gay Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-241-2540
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The Office for Social Concerns is the central diocesan resource for Catholic Social Teaching, reaching out through prayer, education, service, and advocacy.
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A clean heart create for me, God:
renew within me a steadfast spirit.
Psalm 51:12
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