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Office for Social Concerns
Catholic Diocese of Columbus

Information and Response NETWORK 
Latest Updates

  • 5 Things You Can Do During Advent
  • Season of Hope - Seek Direct Service - This Month's Topic
  • Diocesan Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration is December 12
  • Catholic Charities Christmas Help List
  • Catholic Charities Christmas Collection
  • Walking with Moms in Need: A Year of Service
  • January 22nd Respect Life Mass
  • Roe Remembrance
  • Action Alerts: Unborn Children, Gun Violence, Death Penalty, COVID-19 Relief

5 Things You Can Do During Advent. As we mark the beginning of the Church’s liturgical year in a time of spiritual preparation and hopeful expectation for both the celebration of Christ’s nativity and the second coming, we offer five things you can do during Advent to put your faith into action. CLICK HERE.

Diocesan Celebration for Our Lady of Guadalupe is Saturday, December 12, 2020, from 10 a.m. to Noon. Join us virtually for music, traditional indigenous dance, Las Mananitas, Mass and Rosary. Bishop Brennan will be joined by the Apostolic Nunico to the United States Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Catholic Relief Services Senior Director of US Church Engagement Roberto Navarro, and Sister Maria Ecclesiae of the Daughters of Holy Mary of the Heart of Jesus. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Catholic Charities Christmas Help 2020 is a listing of items needed to help clients of our diocesan sponsored Catholic charities. The people who they serve need the basics: food, clothing, personal hygiene products, and household items. They also need volunteers. To access the bulletin insert list online, CLICK HERE or visit www.columbuscatholic.org/social-concerns-office.

Christmas Catholic Charities Collection. This annual collection allows the diocese to meet a variety of basic needs directly and through diocesan agencies and organizations including J.O.I.N. (Joint Organization for Inner-City Needs), St. Stephen’s Community House, Catholic Social Services, St. Francis Center, St. Lawrence Haven, St. Vincent Family Center, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. You can help share in this important work by generously supporting the Catholic Charities collection this year. 

Walking with Moms in Need: A Year of Service. Bishop Brennan is asking parishes to join the USCCB in a nationwide effort called Walking with Moms in Need: A Year of Service. Bishop Brennan asks that each pastor or administrator to identify a parish champion to work on this initiative and share the name with the Office for Social Concerns at socmailbox@columbuscatholic.org. To learn more about Walking with Moms in Need, CLICK HERE.

January 22nd Respect Life Mass - Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children . The annual Respect Life Mass will be Friday, January 22, 2021, 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Cathedral. On this day of the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, our diocese will join all dioceses of the United States in observing a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. Since there will be limited seating due to COVID-19, the Mass will be livestreamed on the Diocese of Columbus YouTube Channel. For more information contact the diocesan Office for Social Concerns at  socmailbox@columbuscatholic.org or 614-241-2540.

Roe Remembrance at the Ohio Statehouse. Greater Columbus Right to Life will sponsor this annual event on Friday, January 22, 2021, from Noon to 1 p.m., following the 10:30 a.m. Respect Life Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral. Note: The location of the Statehouse event is currently to be determined. Space limitations may exist but the event will be livestreamed. For updates, visit www.gcrtl.org/roe.  
Season of Hope Monthly Themes: Seek Direct Service & Patience. In order to overcome what Bishop Brennan calls a poverty of hope that is experienced by many of our brothers and sisters during these challenging times, the Diocesan HOPE Task Force has developed a bulletin insert and homily helps on the themes of seeking direct service and patience. The homily helps has a special focus on addiction. For additional resources, visit www.columbuscatholic.org/season-of-hope. 
COVID-19 Response
Action Alerts

Make your voice heard. Contact our public officials today.

From the Catholic Conference of Ohio

Contact your Ohio elected officials on the following issues

Unborn Children

Please pass further protections for unborn children. We understand several bills have passed the Senate that enhance such protections (SB 27, SB 260, SB 208, SB 155).

Contact House Members


Gun Violence

We encourage further discussions as to ways to best address gun violence. Changes to “stand your ground” requirements, as well as changes to how churches address guns in their churches, should not be enacted during this lame duck session HB 248, SB 383). Further consideration should be given to Governor DeWine’s modest proposal strengthening safety protections orders (SB 221).

Contact House and Senators


Death Penalty

HB 136 which would prohibit the death penalty for those with a serious mental illness at the time of the offense is making its way through the Ohio Senate. It has already passed the House. Thank you for your continued advocacy.

Contact Senators


From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops


It has been nearly eight months since Congress passed a COVID-19 aid package. Much of the aid from that legislation has already expired and more will stop at the end of this year. Congress must act quickly to pass a new COVD-19 relief package that addresses the needs of the poor and vulnerable. Families cannot wait any longer. Failure to act would leave millions struggling to pay rent, buy food, afford healthcare, maintain employment, and meet their basic human needs.
We wish you the very best this Advent season.
Advocacy, Upcoming Events, Resources


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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.