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Information and Response NETWORK 

Pray for our nation. In light of events at the U.S. Capitol yesterday, January 6th, let us pray to God for our country and recommit to the work of a faithful citizen guided by virtue, the principles of our Catholic social teaching, and the high ideals of our nation.

World Day of Peace Message.  To read Pope Francis' 2021 World Day of Peace Message A Culture of Care as a Path to Peace, CLICK HERE and visit the USCCB World Day of Peace webpage for additional resources. 

January is Poverty Awareness Month. More than 38 million Americans live in poverty. Encounter, Learn, Act. For resources about what Catholics can do to address poverty in the United States, visit USCCB’s Poverty USA website at www.povertyusa.org.

Killing in Our Name: Federal Executions and Pro-life Witness - Webinar. Friday, January 8, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. These federal executions are the first in 17 years and raise critical moral, human and policy choices for the nation and a new presidential administration. A panel of national speakers including Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr, executive director of the Ohio Council of Churches. Co-sponsored by the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life and the Catholic Mobilizing Network. To register CLICK HERE.

For Resources to Address the Sin of Racism, visit the Catholic Ethnic Ministries website.

Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court Decision

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. The annual diocesan Respect Life Mass is Friday, January 22, 2021, 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Cathedral, Columbus. Bishop Robert J. Brennan will be the main celebrant. 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. The Mass will be livestreamed on the Diocese of Columbus YouTube Channel and on St. Gabriel Catholic Radio, www.stgabrielradio.com. 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. The Roe Remembrance will be held outside on the Ohio Statehouse lawn. It also will be livestreamed. For updates, visit www.gcrtl.org/roe.   

9 Days for Life. 9 Days for Life will take place Thursday, January 21 - Friday, January 29. USCCB’s 9 Days for Life is a multi-faceted novena for the respect and protection of human life. Each day, a different intention is accompanied by a short reflection, suggested actions, and related information. Sign up to receive the novena by email, text, message, or an app at www.9daysforlife.com.  For a 9 Days for Life leaders resource which includes the printed novena, www.respectlife.org/leaders-resources. 

National Prayer Vigil for Life. Livestream January 28-29, 2021, from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC. Also televised by EWTN. https://www.usccb.org/prolife/national-prayer-vigil-life-schedule

Youth Rally and Mass for Life. Livestream from Washington, D.C. on January 29, 2021, begins at 8:30 a.m. Visit https://youthrallyandmassforlife.org.

March for Life. The annual March for Life on the National Mall in Washington, DC, will be livestreamed on January 29, 2021. The rally takes place from 12:00 to 1:15 p.m., with the pre-rally concert beginning at 11:00 a.m. To sign up for the livestream, visit https://p2a.co/BIa5nXt.

January Action Guide. For the USCCB January Action Guide with sample intercessions and homily helps visit https://www.respectlife.org/action-guides. 

Catholic Schools + January Opportunities. Share this special Respect Life webpage with Catholic educators, https://bit.ly/january-virtual-2021. In addition to information on national virtual efforts, a resources sheet gives ideas for implementing USCCB Respect Life tools in the Catholic educational setting in January.

Walking with Moms in Need: A Year of Service. Walking with Moms in Need is a year of service where Catholic parishes and communities “walk in the shoes” of local pregnant and parenting women in need. Pray, learn, and accompany. Visit https://www.walkingwithmoms.com. Contact the diocesan Office for Social Concerns to learn how to get involved at socmailbox@columbuscatholic.org. 

Foster a Child. Change a Life. Nearly 16,000 children across the state of Ohio are living in the custody of child welfare, looking for a safe place to call home. You can help. St. Vincent Family Center connects children in Ohio who need a place of respite and stability with foster parents who provide loving, nurturing temporary homes. Founded as an orphanage on the Near East Side of Columbus 150 years ago, St. Vincent Family Center remains deeply rooted in its mission today to support the safety and wellbeing of children and their families across Ohio. We offer an intimate, family-centered approach to supporting foster parents, providing expert training, personalized coaching and expert behavioral healthcare services to ensure the support you need to foster a child. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, please have call (614) 400-1657 or visit https://www.svfc.org/supporting-foster-families/. 

For resources to help you and your neighbor, CLICK HERE.

Ohio Bishops Issue Letter on Vaccines. Vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer to combat COVID-19 may be taken without moral reservations.

Season of Hope Monthly Theme:  Be in Christ’s Comfort. 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 on the theme of Be in Christ’s Comfort. For the bulletin insert and other resources, visit www.columbuscatholic.org/season-of-hope. 

Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti on Fraternity and Social Friendship

Email: socmailbox@columbuscatholic.org 

Website: www.columbuscatholic.org/social-concerns-office