Enkindling Deeper Faith
Annual Diocesan Youth for Life Rally (Download Flyer)
Parish Youth Ministry groups are invited to this event at Holy Family Parish on October 5 (Respect Life Weekend) from 3pm – 8:30pm. The theme, “LifeCraft” Kingdom Builders, is based on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-11). Workshop topics will highlight the beatitudes and how we can help build God’s kingdom in our own lives and communities. Mass will be celebrated by Fr. Jorge Torres. Cost is free. Space is limited so please register early. For more information, contact the Office of Advocacy and Justice at advocacyjustice@orlandodiocese.org or see: www.advocacyjustice.org.
Helpers’ Mass and Rosary Procession
The next Helpers’ Mass and Rosary procession will be held at St. James Cathedral (215 N. Orange Ave. Orlando) on Saturday, October 5th, beginning with Mass at 8 am. Following Mass, we will process to the nearby abortion clinic on Lucerne Terrace. Please join us in praying for the protection of human life. For more information, contact the Office of Advocacy and Justice; 407-246-4819; advocacyjustice@orlandodiocese.org.
Respect Life Sunday, October 6th
This year’s Respect Life Sunday theme: Open Your Hearts to Life, reminds us that life is all about sharing God’s love with one another. Every person, from the tiniest embryo to the ailing and elderly, is created in God’s image and worthy of our love and respect. Every parish has received a USCCB packet with liturgical ideas and educational resources in English and Spanish that may be downloaded, see: http://www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/respect-life-program/.
Forming Leaders in Christ
Go to the Sunlight! Learn how to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Sunshine State Interfaith Power and Light is sponsoring an event at Northland Church in Longwood to highlight the importance of environmental issues to the different religious communities of Central Florida. Join us and learn how our faith calls us to be good consumers and faithful stewards of God’s creation. The keynote speaker will be Northland pastor, Dr. Joel Hunter. Time and Location: Sunday, September 22, 2pm-4pm Northland; A Church Distributed, 530 Dog Track Rd, Longwood, FL 32750. SSIPL is an organization comprised of a variety of faith communities.
Catholic Charities of Louisville on Pipeline Proposal
Catholic Charities of Louisville recently published a statement on the proposed Bluegrass Natural Gas Pipeline which would carry 400,000 barrels a day of toxic liquids [. . .] through 18 Kentucky counties from northeast to southwest on its way from Pennsylvania to Louisiana. The statement notes that a number of critical moral issues are surfacing as the project becomes more widely known and describes that [a]s Church leaders in this archdiocese we feel impelled to voice our concerns publicly.
The statement recognizes that there are a range of issues surrounding this proposed pipeline: Economic, Safety, Health, Environmental, and Legal. The statement outlines the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching, and concludes that while these principles do not tell us what specific position to take on economic issues or on this proposed pipeline[, t]hey do provide wise guidance on how to sort through all the questions and the issues raised as individuals and Kentucky society deliberate on the questions and concerns and come to conclusions about what to do about the proposed pipeline.
The statement mirrors the moral questions raised by others about fossil fuel extraction.
Franciscan University of Steubenville Leases Campus for Hydraulic Fracturing
National Catholic Reporter (NCR) recently published a story that details how asmall but vocal group of environmentally conscious students at Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio have taken their school to task for leasing 223 acres of its property to a Texas oil and natural gas company for mineral exploration and possible hydraulic fracturing.
The student group, Students for a Fair Society (SFS), revealed the leasing agreement in a statement this past July. In its statement, SFS asserts that Franciscan University’s leasing of land to hydraulic fracturing companies contradicts the social doctrine of the Church.
The article explains that SFS went public with its objections on July 14 — the vigil of the feast of St. Bonaventure, a Franciscan. In an e-mail, the university said that the fracking agreement is a means to provide resources to advance our education mission, and the school remains committed to following the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.
Harmonizing Ministries
Labor Day Statement from USCCB
In the 2013 Labor Day Statement, Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, California, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development reflects on rising economic inequality and issues a rousing call for everyone to work together to build a just economy.
As you plan for Labor Day weekend (August 31-September 1), consider how you might use this statement and its supplemental materials to pray, learn and act with your faith community. For example, you might:
- Include the two-page 2013 Labor Day Statement, available in both English and Spanish, as an insert in your parish bulletin.
- Use the Prayers of the Faithful included in the Labor Day Supplemental Aid during Masses on Labor Day weekend.
- Host a small group study or faith sharing session to reflect, in your family or community, on the statement. The Labor Day Supplemental Aid includes reflection questions, Scripture references, quotes from Church teaching on labor, and an Examination of Conscience for business leaders. See also the CST Primer on Workers and Labor Unions and the CST Primer on Poverty, Option for the Poor, and the Common Good.
- Send the press release about the Labor Day Statement to local media sources, including your diocesan newspaper.
- Post these USCCB blog entries on your websites and social media pages:
- What Can I Do? Three Steps to Reduce Income Disparities, by Fr. James Martin. Also available in Spanish.
- Income Inequality, Labor Unions and a Call to Vigilance, by Fr. Clete Kiley. Also available in Spanish.
- If McDonald’s Can’t See How To Live on Minimum Wage, Who Can?, by Molly Fleming-Pierre. Also available in Spanish.
- Pope Francis and Economic Inequality: Five Essential Quotes.
- Utilize additional resources that will be posted in the next few weeks on our website.
Reminder: Send Message to Congress
Although there are many important issues in our nation to face, we encourage you to take action on behalf of the least of us. In true Christian spirit, take action to ensure that food assistance programs for low-income families are protected, that bipartisan immigration reform passes, and that Congress supports a budget that protects poor and vulnerable people. Send an electronic message to your elected officials.