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For years, I’ve been thankful for my online friendship with talented author and all around great guy Tim Bete.  Tim wrote me recently to share the good news about a project he is working on.  ThankfulHome.tv is the kind of project that makes the best possible use of the Internet to inspire, to help build community, and to make a difference in the world.  Please read the following information, shared by Tim, and check out ThankfulHome.tv. Great work Tim!

ThankfulHome.tv Helps People Express Gratitude for Homes, Share Stories of Difficult Housing Experiences

As part of National NeighborWorks Week (June 5-12, 2010), St. Mary Development Corporation has launched ThankfulHome.tv, a Web site with the motto: “Be thankful for your home. Help others find a decent place to live.”

ThankfulHome.tv allows people to share their stories about housing issues by submitting short videos. Visitors to the site can share why they are thankful for their homes or talk about a difficult housing situation they’ve faced (e.g., homelessness, unsafe conditions.) By connecting people who have decent housing with those who don’t, ThankfulHome.tv hopes new innovative solutions to housing issues will emerge.

When a video is posted on the site, ThankfulHome.tv sends the person who submitted it a free “Thankful for my home” wristband. Most videos submitted will be posted. Details about the free wristbands can be found at www.ThankfulHome.tv.

St. Mary Development Corporation (www.StMaryDevelopment.org) is southwest Ohio’s largest non-profit provider of high-quality, affordable housing. Over the past 21 years, they’ve created more than 2,400 housing units and prevented more than 950 foreclosures. St. Mary Development has been a chartered member of NeighborWorks since 1999.

NeighborWorks America (www.nw.org) creates opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. Since 1991, they have assisted nearly 1.2 million low- to moderate-income families with their housing needs. Much of their success is achieved through their support of the NeighborWorks network of more than 235 community development organizations working in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

During National NeighborWorks Week (June 5-12, 2010), local NeighborWorks organizations mobilize tens of thousands of volunteers, businesspeople, neighbors, friends, and civic leaders in a week of neighborhood change and awareness.

For more information about ThankfulHome.tv, contact Tim Bete (Communication Director, St. Mary Development Corporation; Editor, ThankfulHome.tv) at Tim@ThankfulHome.tv

FROM CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES

Emergency Brief 1; Haiti Earthquake

Situation: A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has ravaged the island nation of Haiti. The quake occurred 10 miles southwest of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince just before 5pm EST (Haiti is also on EST). Port-au-Prince, with a population of over 2 million, has been devastated. CRS Country Representative Karel Zelenka reports that “Port-au-Prince was covered with a plume of dust from damaged buildings. We should be prepared for many thousands of dead and injured.”

The CRS offices were shaken, with some damage to the compound walls, but there were no injuries in the building. Two CRS staff members remain unaccounted for. Communication with Haiti remains very difficult.

There are also recently confirmed reports that the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot, was a victim of the quake. The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Port-au-Prince has sustained severe damage.

CRS Response:

CRS has made an initial commitment of 5 million dollars for immediate use in the relief effort. Our agency is geared up for a major emergency response to this severe disaster. CRS is mobilizing food and gearing up our emergency capacity, and deploying prepositioned emergency shelter and hygiene kits in Haiti, as well as bringing supplies in from the neighboring Dominican Republic.

From the Field:

Karel Zelenka, CRS Country Representative in Haiti: “I’ve been in earthquakes before. This was a major hit. And it was direct. Thousands must be dead.”

CRS in the News:

From the Washington Post:
“People are out in the streets, crying, screaming, shouting,” Karel Zelenka, director of the Catholic Relief Services office in Haiti, said Tuesday night. “They see the extent of the damage,” he said, but could do little to rescue people trapped under rubble because night had fallen.

“There are a lot of collapsed buildings,” Zelenka said in a telephone interview from Port-au-Prince. “This will be a major, major disaster.”

He reported that poorly constructed shantytowns and other buildings had crumbled in huge clouds of dust. Near the CRS headquarters, a supermarket was “completely razed,” he said, and a gasoline station and a church were reduced to rubble.
Read theWashington Post article

Prayer

God of all creation, as we weep with our family in Haiti, console us.
In this time of crisis, open our eyes to look beyond the disaster
to see Christ in our brothers and sisters in Haiti, as Christ sees us.
Be with us as we stand in solidarity with those living and working in Haiti.
Be with us in our mourning and guide our efforts to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, comfort the grieving and stand for justice.
With your mercy, sustain us at this time as we continue to work for peace and justice.
Amen.

For our Brothers and Sisters in Haiti Affected by the Earthquake

Lord, hear our prayer.

For the Haitian people, that help comes to them quickly and comfort comes to those who hurt.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For the lost or buried, that they are found and reunited with their loved ones.

Lord, hear our prayers.

For the relief workers, that they have the tools they need, the courage and the strength to respond fully.

Lord, hear our prayers.

For the families in Haiti and in the United States who are waiting to hear from loved one, that good news comes to them.

Lord, hear our prayers.

For those whose who have perished, may their souls rest with you, oh Lord, where they will find eternal love.

Amen.

How to Help:
Donate via phone: 1-877-HELP-CRS
Donate online: the CRS website
Write a check: Catholic Relief Services
P.O. Box 17090
Baltimore, Maryland 21203-7090
Memo portion of check: Haiti Earthquake

Information for Church Bulletins:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic Church, is responding to victims of the massive earthquake in Haiti. To donate, please call 1-877-HELP-CRS, donate online at the CRS website or send a check to Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090. In the memo portion of your check, please write: Haiti Earthquake

For more information go tothe CRS website and the CRS website in Spanish

Catholic Charities Atlanta,
Attn:  Flood Relief
680 W. Peachtree St. NW
Atlanta, GA  30308

Please join me in praying for Mary, Rod, their families and all others suffering loss and sorrow during this difficult time!

Kudos to my friend Lisa Umina and the whole team at Halo Publishing for their participation in this weekend’s Catholic Family Fest – sounds like a blast!   We have enjoyed interviewing many Halo authors (and Lisa too!) for the podcast.  Here’s some information on this weekend’s event.

Inspiring Young Readers to Make Our World a Better Place are Common Themes Among Halo Publishing International Authors.

Independent local writers of such works as “Gracelynn Goes To School,” “I’m Thankful,” “Auntie’s House,” “Remembering ‘D’” and “Milo and the Green Wagon” will share their important messages this year during the ninth annual Catholic Family FEST, Aug. 9 at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe, Ohio. The daylong gathering and celebration of faith and family embraces solid values and promotes dignity and respect among all people.

Halo Publishing International encourages its authors to foster personal growth while making a difference in our society and several published writers will be available during the FEST to talk about their books and what inspired the stories. The loving, giving and caring “Milo” character from Halo Founder Lisa Umina’s books will make a special appearance. Halo author “Jungle” Bob Tuma also will perform a live animal presentation.

FEST organizers say the event, expected to draw nearly 30,000 Christians, is about inspiring the next generation of leaders and active members of both the local and spiritual communities, a mission Halo Publishing International supports. Umina, a Cleveland area native, said the company’s authors are committed to spreading their hopeful messages and thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of a large recognized spiritual event designed to do just that.

“Jungle” Bob Tuma, who penned “BobTails,” and other Halo authors attending the Fest include Natalie Friedl, “Help Me Pray Today;” Victoria Pisano, “Straight Street to Heaven” and “Spiration of  Love;” Kristen Wygle, “Gracelynn Goes To School;” Crista Stewart, “The Little Frog;” Debra Cavanaugh, “Max and Morgan’s ABC’s,;” The “D” Team, “Remembering “D”;” and Danielle Schillero, “God is With Me.”  Biographical information about these authors and descriptions of their books are available at www.halopublishing.com. Interviews can be arranged by calling  (216) 255-6756 or (877) 705-9647.

Halo Publishing International was established in 2002 as a full capacity publishing house and has been contributing to the success of many new and up-and-coming authors ever since. Their offices in USA and Mexico specialize in designing, producing, publishing and marketing books for independent authors. HPI offers writers around the world the highest level of professional publishing services they specialize in publishing books inspirational books for all ages.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Father Barron for my Catholic Moments Podcast.  During this conversation, I was absolutely thrilled to here about the tremendous ways in which Father Barron is using new media creatively to reach out to spiritual seekers on the Web.

Perhaps you’ve seen Father Barron over on his Youtube channel, discussing the latest blockbuster movie, reviewing The Shack, or even answering skeptics and defending our faith.  Or maybe you’ve caught his wonderful podcast on iTunes.  Father Robert Barron is also using the latest and greatest social media tools to reach his audience, employing Facebook and Twitter to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.

I hope you will join me in supporting one of the most urgent and innovative Catholic films ever produced.  Catholicism is a 10-part, epic series for TV and DVD that takes viewers across the planet and deep into the faith.  Here’s some information from Father Barron and the Word on Fire team about this terrific project:

Filmed in high-definition with breathtaking cinematography, this landmark series is hosted by one of the Church’s best messengers – Fr. Robert Barron.  Catholicism illustrates the magnificent beauty and global reality of our Catholic culture while clearly explaining the faith that has spanned more than two millennia.  The Executive Producer is Mike Leonard, a veteran correspondent for NBC’s Today show.

With your help, Fr. Barron and his production team can complete the final episode of Catholicism and distribute this powerful, engaging series to millions around the world.  With your support, Catholicism will draw people into or back to the Church using the latest technology.  It will be an essential teaching tool for every home, parish, and university.

Papal biographer George Weigel says, “Catholicism could well become the most significant effort ever to advance The New Evangelization”.  Please, join Catholic moms around the world in supporting this worthwhile cause by August 31, 2009.  Your name will be included in the film credits.  Become part of the story.  And may God bless you!

I realize that funds are short these days and that you receive frequent appeals for your support.  But I’m taking this opportunity to reach out to you and ask you to make even a small donation so that we can see this project through to completion and have it for a resource for our families, as well as for families who may not know the truths of our beautiful faith.  Please take a few moments to view the trailer at  http://www.wordonfire.org/The-Catholicism-Project/Trailer.aspx.  To make a donation of any size, visit The Catholicism Project at  http://www.wordonfire.org/Donate.aspx.

Thank you to Mary Elizabeth Sperry and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for their kind permission to reprint the following article, which suggests ten points for fruitful Scripture reading. I particularly concur with #10, which suggests that reading the Bible simply isn’t enough.  This weekend, my pastor gave a stirring homily on Sunday’s second reading from Ephesians 4.  Msgr. Rob encouraged us to be equally as concerned with having true faith as we are with being pious — that is truly conforming ourselves to Christ’s teachings in the conduct of our lives.

St. Paul called on the Ephesians to “put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.”  In her article below, Mary Elizabeth Sperry calls you and I to do the same – to take what we read in Sacred Scripture and use it to make our own little corners of the world more Christ-like.  I’m asking myself this week to look at points number nine and ten in my own life and challenging myself to make a few moments each day for fruitful scripture reading.

Bible Is for Catholics
by Mary Elizabeth Sperry

The Bible is all around us. People hear Scripture readings in church. We have Good Samaritan (Luke 10) laws, welcome home the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), and look for the Promised Land (Exodus 3, Hebrews 11). Some biblical passages have become popular maxims, such as “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matthew 7:12),” “Thou shalt not steal (Exodus 20:15), and “love thy neighbor” (Matthew 22:39).

Today’s Catholic is called to take an intelligent, spiritual approach to the bible.

Listed here are 10 points for fruitful Scripture reading.

1. Bible reading is for Catholics. The Church encourages Catholics to make reading the Bible part of their daily prayer lives. Reading these inspired words, people grow deeper in their relationship with God and come to understand their place in the community God has called them to in himself.

2. Prayer is the beginning and the end. Reading the Bible is not like reading a novel or a history book. It should begin with a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds to the Word of God. Scripture reading should end with a prayer that this Word will bear fruit in our lives, helping us to become holier and more faithful people.

3. Get the whole story! When selecting a Bible, look for a Catholic edition. A Catholic edition will include the Church’s complete list of sacred books along with introductions and notes for understanding the text. A Catholic edition will have an imprimatur notice on the back of the title page. An imprimatur indicates that the book is free of errors in Catholic doctrine.

4. The Bible isn’t a book. It’s a library. The Bible is a collection of 73 books written over the course of many centuries. The books include royal history, prophecy, poetry, challenging letters to struggling new faith communities, and believers’ accounts of the preaching and passion of Jesus. Knowing the genre of the book you are reading will help you understand the literary tools the author is using and the meaning the author is trying to convey.

5. Know what the Bible is – and what it isn’t. The Bible is the story of God’s relationship with the people he has called to himself. It is not intended to be read as history text, a science book, or a political manifesto. In the Bible, God teaches us the truths that we need for the sake of our salvation.

6. The sum is greater than the parts. Read the Bible in context. What happens before and after – even in other books – helps us to understand the true meaning of the text.

7. The Old relates to the New. The Old Testament and the New Testament shed light on each other. While we read the Old Testament in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus, it has its own value as well. Together, these testaments help us to understand God’s plan for human beings.

8. You do not read alone. By reading and reflecting on Sacred Scripture, Catholics join those faithful men and women who have taken God’s Word to heart and put it into practice in their lives. We read the Bible within the tradition of the Church to benefit from the holiness and wisdom of all the faithful.

9. What is God saying to me? The Bible is not addressed only to long-dead people in a faraway land. It is addressed to each of us in our own unique situations. When we read, we need to understand what the text says and how the faithful have understood its meaning in the past. In light of this understanding, we then ask: What is God saying to me?

10. Reading isn’t enough. If Scripture remains just words on a page, our work is not done. We need to meditate on the message and put it into action in our lives. Only then can the word be “living and effective.”(Hebrews 4:12).

Mary Elizabeth Sperry is Associate Director for Utilization of the New American Bible.

Local Children’s Author Announces Availability of Marian Program for Catholic Schools

Unique, interactive program designed to teach children about Our Blessed Mother

Lancaster, Pa. – June 23, 2009 – Lancaster resident and award-winning author, Kelly Ann Lynch, recently announced the availability of a new program for Catholic Schools, “Sandal Steps of Mary.” Lynch is now booking dates for the 2009-2010 school year for both the Marian program and her foundation program, “Sandal Steps.”

“I was inspired to add a Marian program this year because of my devotion to Mary,” explains Lynch. “When I read in the Catholic Witness that the Bishop declared a Marian year beginning in October 2009, I knew the Holy Spirit had guided me.”

The Marian program offers students an opportunity to learn about Our Blessed Mother, her apparitions, and her important role in the church today. It also explains the power of the rosary in language children can understand. A typical school visit for both the Marian and core program includes up to three age-appropriate presentations: one for grade school students, one for middle school students, and a shorter program for kindergarteners. All programs engage students through puppets, story-telling and song, and encourage children to find their own path to God, either as an active part of the laity or through a vocation.

Lynch says she has already booked presentations for Catholic Schools Week (January 31 – February 6, 2010), but additional dates that week and throughout the coming school year are still available, and she is looking forward to visiting as many schools as possible. “It’s an extraordinary blessing to be able to share my stories and faith with these children, encourage them to listen for God’s voice in their everyday lives and watch them get excited about knowing God is always near, always there for them,” says Lynch.

In the 2008-2009 school year, Lynch visited 15 schools throughout the Diocese of Harrisburg, and elsewhere in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Ohio. Her visits were exceptionally well received and won praise from students, teachers, administrators and librarians. “The students were not only captivated by her book about Father Mychal Judge,” says Librarian Ellen Tucker of St. Leo the Great School in Lancaster, “but also were inspired by her trust in God. She reminded us all that ‘God is as close as a whispered prayer.’”

To book a visit or for more information, contact Lynch at 717 538 6061 or go to www.kellyannlynch.com.

About Kelly Ann Lynch

Kelly Ann Lynch is a stay-at-home mother, best-selling and award-winning author, co-founder of Mychal’s Message (www.mychalsmessage.org), and the founder of Sandal Steps Presentations. Born and raised Catholic, she is currently in formation to become a Secular Franciscan. She is a member of St. Leo the Great Church in Lancaster, Pa. where she has been leading a children’s rosary group since 1999. Kelly has spoken to thousands of children, teens and adults across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio who have been captivated by her stories of great faith in transforming sadness into joy and darkness into light. Kelly Ann Lynch is pleased to offer interactive, biblically-based and spirit-driven presentations to children and teens in Catholic/Christian schools and churches, as well as workshops and retreats for Confirmation students, teachers and adults. Her message is simple: Be aware. Listen and learn. Love and serve.

Whether you want to do it or not, the time spent clearing the clutter from your house may be good for more than just extra closet space; it can also benefit your soul.

That’s the idea behind Project Nazareth, an apostolate formed to help families declutter their homes and simplify their lives to become closer to God.

According to Abby Sasscer, a parishioner of St. John Bosco in Woodstock and the founder of Project Nazareth, the act of living simply gives families an opportunity to love God and practice virtue in their everyday lives, or their “domestic church.”

“I try to teach the families that the goal is not to have a perfectly organized house. The goal is heaven,” Sasscer said. “We can grow in holiness everyday within our domestic Church by practicing the virtues exemplified by the Holy Family in Nazareth. Every time we declutter, we practice the virtues of simplicity and holy detachment. Every time we manage our time and treasure wisely, we practice the virtues of wise stewardship and trust in divine providence. Every time we plan our menu, we practice the virtue of faithfulness and prudence.”


For Sasscer, organization and simple living are second nature.

Growing up in the Philippines, she was exposed to poverty every day on her way to Catholic school. She was impressed with the way those families handled their lives with very few possessions.

“I noticed something beautiful, that the poor families tended to be happier, more content and more thankful for what they had,” Sasscer said. “The simpler they were, the happier they were.”

After coming to the United States as a teenager, Sasscer spent time visiting a few convents. Again, she was attracted to and impressed by the simple and orderly lives of the nuns.

After receiving her bachelor’s in business administration, she parlayed that love of simplicity and order into her career when she got a job systematizing small, and eventually home, offices.

After she left her job to home-school her three children, she couldn’t leave her organizational talents behind and kept working to systematize parts of her own house. Eventually, a close friend started asking for tips on how to organize her house as well.

Sasscer wrote a manual, which later grew into an e-book called Simplifying Your Domestic Church — A Spiritual Journal to Help Families Declutter, Organize and Systemize their Home.

The e-book was written originally for home-schooling families, but the information, with sections on organizing vital documents, decluttering, menu planning, time management, tithing and Christian budgeting, is helpful for all families.

Sasscer compiled advice from other mothers, motivational quotes from saints and the Scriptures, and workshops on topics like budgeting, scheduling and menu planning. The book is organized in easy-to-read sections, with bullet points instead of long paragraphs.

“Most of the books on decluttering and organizing are so cluttered and disorganized,” Sasscer said. “I’m not really out to have a best-selling book. I’m out to help people and I don’t think they need to spend all their time reading.”

After the e-book was published, Sasscer began getting invitations to speak at diocesan parishes and to visit people’s homes for private consultations, all of which led her to form Project Nazareth.

“It was almost like an accident, really. Chronologically, it wasn’t planned by me,” she said. “It was planned by the Guy upstairs.”

Today, Project Nazareth has three main parts — “Project Mary” speaking engagements, “Project Elizabeth” home visitations and “Project Martha” phone consultations.

During the “Project Mary” engagements, Sasscer speaks to mothers with young children, teaching them how to instill the values of simplicity at an early age.

For the “Project Elizabeth” home visitations, Sasscer visits families in and around Shenandoah County. Home visitations take a minimum of three hours during which Sasscer will either assess each room in the house and give suggestions, or she will help the family focus on totally decluttering and organizing one room.

“Most of my visits are with home-schooling families and we really work together to prepare their classrooms for the next year,” she said.

The last part of Project Nazareth is the “Project Martha” phone consultations, which use a 24/7 hotline families can call if they need guidance.

Because Project Nazareth is an apostolate, all services are provided free of charge, with Sasscer only accepting offerings to cover her own costs for gas, meals and supplies.

For families looking to simplify and organize their own homes, Sasscer said the most important thing is to get rid of as much clutter as possible.

“On a practical level, the less stuff you have, the less stuff you have to organize,” she said.

She encouraged families to declutter twice a year, ideally during Advent and Lent. She also discouraged families from keeping things for future use.

“By excessively storing things for future use, you’re possibly depriving other people from using them right now,” she said. “Keep the gifts coming.”

During home visits, Sasscer encourages families to fill at least one big black garbage bag with stuff to give away. She jokingly calls these “body bags.”

“Consider it a body bag, like you just went to war and that’s the collateral damage,” she said. “You don’t keep body bags in your home because they stink on the spiritual level. It’s not alive, but it sucks all this energy out of you.”

When families are having a hard time getting rid of things, Sasscer often challenges them to think ahead in their lives to what they will really need.

“I encourage the person to constantly fast forward to the last two hours of life and ask, ‘Do I need this 20-year-old fondue set to get to heaven?’”

By clearing the clutter, families can redirect more of their attention to God.

“Picture yourself walking into a church,” Sasscer said. “You don’t have a lot of crazy clutter. Everything is simple, Christ-centered, uncluttered and light. You can focus on God. Simplifying the domestic church is like creating that same atmosphere within your home, and not just treating it as a giant storage shed.”

Find out more:

For more information, visit projectnazareth.info.
24 hour voicemail service: 800/382-0859 ext. 6498.
Buy the e-book at chcweb.com.

Adam and I had seen the previews for the film several months ago and had been looking forward to seeing it, since our family shares such a love of music.  I want to encourage you to read the Bishops’ review of the film here and Decent Films’ review of the film here prior to making the decision about whether or not this is a film for your mature teens to view.  There were a few instances of bad language and a drug reference.  The reviews state that there were also adult themes, but somehow I didn’t spot them.  Perhaps that was because I was so engrossed in the beauty of the story, the gripping depictions of the actors, and the amazing music.  Adam and I were both very moved by the way the film did not shy away from showing the true face of homelessness and mental illness.  Many of the film’s extras are residents of Skid Row — no punches are pulled and it’s not prettied up.

There are a few things I didn’t especially like about the film.  First, there is a bit of “potty humor” that seems undignified for a film of this caliber.  Second, religion is not portrayed in a positive light in the film.  The only overtly religious character is a professional cellist who volunteers to take on the role of private teacher for Foxx’s character.  He is an over-the-top evangelical who casts Christians in a very negative light.  Foxx takes to calling Downey’s character, journalist Steve Lopez, his “god”.  Although the film has strong social justice leanings and an outright discussion of the concept of grace, the real “God” sadly does not have a place in the script.

Ultimately, The Soloist is a wonderful reminder that every human person, regardless of his or her life circumstances, is deserving of love and dignity.  I was very moved by the film and am now anxious to read The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music.  More importantly, however, the film reminds me not to be complacent about the plight of the homeless in my own community and to be more supportive of the tremendous work being done by our local Catholic Charities agency.

At the time this book was released, I said of it, “Milo and the Green Wagon is a true gift for families. This precious story teaches children that they, too, can make a difference in our world by reaching out to people in need; Small efforts can add up to tremendous results! Author Lisa Umina and Milo teach us that there is true joy in giving to others.”  In the time since that review was written, Lisa and Milo have been working hard to educate kids (and their parents and teachers) to the fact that “ACT – Action Changes Things“.

The award won by Milo and the Green Wagon is greatly deserved and a vote of confidence for the message that books can change minds and hearts.  If you don’t already own Milo and the Green Wagon, please consider purchasing this book to share with your favorite child.  You will love it as much as she does!

This is the first time I’ve participated in this particular event and I will definitely try to go again in the future.  It was truly a treat to walk behind Eric’s Leo Club friends, who had given up their morning to volunteer for the event.  It was also great to hear many of our community leaders coming together with one voice to call for peace and caring here in our own home.  Events such as these frequently remind me that our youth can and do make a difference in our world.  I truly believe that Eric and his friends look beyond color to the content of one’s character – they see the person inside, rather than the looks outside.  This is a great lesson for all of us as we remember a man who lived and died to encourage others to love and to lift one another up, rather than dragging one another down.

Yesterday was also a good reminder to continually support our Community Food Bank and Catholic Charities, who are working around the clock to keep up with an ever growing demand for their services.

This morning, I headed downtown to our local Catholic Charities agency for an interview with Jody Hudson, who heads the agency’s food bank, thrift store and many other important areas of community outreach. I’m looking forward to sharing that interview on the next episode of Catholic Moments, but I wanted to share this article with you to remind each of you that the work we do to support Catholic Charities is reaching many lives. At the Catholic Business and Professionals breakfast I attended last week, our local executive director of Catholic Charities stated that with a five dollar donation, Catholic Charities can purchase twenty boxes of cereal! What a wonderful reminder that every little bit helps when it comes to feeding the poor and hungry.

Congrats to Catholic Charities USA and all of those who work and volunteer to carry out Christ’s message of care and compassion.

Catholic Charities USA Named Top Provider of Social Services by Charity Navigator, Ranked #2 Overall in NonProfit Times Top 100 – MarketWatch