Catholic Social Teaching: Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

By Cynthia Colbert

Catholic Social Teaching
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

I grew up in a humble home. My Dad worked as a diesel mechanic and my mother was a stay at home mom. We were blessed to have our own home, but I remember wearing hand- me- down clothes most of the time. And as early as 3rd grade, my brothers and sister and I all worked summer jobs, such as cutting apricots, to earn money to help with buying school supplies and other necessities. I know my parents counted every penny because they always shopped for bargains. There were four kids to feed and with one income, every dollar had to go as far as possible.

We were lucky enough to have health insurance from my Dad’s job. And it’s a good thing too because I had severe asthma as a young child and was in the hospital a lot. I didn’t know anything about food stamps, the federal poverty level, or public assistance. We were probably one of the families whose income was put them just over theose income guidelines. But I knew there were times we didn’t have enough money to get through a month so, my parents had to make some tough calls; pay the electric bill on time or buy groceries.? And there was no Catholic Charities agency in my hometown to turn to in times of need.

Fortunately, there is a Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Austin. At Catholic Charities of Central Texas, we work with struggling families each and every day. We help families who need a helping hand to get through the month with groceries from the food pantry, case management support to work on a self-sufficiency plan, legal advice from the Diocesan Law Project to help them. Services that help them get through a tough times and back on the road to self-sufficiency.

Our Catholic faith teaches us to work for the common good. But those who are weak, vulnerable and most in need deserve preferential concern. A basic moral test for our society is how we treat the most vulnerable in our midst. In a society marred by deepening disparities between rich and poor, Scripture (see Mt 25:31-46) reminds us that we will be judged by our response to the “least among us.”

The families that come to us for help and for hope want a safe and happy home, are people just like you and me. They want a safe and happy home. They want their children to grow up healthy, to have an education. and for those that can work, they want a good job with enough income to pay their bills. They want health insurance so they can go to the doctor when they need to. They’d like to never be in a food line again. But in the meantime, until those goals are met, we walk beside them, on their life’s journey. They deserve our prayers, our respect and help.

Join me in helping families. Walk with us…walk with them. Be the HOPE they need today. Volunteer, Pray, Donate. You can make a difference.

St. Joseph Calasanz

By Ashley Lahr

St. Joseph Calasanz (or Calasanctius) is a name that encompasses so much more than I expected. When I used a search engine to find out feast days for saints for August 25 or 26, I didn’t expect to find such an extraordinary man like St. Calasanz.

Born in 1556, Calasanz had a life that was completely selfless with a single goal: to educate the poor. Even though he was a priest with extensive training in theology and canon law, he put aside his career in order to address the needs of the community. After many failed attempts to get funding for education, he recruited personal companions in order to provide a free education. At this point in history, this was a revolutionary idea. With an overwhelming response, Pope Clement VIII agreed to build facilities for the community. Just with any new idea, free education became a contradictory topic. But Calasanz persevered and continued his mission.

Despite all odds, St. Calasanz put aside his career and challenges in order to assist those in need. He looked at the community as a whole and worked to figure out what areas needed assistance the most. At the time, education for the poor was an important need to Calasanz. In a different era, it could have been a different need. Regardless, it is people like St. Calasanz who are able to see a need, work to find a solution and help the community simultaneously. Despite differing views from his peers and neighbors, he looked past the discrepancies and worked for free education.

He was ultimately credited as the founder of the Pious Schools and the Order of the Piarists. He also had a close relationship with Galileo and defended his controversial view of the cosmos.

At Catholic Charities, we work around the clock to figure out different strategies to help the community, not only immediately, but also in a way that can benefit them years down the road. We strive to level ourselves with those who need assistance and help them find answers even when it seems there isn’t one. It is important to find the root of the problem within the community instead of creating a short-term “fix” to the problem.

We have all seen the words “in these economic times” in countless media outlets but it is time to start working toward a long term goal. Goals that can help keep individuals in a healthy financial state now and in the future, regardless of their economic background. Finances are an important part to our survival as a society and as individuals. Not in terms of how much we make a year but in ways that we can work toward creating budgets, understand the ins and outs of buying a home, mortgage, buying a car, calculating retirement funds, and everything else and in between.

In order to address this issue, we are offering a new series of workshops to help create “Financial Fitness.” This series will help individuals and families increase their knowledge and skills in budgeting and money management. The four part series called “Financial Fitness” combines an FDIC nationally approved curriculum, Money Smart, and specialized instructors from the financial field to give participants valuable tools to help them stabilize financially and overcome debt.


http://www.ccctx.org/news_view.php?id=44

Client Stories: God is always with you

“Without God man neither knows which way to go, nor even understands who he is. In the face of the enormous problems surrounding the development of peoples, which almost make us yield to discouragement, we find solace in the sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ, who teaches us: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5) and then encourages us: “I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20).”
- Caritas in Veritate (para. 78)

Catholic Charities of Central Texas recognizes that in the face of seemingly unmanageable problems and severe discouragement, finding a solution deems impossible. Without a third party on the outside looking in, the idea of a solution can get lost in the midst of turmoil. We all need God to get us through to the next step and realize that there is a way out. Our employees are able to provide a helping hand and lend an ear when needed most through the strength given to us by God.

Finding solace can be extremely hard in times of despair. Our clients at Catholic Charities have overcome tremendous odds. Below, we have selected three stories that best encompass what we do as an organization.

Prior to the devastation of Hurricane Ike, FRANCES and WILLIAM lived comfortably in a two-bedroom condo in Galveston. When the storm hit, the elderly couple fled to Austin with nothing but the clothes on their back. Living in a hotel room, they anxiously awaited word that they could safely return home. Then Frances and William became very ill, both checking in and out of the hospital due to medical issues. Frances had no medical insurance, and the couple was fully dependent upon William’s monthly Social Security check. On the verge of homelessness, they came to Catholic Charities. Here they found a light of hope and help. A case manager was able to find them housing assistance through a Rapid Re-Housing program, medical assistance through Project Access, and food through food stamps and Meals-on-Wheels, and then helped them move into and furnish a new home. The couple, now permanent Austin residents, continues case management under Catholic Charities of Central Texas and are on the road to self-sufficiency.

SORAYA, 57, came to the U.S. from Afghanistan in 2002 with the hopes of finding a better life for herself and her six children. After witnessing her husband’s murder by Taliban forces and the many other atrocities of the war in her country, Soraya sought and obtained refugee status. She arrived in the United States in January 2002 and, as a refugee, she has seven years of access to a variety of social programs to provide support and help her integrate into society. This allowed Soraya to access the physical and mental health care she needed to care for several medical conditions, including early dementia. Catholic Charities helped Soraya bring her son and grandson to the U.S. In early 2009, Soraya’s access to social programs that she needed to treat her dementia was expiring. Fortunately, she applied for citizenship in March 2009 with the help of Catholic Charities staff—filing her paperwork, preparing her for the interview with immigration authorities and accompanying her to the interview to determine whether she will become a citizen. Now, as a proud citizen, Soraya is safe and secure while living the gift of freedom other Americans enjoy every day.

When John lost his high tech job of 10 years, JOHN and MARIA thought that they might lose their house as well. They used their saving trying to stay current on the mortgage, but had fallen two payments behind. After a six-month search, John had finally found a job, but they were unable to catch up and didn’t know where to turn. Attending Catholic Charities’ Tactics for Touch Times workshop changed all that. John was able to take the information he learned in the workshop to develop a new budget and then negotiate a repayment plan with his mortgage company that allowed him to catch the past due amount up over a twelve month period. “I was ready to give up and just walk away from my house and then I Saw the flyer for Tactics for Tough Times. Thank God Catholic Charities was there in this time of need.”

Monday’s Meditation, 8/10/09

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF CENTRAL TEXAS MISSION:

To strengthen individuals, families and communities through direct services, collaboration with other ministries and community organization and social justice advocacy.

Monday’s Meditation, 8/10/09

Yesterday we read in Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians (Eph 4:30 – 5:2) to be reminded that those who have been transformed by our beliefs follow a new way of being: "And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love. . ."

At Catholic Charities of Central Texas, we are called to be witnesses to this new way of being and doing. We must be examples of kindness and compassion in all of our work. When someone calls our office or visits our agency, we have the opportunity to be instruments of kindness and compassion and a to be a living sign of God's love in all we do. It doesn’t mean however, that we are able to be all things to all people. Sometimes clients request services that we don’t or can’t provide and/or they request assistance beyond what our resources will allow. But we can help them access services from other agencies and organizations and we can try to be helpful in other ways.

Pope Benedict XVI recently released a new Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, which reflects the following: "Charity is love received and given. It is “grace” ( cháris ). Its source is the wellspring of the Father's love for the Son, in the Holy Spirit. Love comes down to us from the Son. It is creative love, through which we have our being; it is redemptive love, through which we are recreated. Love is revealed and made present by Christ (cf. Jn 13:1) and “poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:5). As the objects of God's love, men and women become subjects of charity, they are called to make themselves instruments of grace, so as to pour forth God's charity and to weave networks of charity." (Caritas in Veritate, par 5-1).

Have a blessed Monday and a blessed week.

Cynthia Colbert

Executive Director

Feast Day of the Transfiguration

In honor of this special day, here are some great reads about the Transfiguration and Pope Paul VI’s life.

Also an interesting read on St. John Vianney several days after his feast day, which was on Tuesday. The Saint has been declared the patron saint of all priests for this the Year of the Priest, which Pope Benedict XVI dedicated.

Catholic Charities recieves a large Federal Contract for Case Management Operations.

And lastly an odd post on a Church in a mall.

A Valediction Coming Full Circle

By Sean DeWitt

Sometimes timing speaks for itself. This past spring I was studying abroad in Rome. And having made my decision to apply for seminary, I was scared. I had basically decided to reshuffle my life, while being over 10,000 miles away from home. I had no idea what was going to happen.

Fr. Mike Sis, the former vocations director, and I shot emails back and forth across the ocean. I thought for sure Fr. Mike would think I was crazy. I was just some random guy emailing from Rome, wanting to join seminary for the Austin Diocese. But, Fr. Mike was patient with me.

In an exchange, I expressed my frustration with job hunting. Needless to say, several thousand miles of ocean doesn’t help when trying to apply for jobs. Fr. Mike said he had an opening he could offer me through Catholic Charities. I’ll be honest. I had never heard of Catholic Charities, but I decided to go for it.

Nearly three weeks later, I showed up for work. The following two months that would ensue taught me more than I could have imagined.

During my time here at Catholic Charities, I served at the food pantry, interviewing clients in English and in Spanish. Working with Meg Kee, Jeff Haecker and the many volunteers, I was blessed with the privilege to meet the face of Christ in those I served and in those I served with. Though often times I felt like I was learning more about God’s love from those around me, than they were from me, I pray that the small bit of time I had with them gave them a greater sense of hope.

Several times a week I also worked with case management, meeting with walk-in clients seeking help from Catholic Charities and with ex-offenders seeking assistance and guidance through the Criminal Justice Ministry. These meetings were special to me because I was able to have a personal encounter with the poor and the needy. The helpless situations that seemed to face these people were heart wrenching sometimes, yet the assistance I was able to provide them with seemed to be just enough. Whether it was a bus pass or a pair of work boots, giving these people the ability to work and take care of themselves was a rewarding experience. I hope and pray that those I helped will continue on their way to self-sufficiency.

I have also been working on social networking, a new and expanded form of communication tools like this blog to help spread the message about Catholic Charities. A stranger to the blogosphere in the beginning, I have really come to see the merits in this venue and I thank all the wonderful people who have taken time to read our blog. I am humbled that anyone feels that my words are important enough to read. It is only for the greater glory of God and Catholic Charities that I do this.

And just as my stay here at Catholic Charities began with a call to the priesthood, I find myself saying goodbye the day after the feast of Saint John Vianney, the patron saint for the year of the priest, which our Holy Father, Pope Benedict the XVI, has so wonderfully dedicated. Ironic though it may seem, St. John’s feast day is the perfect book end to a summer that I will never forget. What I have learned about service to the poor and its importance to the Church is something that will never leave me.

One of the greatest gifts one can give is the ability to help others. This is what Catholic Charities has done for me. I humbly thank Catholic Charities for giving me the opportunity to work and grow under its wings. My experiences here at Catholic Charities will no doubt have a positive affect on the kind of priest I will become—God willing. And though it is a long road ahead, the road for now has come full circle. A summer internship that started with a call from the Eternal City has come to an end on the day in which we honor the priesthood through St. John Vianney’s intercession.

Again, I thank the Catholic Charities directors, staff and volunteers for all they have done for me, especially Cynthia Colbert, Ryla Simmons, Meg Kee, and Melanie Ann Watson. I thank Jeff Haecker, my fellow seminarian intern, for his friendship, and I pray that God blesses him this fall, as he begins his discernment. I also want to thank the Gabriel Life Project Center for all their support and prayers. May God continue to bless your wonderful service. And last I want to thank you, the readers of this blog, for your prayers and support. The Catholic Charities blog has far surpassed any expectations I had. Your comments and commentary are wonderful and I hope that you will continue to support Catholic Charities and myself in your prayers.

So as I head off to Holy Trinity Seminary to discern my calling, learn about the priesthood, and study God’s word, I will leave you with a short prayer for priests by our Holy Father.

May the Year for Priests lead all priests to identify totally with the Crucified and Risen Jesus so that, in imitation of St John the Baptist [Mary Vianney], they may be prepared to "shrink" that Christ may grow and that, in following the example of the Curé d'Ars, they feel constantly and profoundly the responsibility of their mission, which is the sign and presence of God's infinite mercy. Let us entrust to Our Lady, Mother of the Church, the Year for Priests which has just begun and all the priests of the world.—Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience: St. Peter’s Square, June 24, 2009

Mary’s Legacy of Service

By Sean DeWitt

Tired, groggy, and a bit confused after the dream like visit from an angel, Mary picked up her things and went off to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. Doubts, concerns and questions swarmed through Mary’s young mind, yet she set them aside, and devoted the next few months of her life to serving and bringing joy to Elizabeth, who had conceived in her old age.

Though not the first time in her young life, the Visitation is the first story we get of Mary’s devotion to service. Though we often think of Mary as a strong young beautiful women exemplifying Mother Church, and that she is. However at the time of the visitation, Mary would have been a pregnant young teenage girl between the ages of 13 and 15 years old. The thought of such a burden is no less daunting today, but Mary’s faith was strong. Mary set aside the confusion and the fear, and said ‘yes’ to the Lord, giving herself completely to His service and bringing joy to the one’s she served. This was manifest in Elizabeth’s child leaping for joy in the womb at the presence of Christ in Mary.

And though this seems like a miracle (and certainly it is), this miracle is no less present today, as teenagers spend their weekends and evenings working at food pantries and soup kitchens all over the world. An example of such is the wonderful young volunteers that work at Angels of Hope Food Pantry here at Catholic Charities. Around the same age as Mary was during her service to Elizabeth, the youth come out every Friday to serve the poor and the vulnerable. The youth continue Mary’s ‘yes’ to Christ through their service of the poor, carrying on Mary’s legacy of service by bringing a child like joy to those in need. Through their Love of God, the youth carry Christ Jesus with them as Mary did, causing the hopes and dreams of those they serve to leap with joy at the presence of Christ.

However, Mary’s legacy is not limited to the youth. Mary continued her service of Christ throughout her life. In Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection, Mary stayed true to her son, never abandoning Him. Mary, providing the ultimate service to our Lord, visited Him on the cross venerating her son and savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. It is in this moment that Christ bestows on Mary the motherhood of the whole human race, giving her to the service of His people. As the mother of mankind, Mary continues her service to Christ by bringing the love of God to everyone, causing all of our hopes and dreams for a better life to leap for joy in the presence of His love.

And now we are called to carry on Mary’s legacy of service. We are to join Mary in her ‘yes’ to God’s call, serving His people. Catholic Charities of Central Texas answers that call on a daily basis, serving the poor and the vulnerable, giving them the joy and hope for a better life. Through our service, we hope to carry on Mary’s legacy and bring the presence of God in our Love to those we serve. We believe that by our love filled actions, those we serve will come to know God. Like Mary, we hope to put aside our doubts and questions, and give ourselves completely to God’s call to service.

Interesting Links on HealthCare

Read a summary on the current HealthCare Bill, or just read it yourself.

There is also a great Response to the Federal Health Care Reform Proposal HR 3200 Health Care a Right: Even for the Elderly, Infirm, those with Disabilities, and the Unborn.

All of these links and more can be found on our facebook page.

Statement of Catholic Charities USA:

“In response to inaccurate online media reports, Catholic Charities USA states unequivocally that it does not support any plan to reform health care and/or any proposed legislative provision that allows or promotes the funding of abortions or that compels any health care provider or institution to provide such a service. In fact, Catholic Charities USA will continue to work with the Catholic Health Association and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to ensure that any health care reform legislation will not include such provisions. All media accounts or public comments that misrepresent this position are inaccurate.

‘These attacks appear to be politically motivated by opponents of health care reform. They are distortions of the truth and disingenuous. Catholic Charities USA will continue to work to reform health care in a way that is consistent with the teachings of our faith.’ said Fr. Larry Snyder, President.”