Beginning of the Summer List

With the help of Education for Justice, we begin (as we have done for the past several summers) "the list."  In the past, we have suggested books with Catholic Social Teaching (CST) themes for your summer reading list.  This year, we'll add movies to the list.  The first movie suggestion for summer 2015 is McFarland, USA.  This film makes the list because of its focus on these CST themes:  Life and Dignity of the Human Person; Call to Family, Community and Participation; Solidarity; Dignity of Work; Option for the Poor and Vulnerable.

Here is a brief synopsis of the film:  "McFarland, USA  follows the real life story of Coach Jim White and seven Mexican-American inexperienced runners living in California's San Joaquin Valley, an area rich with farmland but plagued with poverty.  White witnesses the students' extraordinary running abilities and recruits them to start a cross country team.  With the odds stacked against them, the young men, through the guidance of their coach, are successful in winning the 1987 state championship, starting a more than two decade-long winning streak at McFarland High School."

Click here to access the Education for Justice Discussion Guide for the film.

A Memorial Day Prayer

From Education for Justice:

On This Memorial Day
On this Memorial Day
Grant peace to the souls
of all those soldiers who died in war.
We remember the tears and grief of their families,
The pain of mothers, wives, husbands and children
Who lost precious loved ones.
To build a meaningful memorial to them,
We ask God to give us all the will
To work for peace around the world
So no more sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers, nor mothers
Are slaughtered by the guns and bombs of war.
We ask Mary, who held the lifeless body of her son
And was pierced by the sorrow of his suffering and death,
To grant us the compassion and wisdom to affirm life
And honor the dead through forgiveness and peace making.
May God have mercy on the souls of the departed.
Grant them peace, O Lord.
May we have mercy on the living.
Grant us peace, O Lord.
In Your name we pray.
Amen.

Holy Father's Message for Archbishop Romero's Beatification

Vatican Radio's translation of the letter of Pope Francis for yesterday's beatification of Archbishop Oscar Romero is available here.  An excerpt follows:

"The voice of the newly Blessed continues to resonate today to remind us that the Church, a convocation of brothers surrounding their Lord, is the family of God, in which there should be no division. Faith in Jesus Christ, when understood well and its final consequences assumed, generates communities of that are builders of peace and solidarity. This is what the Church in El Salvador is called to today, in America and in the whole world: to be rich in mercy and to convert into the leaven of reconciliation for society."

Readings on Romero

Thanks to America Magazine, we have a set of readings to get us ready for Oscar Romero's beatification this weekend (May 23).  Click here to find a article that links to those readings.

May Issue of Stop Trafficking

Click here to access the May 2015 issue of the Stop Trafficking newsletter.  This month's issue highlights the growing trade in human organs and the abuses associated with organ trafficking.

Feast of Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt

Today, Sisters of Christian Charity and their Associates around the world celebrate the feast day of Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt, who died on April 30, 1881.  Pauline was born on June 3, 1817, in Minden, Westphalia (Germany).  Her family's wealth and prestige did not close her mind to the hardships of others.  As a young woman, she was particularly involved with the poverty-stricken families on the outskirts of Paderborn, Germany.  She nursed their sick and brought them food.  To aid them further, she opened a day-care center for the children of working mothers -- an undertaking which brought to her attention the needs of blind children and led her to found a school for the blind. 

When Pauline's works of charity became too vast for her to manage alone, she founded a religious community, the Congregation of the Sisters of Christian Charity, in 1849.  The story of the spread of the Congregation beyond Germany to other parts of Europe, North and South America and the Philippines is worth exploring.  Discover more information about the Sisters of Christian Charity by visiting the website of the Generalate, www.sccgen.org, which will lead you to all the websites of the Congregation, including that of the Eastern Province, www.scceast.org.

Today, we pray:  Father in heaven, lead us in the way of love as you led Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt.  Open our hearts to others, that loving them as you Son commanded, we may be one with them in your heavenly kingdom.  Amen.

Help Nepal through Catholic Relief Services

Catholic Relief Services is in need of assistance to help the victims of the April 25 earthquake in Nepal. Click here for more information.