October 6, 2013 Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time CORPUS CHRISTI CATHOLIC CHURCH 6300 McKenna Drive, Mobile, Alabama 36608 Email: Church@CorpusChristiParish.com! Website: www.corpuschristiparish.com TELEPHONE NUMBERS Parish Office: School Office: Rel. Ed. Office: Preschool Office: Youth Ministry: 342-1852 Fax 342-6313 342-5474, ext. 1 Fax 380-0325 342-5474, ext. 7 Fax 380-0325 342-2424 Fax 343-3119 342-1852 Fax 342-6313 SUNDAY MASSES Vigil: 5:30 p.m. Saturday Morning: 7:00, 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. WEEKDAY MASSES 6:30 a.m.: Monday through Friday 8:15 a.m.: Monday through Saturday PASTORAL STAFF Very Rev. James F. Zoghby, V.F., Pastor Rev. John S. Boudreaux, Associate Pastor Deacon Arthur W. Robbins, Deacon Sr. Donna Cooper, R.S.M., Visitation Chaplain Mrs. Linda M. Hawkins, Pastoral Assistant Mrs. Judi B. Ankiewicz, Pastoral Assistant Mrs. Joan T. McMullen, School Principal Mrs. Kathleen Q. Jester, Parish Catechetical Leader Mrs. Colleen DeVoe, Youth Ministry Co-Director Mrs. Brenda Martens, Youth Ministry Co-Director Mr. Matthew F. Purvis, Music Director Mr. Jay H. Henley, Gym Manager TO REGISTER AS A MEMBER OF THE PARISH Please fill out a Census Form. Census Forms are available in the church vestibule and parish office. COMMUNITY CENTER RENTALS & SERVICES For rental information and kitchen services, please call the parish office at 342-1852 or 342-1420. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Saturday: 5:00 p.m. and by request, particularly after the 6:30 & 8:15 a.m. weekday Masses. BAPTISM, MARRIAGE, ANOINTING OF SICK Please call the parish office (342-1852) for information and scheduling baptism, marriage, anointing of sick. ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (R.C.I.A.) Please see published schedule for specific dates and times, or call the parish office (342-1852). SUNDAY SCHOOL (C.C.D.) Grades K 12, Sundays during school year, 10:05-10:55 a.m. in school bldgs. SCHOOL, SACS-accredited for Grades 3K through 8. For info & registration, please call the school office. FULL-DAY PRESCHOOL for 6-week to 2-yr. olds. For info & registration, please call the preschool office
TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Respect Life Sunday Life Chain: Today, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m. Pro-life signs ($1 sugg. donation) 40 Days for Life Fall 2013 Campaign continues to Nov. 3. Brochures on Natural Family Planning available in the vestibule. Annual Celebrate Life Banquet, a benefit for 2B Choices for Women, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 24, at the Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel, with Archbishop Rodi and Dan Johnson, Director of the Family Life and Respect Life Office. Reception from 5:30-6:00 p.m. with dinner following at 6:00 p.m.. Reservations are $40 each or $400 for a table of 10. For reservations please contact Connie Arensberg at 470-1971 or email chirhoeuro@att.net. KofC Rosary for Life & Religious Liberty at Planned Parenthood facility Saturdays, 9 a.m.. Info: Mae or Chris Rehm, 554-2032. Volunteer at Crisis Pregnancy Ctr. Call 343-4636. Gabriel's Project Assist with prayer, donation, women requesting help with pregnancy. Info: gabrielangels4u@gmail.com. or 753-2416. Members of St. Vincent de Paul Society of Corpus Christi in the vestibule today: After Masses this weekend, members of the Corpus Christi St. Vincent de Paul Society will have greeters available on the right side of the vestibule as you exit the church. If you, or someone you know, has a need for assistance, the SVDP greeters will welcome the opportunity to talk with you. All matters are held in strict confidence. Once a month 3 rd Sunday 5:30 p.m. Mass During the school year (Sept. to May), we have an extra Sunday Mass on the 3 rd Sunday of each month. Our High School students serve as lectors, ushers, gift bearers, musicians. High School Students Sacrament of Confirmation Preparation Seniors Class of 2016: Spirit Day Confirmation Preparation. Sunday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.., beginning with 11 a.m. Mass, followed by program in the Community Center, ending at 3 p.m. 1 st Reconciliation Parent Meeting For 2 nd Grade Parents: Tues., Oct. 15, 6:30 p.m., Adult Ed. Room. Child Protection Policy For volunteers who have substantial contact with children, archdiocesan policy requires: 1. Attendance at an initial training. 2. An annual online re-certification for subsequent year(s). For information to obtain an initial training and to obtain online recertification, go to www.mobilearchdiocese.org/childprotection. SUNDAY SCHOOL Classes: 10:05-10:55 a.m. in the main school bldg. Sunday School participants at 9 a.m. Mass are dismissed with the final blessing. Info: SundaySchool@CorpusChristiParish.com, or 648-4441. CORPUS CHRISTI SCHOOL Monday, Oct. 14: No Classes. Faculty Retreat. Guide Book & Directory Advertising Opportunity The Guide Book & Directory for Corpus Christi Parish will be the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of our parish, and will be updated annually and mailed to all parishioners each year. The book is being provided at no cost to the parish. Local businesses are being solicited by Guide Book Publishing to advertise in the book to help parishioners and newcomers find reliable businesses to contact. A Guide Book representative is in the parish office during the week with information for those interested in placing an ad: Call Holli Nunn at 225-223-1498 or email hollinunn@gmail.com. More Dates Available for Photo Appointments Every parishioner household that participates will receive a complimentary 8 X 10 professional portrait, and a mobile web app. Sign up for a date & time slot on the lists in the vestibule. The photos will be taken in the Community Center, Oct. 10-15 and Oct. 24-25 at the times provided on the sign-up lists in the church vestibule. ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (R.C.I.A.) Continuing ed for Catholic and other adults Wednesdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Adult Education Room Oct. 9: Understanding the Bible Bib le Stud y Gro up s Sundays, 8:45-10:45 a.m. in the school counselor's conference room. Breakfast is served also. We are studying Mark s Gospel. Tuesdays, 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Parish House (except on the 2 nd Tuesday, in the school library). Info: Dave Burchette, 367-6660. Thursdays, 9:00-10:45 a.m., Conf Rm (2nd Flr), Com.Ctr. Penny Claiborne, 776-5850, claiborneps@aol.com or Joanne Donaghey, 554-6753, joannekd@aol.com Widowed Persons Support Group For information call parishioner Glen Porter at 666-8977. Hearing Assistance Available in Vestibule Two types of receivers: one fits in the ear and one is simply worn around the neck of a person who wears a hearing aid. Please support the advertisers on the back of our bulletin. Their ads give us our bulletins free of charge.
CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH, MOBILE, ALABAMA OCTOBER 6, 2013 The Women s Club Meeting: Monday, Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m. at The Parish House. We invite all ladies to come. Info: Brittany Comiskey, 508-0526 COMMUNION MINISTERS MEETING This Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. in the church This meeting is for parishioners who are interested in serving as extraordinary ministers of Communion at Mass and/or to shut-ins. LECTORS MEETING Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in the church This meeting is for parishioners interested in serving as lectors. Knights of Columbus Meeting: 2 nd Tues., Oct. 8, at 7 p.m., at the Parish House. Contact: Grand Knight, Bob Wheat, 490-9350. Pack 29 Cub Scouts: Oct. 6: Den Mtgs., 3-4:30 p.m. Oct. 13: Pack Mtg. & St. Vincent de Paul Food Drive 3-4:30; place TBA. Oct. 26 & 27: Halloween Campout at Little River State Park. To Join Cub Scouts or for info contact Walter Bracewell 599-1650 or Mike Martin 633-5218 or visit ccspack29.scoutlander.com. AA Alanon OA CODA AA: Sun., 7 p.m., Wed., 7 p.m., and Fri., 7 p.m., Cougar Den. Alanon: Sun., 7 p.m., and Wed., 7 p.m., Arts & Sciences Bldg. OA: Sat., 9 a.m., Arts & Sciences Bldg. CODA: Tues., 6:45 p.m., Arts & Sciences Bldg. Lighthouse Catholic 80 CD Kiosk In the vestibule Provided by the Men of St. Joseph CD s are $3 each, or two for $5. Drop payments in the kiosk. Make checks payable to Lighthouse. Info: Jerry Scott tjscott007@comcast.net or 533-2593. Sing in the choir any Sunday! Just come to the rehearsal the Wednesday before any Sunday you want to sing in the choir. Rehearsals are on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Room 4 (2 nd Floor of the Community Center). Contact Music Director Matthew Purvis for more information: Text: (251) 366-9187. Email: Pianoguy36609@aol.com. Basketball Registration For students in Corpus Christi School & Sunday School (CCD) Deadline: Fri., Oct. 25. Info: Joe Lynn at jlynn@bulkmar.com. Registration forms are in the church vestibule and also online: Go to www.corpuschristiparish.com/church/boosterclub/ and click the CYO Basketball link to print the registration form. Registrations can be received in the Gym Activity Room, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9 or Oct.16. Uniforms will be there for sizing purposes. Registrations can also be returned to the school or parish office. Do you have a vocation to the priesthood or religious life? Pray and ask for God s guidance. Pick up a copy of the new Vision Magazine on the tables in the vestibule. Updating Our Parish Roster Letters have been mailed to all registered parishioners this past week to verify the information for our parish roster to be published in the new Pictorial Directory and the annual Guide Book. Any parishioner who has not received a letter should notify the parish office at 342-1852 or Church@CorpusChristiParish.com. Wednesday Night Dinner 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Banquet Hall $9.00 for Adults! $4.00 for Children (Age 12 & under) Oct. 9 ~ Italian Night Chicken Pomodora over Pasta, Spaghetti w/meat Sauce, Seasoned Green Peas, Eggplant Parmesan, Caesar Salad, Tiramisu, Garlic Bread. Iced Tea, Lemonade,Coffee Kids Meal upon request: Chicken Tenders & French Fries. Must RSVP no later than TUESDAY EVENING Return an RSVP Card, or call 342-1852 or email WedNightDinner@CorpusChristiParish.com Breakfast Monday through Friday, 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. In the Banquet Hall Scrambled or Shell Eggs - 99 Hash Brown Patty - 89 Sausage or Bacon Biscuit - $1.59 Sausage Patty - $1.10 Bacon (2 Slices) - $1.10 Pancakes (2 per order) - $1.29 Grits - $1.09 French Toast Sticks (4) - $1.69 Cereal $1.15 Fresh Fruit - 99 Fresh Fruit Cup - $1.99 Small Juice - 59 Fresh Fruit Parfait - $2.19 Yogurt 99 Bottled Juice $1.39 Nutri Grain Bar - $1.09 Bottled W ater: Large- 99 / Small- 59 Fundraisers for Corpus Christi s 8 th Grade Toy Bowl Court Oct. 5-6: After Mass, visit the table in the atrium this weekend delicious baked items. Oct. 14: Eat at Buffalo Wild Wings any time on Oct. 14, and present Buffalo Wild Wings coupon ticket to have 20% of the food sale benefit Corpus Christi s Toy Bowl Court All organizations and groups of the parish: Please remember to contact the parish office to schedule the place for your meeting or events to avoid scheduling conflicts. Contact at 342-1852 or Church@CorpusChristiParish.com. Catholic Charities Mailing Address Change The Catholic Charities Appeal has this new mailing address for the remittance of payments to more efficiently process donations: Archbishop of Mobile Catholic Charities Dept 3353 PO Box 123353 Dallas, TX 75312-3353 Please note Yellow Slip in Sept. statement has incorrect P.O. Box. If you make your gift by scheduling through your on-line bill pay, please update the mailing address with your bank. Thank you for your continued support of the Catholic Charities Appeal in the Archdiocese of Mobile! Because of your generosity and kindness, thousands of those in need in Southern Alabama are assisted each year physically and spiritually. You make a difference!
CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH, MOBILE, ALABAMA OCTOBER 6, 2013 SCRIP You can earn money for Corpus Christi by using our SCRIP coupons or debit cards when you are spending money on groceries, clothing, gasoline, entertainment, restaurants, airline tickets, cruises, hotels, drug stores, gift shops, etc. Here s an example: If you were planning to spend up to $100 at the grocery store, you could first exchange your $100 for $100 in a SCRIP debit card or coupons. We purchase the $100 SCRIP debit card or coupons for only $96. So you still have your $100 for groceries, and Corpus Christi has earned $4 in the exchange. Many popular retailers participate in the SCRIP program. Not all of them are listed on our current SCRIP Order Form. So, if you don t see what you want, notify either the parish office (342-1852) or the SCRIP Office (342-5474, ext. 6). Visit the SCRIP table in the atrium. Select what you want on the SCRIP Order Form, enclose your payment [Make checks payable to Corpus Christi SCRIP], and drop the envelope in the front door mail slot of the parish office across the street, or in the tall wooden collection box behind the last pew, off the center aisle. Your order will be processed Monday, and ready for pick up on Wednesday. Special Note to School Families: If you use SCRIP and earn $100 profit for Corpus Christi, you can receive a tuition voucher for 50% of any additional profit earned for the school after that first $100 profit. That tuition voucher will then be applied to your next month s tuition. You can also choose to reach the initial $100 requirement by making a tax-deductible $100 donation to the SCRIP Program; this option is listed on the SCRIP Order Form as Jump Start. Welcome, New Parishioners Don & Judy Dinkel BAPTIZED IN CHRIST Chase Thomas Hardy (son of Jeremy Rex Hardy & Amy Kathleen Kirchler Hardy) Julip Marie Tomlinson (daughter of Michael Patrick Tomlinson & Kristin Marie Oakes Tomlinson) Around the Archdiocese: 7 th Annual Wine Festival, Oct. 17, 5:30-8:30 p.m. hosted by the Catholic Social Services Advisory Board at the Five Rivers Delta Resource Center on the Causeway. All proceeds benefit The Service Center. Buy tickets online or at Domke Market, Red or White or Southern NAPA. Info: winefestivalat5rivers.com. Immaculee Ilibagiza, bestselling author and inspirational speaker, at Spring Hill College Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. at Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center. Tickets: $40, $20 for students; $250 sponsor ticket also include admittance for two to the private reception with Immaculee. Tickets at Visitation Monastery Gift Shop and http://www.visitationmonasterymobile.org/immaculee/000.htm. Info: 471-4106. Proceeds benefit the Visitation Sisters. Women s Retreat at Visitation Monastery, Oct. 18-20, with Fr. Deresienski, SSE as retreat master, on "The Power of Forgiveness." Registration starts Friday at 4 p.m.; retreat ends Sunday after lunch. Daily Mass, spiritual talks, confession opportunity & private conference with retreat master. Suggested offering is $125. Space is limited. Call 473-2321 for reservations. The 2B Celebrate Life Fundraising Banquet, with Archbishop Rodi and Dan Johnson, Director of the Family life and Respect Life Office, Thurs., Oct. 24, at Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel; 5:30 p.m. reception; 6 p.m. dinner. Hoopaplooza to kick off McT s 2013-2014 boys & girls basketball season, Sat., Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m., Springhill Swim Club. $30 per person. Adults only. Tickets: John McLauglin, 490-7602 or Tammy Cobb, 586-2559. Around the Archdiocese (Cont d): Friends of Catholic Cemetery: Clean-up days at the Cemetery: Oct. 12 and 26, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon to preserve & restore our historic cemetery. Some tools available; bringing your own would be appreciated. Jewish- Christian Dialogue: How Jews and Christians Read Scriptures Differently, Thursday, Oct. 24, 7 p.m. at Spring Hill College Student Center, LeBlanc Ballroom (2 nd floor). Admission free. Speaker: Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, Vanderbilt University, writer, editor, and lecturer with an international audience, co-editor of the Jewish Annotated New Testament (Oxford University Press, 2011). FIRST COLLECTION TODAY for tithing offerings. SECOND COLLECTION TODAY for Corpus Christi Building Fund. SEPT. 29 TH BUILDING FUND DONATIONS & ONLINE: $5,042.40 SEPT. 29 TH TITHING COLLECTION & ONLINE: $34,410.09 Thank You and God Bless you. God bless all who faithfully tithe and contribute to the support of God's work here at Corpus Christi, and those who make a special bequest in their will for Corpus Christi Church. To make a direct donation of stock, contact your stockbroker, or call Steve Setterstrom at Citigroup Global Mkts. at 470-1060. Offering Envelopes If you wish to use Offering Envelopes, just notify the parish office (342-1852). An initial set will be sent to you right away, and then, every two months, you will receive a two-month s supply of envelopes with your name and address printed on them. Online Giving With Online Giving you can either make a one-time contribution or set up a recurring automatic withdrawal from a checking or saving or credit card account: Go to www.corpuschristiparish.com; click Church ; then click the green Online Giving icon on the side left of the church s homepage. Follow the instructions to contribute to the tithing or building fund or special collections. For assistance, call 1-800-348-2886, ext 4, or the parish office, 342-1852. 3 rd Quarter Reports of Contributions Year-to-date Reports of Contributions through Sept. 30 are being emailed to parishioners with email addresses on file in the parish office. If you are not able to receive the report by email, just notify the parish office 342-8152 to have it sent to you by U.S. mail. You can always receive a report of your contributions by calling the parish office to have the report emailed, faxed or mailed to you.
Human life is sacred and inviolable at every stage and in every situation. Pope John Paul II Nowadays, in many parts of the world, a model of society appears to be emerging in which the powerful predominate, setting aside and even eliminating the powerless: I am thinking here of unborn children, helpless victims of abortion; the elderly and incurably ill, subject at times to euthanasia; and the many other people relegated to the margins of society by consumerism and materialism. Nor can I fail to mention the unnecessary recourse to the death penalty when other bloodless means are sufficient to defend human lives against an aggressor and to protect public order. Pope John Paul, II, Ecclesia in America, Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, January 22, 1999 ABORTION We will stand up every time that human life is threatened. When the sacredness of life before birth is attacked, we will stand up and proclaim that no one ever has the authority to destroy unborn life! Pope John Paul, II, 1979 visit to Washington, D.C. Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person among which is the inviolable right of innocent being to life. Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2270 CHILDREN Each year four million newborn babies die within 26 days of birth. We owe the greatest respect to a child. The ancients already acknowledged the importance of respecting the child who is a gift and precious good for society and whose human dignity, which he fully possesses, even unborn in his mother s womb, must be recognized. Every human being has a value in himself because he is created in the image of God in whose eyes he is all the more precious the weaker he appears to the human gaze. I am thinking above all of orphans or children abandoned because of the poverty and disintegration of their family... children who are the innocent victims of AIDS or of war and of the of the many armed conflicts that are being fought in various parts of the world. I am thinking of children who died because of poverty, drought and hunger. Pope Benedict XVI, Address on Caring for Sick Children, 2008 The right to life includes freedom from hunger, which is the first concrete manifestation of that right to life which, although solemnly proclaimed, often remains far from being effectively implemented. Pope Benedict XVI, World Food Day, Oct. 16, 2012 CAPITAL PUNISHMENT The new evangelization calls for followers of Christ who are unconditionally pro-life: who will proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of life in every situation. The dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals the chance to reform. I renew the appeal I made most recently at Christmas for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary. Pope John Paul II, Jan. 27, 1999, St. Louis, Missouri TORTURE Torture using physical or moral violence to extract confessions, punish the guilty, frighten opponents, or satisfy hatred is contrary to respect for the person and for human dignity. Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2297 Public authorities must eschew means of punishment or correction that undermine or debase the human dignity of prisoners. Torture cannot be contravened under any circumstances. Pope Benedict XVI, 2007 Papal Address to World Congress of International Commission of Catholic Prison Pastoral Care IMMIGRANTS In the Church no one is a stranger, and the Church is not foreign to anyone, anywhere. As a sacrament of unity and thus a sign and a binding force for the whole human race, the Church is the place where illegal immigrants are recognized and accepted as brothers and sisters. It is the task of the various dioceses to actively ensure that these people, who are obliged to live outside the safety net of civil society, may find a sense of brotherhood in the Christian community. Pope John Paul, II, World Migration Day, 2006 To you, immigrants who find yourselves unwelcome in the lands where you have moved, we send words of encouragement. The Church has walked alongside generations of migrants in the march for a better life, and she will not cease to stand by you with every kind of service. To seasonal workers who toil stooped under the sun to provide for their families, we unite ourselves in solidarity with you in your quest for just working conditions. Pope John Paul, II, Synod of Bishops, December 9, 1997 EUTHANASIA Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible. Whatever its motive and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable. Catechism of The Catholic Church, #1503 HEALTH CARE Decent health care is not a privilege, but a right. All people need and should have access to comprehensive, quality health care that they can afford, and it should not depend on their stage of life, where or whether they or their parents work, how much they earn, where they live, or where they were born. The bishops conference believes health care reform should be truly universal and it should be genuinely affordable. This is a fundamental issue of human dignity and a critical component of the Catholic Church s ministry. U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, letter to Congress, 2009 Health justice should be among the priorities of governments and international institutions. Establishing this goal requires a true distributive justice that guarantees to all, on the basis of objective needs, adequate care. The social doctrine of the Church has always evidenced the importance of distributive justice of social justice in the different sectors of human relations. Pope Benedict XVI, International Papal Conference On Health Care, Nov. 19, 2010 THE POOR AND OPPRESSED The Church wants to be the Church of the poor. To those who live with a certain well-being, for which they have the necessities, the Church says: Think about the poor. Think about the ones who do not have what is needed, the ones who live in chronic want, who suffer hunger... Look around you. Does it not hurt your heart? Do you not feel the stings of your conscience for your surplus and abundance? Remember that a person s value is not measured by what is owned, but by what the person is. Pope John Paul, II, During a pastoral visit to Brazil God is on the side of the oppressed. He is beside the parents who cry for their murdered children. He hears the impotent cry of the defenseless and downtrodden. He is in solidarity with women humiliatingly violated. He is near to refugees forced to leave their land and homes. Do not forget the sufferings of families, of the elderly, widows, the young and children. It is His people who are dying. Pope John Paul, II, Mass for Sarajevo, Sept. 8, 1994
If you only want to have more and more, if your idol is profit and pleasure, remember that man s value is not measured by what he has, but by what he is. So let him who has accumulated a great deal, and who thinks that everything is summed up in this, remember that he may be worth far less (within himself and in the eyes of God) than any of those poor and unknown persons. Pope John Paul, II, Address to Indians of Amazonia, June 30, 1980 The drug trade, the recycling of illicit funds, corruption at every level, the terror of violence, the arms race, racial discrimination, inequality between social groups and the irrational destruction of nature these sins are the sign of a deep crisis caused by the loss of a sense of God and the absence of those moral principals which should guide the life of every person. In the absence of moral points of reference, an unbridled greed for wealth and power takes over, obscuring any Gospel-based vision of social reality. Pope John Paul, II, Ecclesia in America, Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, January 22, 1999 The Church can never remain silent in the face of injustice, wherever it is clearly present. In the most difficult hours of your struggle for civil rights amidst discrimination and oppression, God himself guided your steps along the way of peace. Before the witness of history the response of non-violence stands, in the memory of this nation, as a monument of honor to the black community of the United States. Today as we recall those who with Christian vision opted for non-violence as the only truly effective approach for ensuring and safeguarding human dignity, we cannot but think of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and of the providential role he played in the rightful betterment of black Americans and therefore to the improvement of American society itself. Pope John Paul, II, New Orleans, Sept. 12, 1987 ECONOMIC SYSTEMS A system that subordinates the basic rights of individuals and of groups to the collective organization of production is contrary to human dignity. Every practice that reduces persons to nothing more than a means of profit enslaves man, leads to idolizing money, and contributes to the spread of atheism. You cannot serve God and mammon. Mt 6:24; Lk 16:13 Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2424 The Church has rejected the totalitarian and atheistic ideologies associated in modern times with communism or socialism. She has likewise refused to accept, in the practice of capitalism, individualism and the absolute primacy of the law of the marketplace over human labor. Regulating the economy solely by centralized planning perverts the basis of social bonds; regulating it solely by the law of the marketplace fails social justice, for there are many human needs which cannot be satisfied by the market. Reasonable regulation of the marketplace and economic initiatives, in keeping with a just hierarchy of values and a view to the common good, is to be commended. Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2425 A state, whatever its political organization or economic system, remains fragile and unstable if it does not give constant attention to its weakest members, and if it fails to do everything possible to ensure that at least their primary needs are satisfied. Pope John Paul, II, Message for World Day of Peace, Dec. 11, 1992 One of the greatest injustices in the contemporary world consists precisely in this: that the ones who possess much are relatively few and those who possess almost nothing are many. It is the injustice of the poor distribution of the goods and services originally intended for all. Pope John Paul, II, Encyclical: On Social Concern, 1987 MIDDLE EAST The Jewish people...have a right to a homeland, as does any civil nation, according to international law... This also applies to the Palestinian people, so many of whom remain homeless and refuges. Pope John Paul, II, Address to U.S. Jewish leaders in Miami, Sept. 11, 1987 WAR Never again war! No, never again war, which destroys the lives of innocent people, teaches how to kill, and leaves behind a trail of resentment and hatred... Love for others, and in the first place, love for the poor, in whom the Church sees Christ himself, is made concrete in the promotion of justice. Justice will never be fully attained unless people see in the poor person, who is asking for help in order to survive, not an annoyance or a burden, but an opportunity for showing kindness and a chance for greater enrichment. Pope John Paul II, Encyclical, Centesimus annus, 1991 Peace is not merely a gift to be received: it is also a task to be undertaken. In order to be true peacemakers, we must educate ourselves in compassion, solidarity, fraternity, working together, in being active within the community and concerned to raise awareness about national and international issues and the importance of seeking adequate mechanisms for the redistribution of wealth, the promotion of growth, cooperation for development and conflict resolution. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God, as Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5:9). Peace for all is the fruit of justice for all, and no one can shirk this essential task of promoting justice, according to one s particular areas of competence and responsibility. To the young, who have such a strong attachment to ideals, I extend a particular invitation to be patient and persevering in seeking justice and peace, in cultivating the taste for what is just and true, even when it involves sacrifice and swimming against the tide. Pope Benedict, XVI, World Day of Peace 2012 GENERAL God has an infinite capacity to love and we must become messengers of that love through compassion. The early Christian theologians considered the greatest sin of the pagan world to be a hardened, insensitive heart. Becoming Christian is to receive a tender heart, a heart of flesh that is sensitive and moved by the pain and suffering of others. Pope Benedict XVI, Way of the Cross at Rome s Colosseum, 2007 Even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor are masterpieces of God s creation, made in his own image, destined to live for ever, and deserving o f t h e u t m o s t r e v e r e n c e a n d respect. Calling to mind the teaching of St. Irenaeus that the glory of God is seen in a living human being, I encourage all of you to let the light of that glory shine so brightly that everyone may come to recognize the inestimable value of all human life. I pray that human life may always receive the protection that is its due, so that everything that breathes may praise the Lord. Pope Francis