October 2017 – Respect Life Month / Fair Trade Month

In this issue: Word of Life Prayers of the Faithful * October Calendar *World Day of the Poor * Cornerstone Conference * CRS Ethical Trade sales * Memorial for the Preborn * Prayer for Immigrants * New Poverty Statistics * Respect Life Materials * Share the Journey * Pope Francis’ Video * Who Is My Neighbor? *Respect Life Mass * Disaster Updates * Blessed Stanley Rother

Farm Workers’ Prayer

Bless the hands of the people of the earth, The hands that plant the seed,

The hands that bind the harvest, The hands that carry the burden of life. Soften the hands of the oppressor and

Strengthen the hands of the oppressed. Bless the hands of the workers,

Bless the hands of those in power above them That the measure they deal will be tempered

With justice and compassion.

- Amen National Farmer Worker Ministry

Word of Life Prayers for the Faithful Intentions on themes of life and family from the Pro-Life Activities office at the USCCB are available for October, in both English: www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/word-of-life/upload/Word-of-Life-2017-10.pdf and Spanish: www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/word-of-life/upload/Palabra-de-Vida-2017-10.pdf

Our Calendar is Our Catechism - October Opportunities for catechesis and witness: Attend an event or connect a Work of Mercy with a special day in our faith and lives.

October is Respect Life Month, Pray for the Living and the Dead October is Fair Trade Awareness Month, Comfort the Afflicted October 1 Respect Life Sunday, Pray for the Living and the Dead October 1-7 Mental Health Awareness Week, Comfort the Afflicted October 2 International Day of Non-Violence, Peace October 4 St. Francis: Patron Saint of Ecology, Forgive Offenses October 7-13 Week of Prayer and Action for Migrants and Refugees, sharejourney.org October 10 World Mental Health Day, Comfort the Afflicted October 10 World Day Against Homelessness, Shelter the Homeless October 10 World Day against the Death Penalty, Visit the Imprisoned October 11 International Day of the Girl, Instruct the Ignorant October 16 World Food Day, Feed the Hungry October 16 St. Gerard Majella: Patron Saint of Expectant Mothers, Comfort the Afflicted October 18 St. Luke: Patron Saint of Doctors, Visit the Sick October 24 United Nations Day, St. John Paul II Address to the UN October 24-30 Disarmament Week, USCCB on Nuclear Disarmament

…with thanks to the Archdiocese of Portland’s office of Life, Justice and Peace

World Day of the Poor Pope Francis has declared a first-ever World Day of the Poor for this year on Sunday, November 19.

You can find the whole proclamation from the Vatican here: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/poveri/documents/papa-francesco_20170613_messaggio-i-giornatamondiale-poveri-2017.html. Catholic News Service also has an article: https://cnstopstories.com/2017/06/13/poverty-requires-action-not-empty-words-pope-says/.

Cornerstone Catholic Conference You can still register for this statewide Life & Justice conference from the WA State Bishops at the Tacoma Convention Center on October 20th & 21st (Friday evening to a closing Saturday Mass). Workshops will focus on difficult decisions at the end of life, supporting integrated life and justice ministries in our parishes, immigration, ministry to pregnant and parenting families, and so much more! Registration is $75 (plus processing fees) and can be done at: www.CornerstoneCatholic.org. Here’s a video invitation from Bishop Barron: https://youtu.be/TfEe8co9R78. You can also listen to a podcast from earlier in September from his Word on Fire series: Pro-Life AND Social Justice: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-word-on-fire-show-catholic-faith-and-culture/id1065019039?mt=2&i=1000392087226.

Catholic Relief Services’ Ethical Trade – October is Fair Trade Month Catholic Charities will be taking part in several CRS Fair Trade sales around the Diocese in the coming months. Mark your calendar for one near you, and remember, how you spend your money tells me what you value.

o Sunday, October 29th, Our Lady of Lake, Suncrest o Friday/Saturday, November 3rd and 4th, Jubilee International Marketplace, First Presbyterian

Church in Spokane: http://www.spokanefpc.org/serve/in-our-church/jubilee-international-marketplace. This is the biggest, best sale of the season!!!

o Saturday/Sunday, November 11th & 12th, Assumption Parish, Spokane o Saturday/Sunday, November 18th & 19th: Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Spokane o Saturday/Sunday, December 9th & 10th: St. Charles Parish, Spokane

Memorial for the Preborn

In our ongoing mission to generate a civilization of love, the Diocese of Spokane invites you to a Memorial for the Preborn led by Bishop Thomas A. Daly, on Saturday, September 30 at 7:30 pm at Bishop White Seminary (429 E. Sharp Ave). Countless parents have experienced the death of a child. When this death happens before the child’s birth, the resulting grief, though real and painful, is often overlooked, hidden, or denied. Yet a lament arises from women and men regardless of age, race, culture, religion, or immigration status, uniting us all in a common bond of grief and a desire for healing.

New Prayer for Immigrants: The USCCB invites us to pray for families of mixed immigration status, victims of racism, migrant laborers, young people brought to the U.S. as children, and all who are in the shadows. The new prayer, Hear Us, O God, is available in English and Spanish.

Poverty USA: New Poverty Statistics and Our Catholic Response Every September, the Census Bureau releases updated statistics on income and poverty. Understanding and utilizing this data can help guide our advocacy efforts and improve our educational outreach. Join the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) for a webinar Wed., Oct. 11 at noon PDT to discuss the statistics and what it all means for people struggling to make ends meet. Register now!

Respect Life Materials for 2017 – October is Respect Life Month This year’s Respect Life program from the USCCB should be in your parish by now. Don’t be afraid to ask your pastor or parish staff if you don’t see it. The theme for this year’s program is "Be Not Afraid." Its dual purpose is to provide encouragement and comfort in difficult times, as well as to inspire and encourage people to accompany others and stand for life. There are six brochures available covering the following topics: (1) Catholic considerations for understanding and preparing for death; (2) how to lovingly be there for a woman considering abortion; (3) top reasons to oppose assisted-suicide; (4) the death penalty; (5) basics of conscience; and (6) fostering a culture that cherishes human life by responding to our call as missionary disciples. To view and order these USCCB materials, visit http://usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/respect-life-program/2017/respect-life-program-2017-articles.cfm.

Share the Journey Pope Francis has launched a global campaign in support of immigrants and refugees on Sept. 27, 2017. On that day, the Holy Father offered a symbolic gesture of “reaching out” to immigrants and refugees in St. Peter’s Square, inviting others to join him. This was the official start to the Share the Journey global migration campaign, sponsored internationally by Caritas Internationalis and in the U.S. by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)/Migrant and Refugee Services, Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA)

and Catholic Relief Services (CRS). We hope that every parish and school will be inspired to show love for refugee and immigrant neighbors around the world and here at home.

Please encourage your parish and school to participate in the week of prayer and action October 7 - 14, 2017 by: • Praying for migrants in the general intercessions and prayerfully mention the campaign in the homily, pulpit and bulletin announcements at Masses Oct 7-8. • Offering the campaign prayer aloud as a community and ask people to commit to one way they can Share the Journey by loving our refugee and immigrant neighbors. • Using lesson plans, resources, simulations, and prayer pilgrimages to explain why people leave their home countries, to highlight common myths about the issue, and to raise awareness about what the Church teaches. • Providing opportunities for people to get to know immigrants and refugees. Contact your local Catholic Charities agency or other local agency that serves immigrants and refugees to help you identify people who would be comfortable meeting and sharing their stories. To learn more about the campaign and to find resources for parishes and schools visit www.loveyourneighbor.us , the website for the campaign in the U.S. Also: www.sharejourney.org. You can also watch an interview on Facebook featuring a refugee who fled the violence in Syria: www.facebook.com/CatholicReliefServices/.

Pope Francis’ Video for September The Pope's video for September – part of his worldwide prayer network – asks that our parishes be places of missionary spirit, reaching out in charity and solidarity.

To view the video: www.thepopevideo.org/

Who Is My Neighbor? St. Aloysius Parish in Spokane invites you to a four-part series in October examining aspects of the Washington State Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on Poverty. The first session takes place Wednesday, October 18th, at 7 p.m. in O’Malley Hall (under the church). Presenters will be Scott Cooper from Catholic Charities and Boyd Foster from the Spokane Regional Health District, addressing the realities of poverty in our area. All are welcome. Please RSVP to Rita Waldref at rwaldref@dioceseofspokane.org or 313-7003.

Mass for Life All are invited to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes on Tuesday, October 3rd at 12 noon for the annual Respect Life Mass.

Disaster Updates – Harvey, Irma, Maria & Mexican Earthquake Thank you for your outpouring of support for all those affected by recent natural disasters in the Americas. CRS and our local Catholic partners are responding to these back-to-back disasters by bringing humanitarian relief to earthquake victims in Mexico and those affected by the hurricanes in the Caribbean. We also have prayers and handouts to help people respond, including a one-page bilingual flyer about how the Church is supporting relief efforts.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has set up funds to receive donations to help the survivors of the recent hurricanes and the Mexico earthquakes, should parishes wish to donate. Contributions will be used to support the reconstruction and pastoral needs of the Church as well as humanitarian and recovery assistance through Catholic Charities USA in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and Catholic Relief Services in Mexico. Catholic Relief Services–along with partners–has been responding in Mexico following the September 7 earthquake, focusing on shelter repairs and immediate relief to vulnerable families in isolated areas outside of Mexico City. Likewise, CRS is responding to those impacted by the hurricanes in the Caribbean, providing shelter, water and critical supplies, including tarps, tents, and hygiene and kitchen kits in affected communities. In the same vein, Catholic Charities USA is working with on-the-ground partners in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Going on in Our Area Organizations we partner with or which are linked to Church institutions have shared these upcoming opportunities with us:

o Healing the Culture invites you to their annual Gala, “Stand Up for Life” on October 23rd in Spokane at the historic Davenport Hotel. You can learn more here: www.healingtheculture.com.

o River City Youth Ops is the new name for Project HOPE Spokane, which has received national CCHD grants in past years. They invite you to a fundraiser on October 4th at Gonzaga’s Hemmingson Center to support their work of employment and job training for at-risk youth in Spokane. Learn more at www.youthops.org.

o Also at Gonzaga’s Hemmingson Auditorium (basement) on October 4th, at 7 p.m., Witness to Innocence, a panel discussion on the Death Penalty and Race, featuring Death Row Exonerees Sabrina Butler-Smith and Randal Padgett.

o The Spokane Alliance invites you to “Budget Matters” on October 31st, at Gonzaga’s Hemmingson Ballroom. A presenter from the Washington State Budget & Policy Center will propose solutions to our state’s upside-down tax code (which our state’s Bishops have addressed more than once). Learn more here: REGISTER NOW

o The Fall Flannery Lecture at Gonzaga (Hemmingson Ballroom) on Thursday, November 2nd, at 6 p.m., features the University of Notre Dame’s Rev. Dan Groody, presenting on “Passing Over: Migration, Theology and Eucharist.”

Blessed Stanley Rother, Pray For Us! Fr. Stanley Rother was an Oklahoma priest killed in Guatemala on July 28, 1981, in his own rectory. Guatemala was then in the midst of a brutal civil war. Fr. Rother is the first US-born martyr and was beatified in Oklahoma City on September 23rd. An Oklahoma farm boy, Fr. Rother served in the Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa’s mission in Guatemala for fourteen years. Seeking justice in the midst of violence, he fought courageously for the well-being of his people even as the dominant military culture was hostile to the Catholic Church. The beloved “Padre Francisco” was known for his kindness, selflessness, joy and attentive presence among his parishioners.

You can learn more about Blessed Fr. Rother and his beatification here: http://www.archokc.org/rotator-news/8310-oklahoma-priest-stanley-rother-beatified

Pope Francis’ Words: "Every stranger who knocks at our door is an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ, who identifies with the welcomed and rejected strangers of every age (Matthew 25:35-43). The Lord entrusts to the Church’s motherly love every person forced to leave their homeland in search of a better future.”

- Message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2018

Scott Cooper Director, Parish Social Ministries Catholic Charities Spokane P.O. Box 2253 Spokane WA 99210-2253 (509) 358-4273 (509) 358-4259 (fax) scooper@ccspokane.org www.catholiccharitiesspokane.org