2018-01-19-eEdition

JANUARY 19, 2018 THE CATHOLIC WEEK PAGE 3 Thu.-Sat., Jan 18-20 Washington, D.C., March for Life Tue., Jan 23 6:00 a.m. Corpus Christi Parish, Mobile, Mass Followed by Breakfast and Meeting with the Men of St. Joseph 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, Mobile, Visit Theology Classrooms 6:00 p.m. Corpus Christi Parish, Mobile, Mass and Confirmation Wed., Jan 24 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, Mobile, Visit Theology Classrooms 5:00 p.m. Cathedral Rectory, Evening Prayer and Supper with Seminarians from St. John Vianney Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota Thu., Jan 25 5:30 p.m. Annunciation Parish, Monroeville, Mass and Confirmation Fri., Jan 26 7:00 a.m. WNGL, Fairhope, Live Hour Show Sat., Jan 27 4:00 p.m. St. Michael Mission, Heron Bay, Mass and Installation of New Pastor Sun., Jan 28 11:00 a.m. St. Philip Neri, Belle Fontaine, Mass and Installation of New Pastor Tue., Jan 30 6:30 p.m. St. Mary Parish, Mobile, Catholic Schools Leadership Supper Wed., Jan 31 8 a.m - 3 p.m. McGill Toolen Catholic High School, Mobile, Visit Theology Classrooms Thu.–Fri., Feb 1-2 Bishops Meetings for Bishops of Alabama and Mississippi Fri., Feb 2 Supper with ACE Teachers Sun., Feb 4 St. Joseph Parish, Maysville, Mass and Confirmation Archbishop’s Schedule January 18 - February 4 Catholic Charities Appeal is our faith in action FROM THE ARCHBISHOP Most Reverend Thomas J. Rodi T WJTC-Mobile/Pensacola/Ft. Walton/Wiregrass 11 am Sundays PROGRAM SCHEDULE www.catholicinamerica.com Check local listings January 21 ............................................................Why Marriage Matters January 28 ..................................................................Suffering / Miracles February 4 .................. Chaplains Overseas / Religious Freedom February 11 ... Other Side of the Confessional / Saying I’m Sorry DAILY READINGS JANUARY 21 - JANUARY 27 Sun., January 21 Jon 3:1-5, 10 Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 1 Cor 7:29-31 Mk 1:14-20 Mon., January 22 2 Sm 5:1-7, 10 Ps 89:20, 21-22, 25-26 Mk 3:22-30 Tue., January 23 2 Sm 6:12b-15, 17-19 Ps 24:7, 8, 9, 10 Mk 3:31-35 Wed., January 24 2 Sm 7:4-17 Ps 89:4-5, 37-28, 29-30 Mk 4:1-20 Thurs., January 25 Acts 22:3-16 Ps 117:1bc, 2 Mk 16:15-18 Fri., January 26 2Tm1:1-8 Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10 Mk 4:26-34 Sat., January 27 2 Sm 12:1-7a, 10-17 Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 16-17 Mk 4:35-41 Sun., January 28 Dt 18:15-20 Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9 1 Cor 7:32-35 Mk 1:21-28 Mon. January 29 2 Sm 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13 Ps 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 Mk 5:1-20 Tue., January 30 2 Sm 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30—19:3 Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 Mk 5:21-43 Wed., January 31 2 Sm 24:2, 9-17 Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7 Mk 6:1-6 Thurs., February 1 1 Kgs 2:1-4, 10-12 1 Chr 29;10, 11ab, 11d-12a, 12bcd MK 6:7-13 Fri., February 2 Mal 3:1-4 Ps 24:7, 8, 9, 10 Heb 2:14-18 Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22-32 Sat., February 3 I Kgs 3:4-13 Ps 119:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 Mk 6:30-34 JANUARY 28 - FEBRUARY 3 Saint Francis de Sales Saint of the Day January 24 he Catholic Charities Ap- peal of the Archdiocese of Mobile was established in 1931. Through the years the people of our archdiocese have responded to this Appeal with remarkable generosity. I am asking everyone to support the Appeal as gener- ously as possible. The requested pledge is $540 over the next 11 months. However, I hope ev- eryone will give in accord with their ability to do so. If $540 is beyond someone’s ability to donate, then give what is pos- sible. No pledge is too small. A single raindrop may not seem significant, but enough rain- drops joined together will create a mighty river. And no pledge is too large. Give to the extent that one is able. Why have a Catholic Chari- ties Appeal?The obvious answer is that there is a desperate need for the more than 30 ministries which are supported by the Ap- peal. Tens of thousands of our neighbors are helped each year because of the Appeal: the needy are assisted with food, clothing, emergency help with utility bills and rent; troubled individuals and families receive counseling in order to live better; the faith is supported among college students; prisoners receive the word of God; youth programs are made available especially to smaller parishes; mothers with problem pregnancies obtain baby clothes, food, parenting classes, and baby supplies; Eng- lish as a second language classes are offered; and more. Together, we accomplish far more than we could ever accomplish alone. But there is a more profound reason why we have the Appeal. The Appeal is much more than addressing needs, it is our faith in action. If we have faith, then we must put it in action. As the Bible teaches: What good is it,my broth- ers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is with- out clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physi- cal needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompa- nied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith with- out deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abra- ham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a per- son is considered righ- teous by what they do and not by faith alone. ( James 2:14-24) Jesus taught us that: “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Mt 10:42) It is amazing that God does not forget even something as small as a cup of water. It shows how much God cares about us helping one another. As Jesus taught: “Truly I tell you, what- ever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Mt 25:40) As Saul (later St. Paul) was traveling on the road to Da- mascus he was struck down and blinded, he heard the voice of Jesus say: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4) It would have been much more logical if Jesus had said: “why do you persecute my followers?” But Jesus said “Me.” It shows that whatever we do to others, we are doing to Jesus. Sometimes our neighbors who are not Catholic will ask me why Catholics in their churches usually have a statue of Jesus on the cross since most Protestant churches have only a bare cross. They will ask why, if we believe that Jesus triumphed on the cross, then why is Jesus still upon the cross? My answer is simple: Jesus is still on the cross in our churches because the Church is on the cross. The One who triumphed through His suffering does not depart from us in our sufferings. And because He is with those who struggle and suffer, He expects us to be there too.We are called to be the hands of Christ to those who need our help. Let us place our faith into action and through our pledge to the Catholic Charities Ap- peal be the Hands of Christ to others.