This short talk by Fr. Greg Boyle underscores the dignity of every person.
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CLICK HERE for USCCB parish and school resources on Faithful Citizenship.
CLICK HERE for more resources on forming our civic consciences. 
"Promoting a Church and a World for All"
The USCCB has a toolkit to help us take the opportunity to engage migrants as community members, neighbors, and friends. |
CLICK HERE for USCCB resources on fighting human trafficking.
CLICK HERE for tactics of vowed religious communities who fight human trafficking. 
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CLICK HERE for the teaching of the USCCB teaching on "Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity."
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Online resources on the
Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching:
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CLICK HERE to link to the Catholic Social Teaching content page of Joe Paprocki's Cathechist Journey website from Loyola Press.
CLICK HERE for a link to Sadlier Religion's beautiful downloadable poster on the Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching.
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CLICK HERE to access the USCCB's opening page on Catholic Social Teaching.
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CLICK HERE to get to the Catholic Relief Services CST 101 videos on YouTube. There's one video for each of the seven themes. Each video is less than four minutes.
CLICK HERE for Catholic Social Teaching lesson plans from CRS for children in grades 1-8. CLICK HERE for activities, modules, retreats, slideshows, and more related to Catholic Social Teaching from CRS. 
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Online resources on the Catholic approach to
peace and justice:
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CLICK HERE for Community Engagement Resources on the USCCB Justice for Immigrants website.
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CLICK HERE for a Catechist Cafe page full of peace and justice videos.
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CLICK HERE for Prayers, Activities, and videos from Share the Journey, a Caritas International initiative, with the USCCB, Catholic Relief Services, and Catholic Charities USA.
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Peace & Justice resources are available in our diocesan library:
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE LIBRARY MATERIALS
or call 330 744-8451 ext 297, or email library@youngstowndiocese.org.
or call 330 744-8451 ext 297, or email library@youngstowndiocese.org.
A Stranger and You Welcomed Me: A Call to Mercy and Solidarity with Migrants and Refugees. by Pope Francis. Orbis Books, 2018. The plight of migrants and refugees has been a constant and urgent priority for Pope Francis. On his first trip outside of Rome to the Island of Lampedusa, a waystation for refugees in the Mediterranean, he spoke of the many who have drowned: “We are a society which has forgotten how to weep, how to experience compassion . . . the globalization of indifference has taken from us the ability to weep!” In this collection of his writings and sermons, Pope Francis frequently reminds us that Jesus and his parents were refugees in Egypt. He calls on everyone to understand the root causes of the mass movement of people, and to act with compassion and solidarity in response to their sufferings, remembering Jesus’s words: “What you have done to the least of my brothers, you have done to me. 
Drop by Drop. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, illustrated by Carrie Gowran. Loyola Press, 2015. Drop by Drop contains colorful pictures and an engaging story that helps children understand important lessons of how to work for justice and peace and to help those in need. Sister Mary Jerome’s nephew Mike works for Catholic Relief Services. This is an organization that helps people throughout the world. Mr. Mike came to Sister’s class and told the story of a village in the country of Burkina Faso, which is in Africa. The story is about a girl named Sylvie and how her village needed water. Sylvie eventually learns that her village has been chosen for a special Water Project 
The Beatitudes of Peace: Meditations on the Beatitudes, Peacemaking, and the Spiritual Life. John Dear, Twenty Third Publications, 2016. The Beatitudes are “the hope and prayer and vision of Jesus…the blueprint for Christian discipleship, the job description of every Christian,” says John Dear. These stirring meditations are more than mere reflections. They are a call to action, a summons to take up the Beatitudes as a daily handbook for life, written by an internationally known voice for peace and nonviolence. Set against vivid descriptions of peace efforts in places like Afghanistan; Israel; and Los Alamos, New Mexico, Dear combines scriptural wisdom with practical advice from peacemakers like Gandhi (who regularly read the Beatitudes), Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, and many more. |
Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship. by Fr. Greg Boyle, Simon & Schuster, 2017. In a nation deeply divided and plagued by poverty and violence, Barking to the Choir offers a snapshot into the challenges and joys of life on the margins. These former gang members uplift the soul and reveal how bright life can be when filled with unconditional love and kindness. This book is guaranteed to shake up our ideas about God and about people with a glimpse at a world defined by more compassion and fewer barriers. Gently and humorously, Barking to the Choir invites us to find kinship with one another and reconvinces us all of our own goodness 
Deliberate Acts of Kindness: a Field Guide to Service as a Spiritual Practice. by Meredith Gould, Clear Faith Publishing, 2016. Discusses service to others as a spiritual practice, offering tips on how to decide where to serve, looking at different volunteer environments, and including contemplative writing exercises. 
Immigration and the Next America, Archbishop José H. Gomez. Our Sunday Visitor, 2013 Archbishop José Gomez has written a personal, passionate and practical contribution to the national debate about immigration - pointing the way toward a recovery of America's highest ideals. "Immigration is a human rights test of our generation. It's also a defining historical moment for America. The meaning of this hour is that we need to renew our country in the image of her founding promises of universal rights rooted in God. Immigration is about more than immigration. It's about renewing the soul of America." 
Catholic Economics: Alternatives to the Jungle. Sibley, Angus. Liturgical Press, 2015. Inequality, unemployment, degradation of our environment: these and other practical economic problems reflect faulty economic theories. We have been led astray by ideas that made some sense in the past but are unsuited to our times and by ideas that are fundamentally mistaken. The Catholic Church has an extensive body of teachings on economic and social matters which offers practical alternatives to the economics of the jungle. This book provides clear explanations of major errors in conventional economic thinking and shows how the church's teachings can point us in a better direction. |
Peacemaking and Nonviolence (Threshold Bible Study). by Stephen J. Binz, Twenty Third Publicatons, 2018. This-six session bible study for adults focuses on the teaching of the prophets and Jesus as a way out of violence, weapons, and war. Learn to read the prophets, the gospels, and letters of Paul and Peter through the lens of the cross. Includes discussion questions for groups and excellent Catholic commentary! 
Teaching Kids to Respect Others: Reflections, Activities, and Prayers on Bullying and Prejudice. by Kevin M. Dowd, Twenty Third Publications, 2018. The epidemic of bullying and disrespecting others fills the news each day. In this excellent and important book, Kevin Dowd offers catechists and parents practical and prayerful ways to help our children learn about and deal with issues of respect, bullying, and prejudice. Among the topics he explores are caring for family, friends, classmates, teachers, people in other countries, people who are different, immigrants and refugees, the sick, and more. 
Catholicism & Citizenship: Political Cultures of the Church in the Twenty-First Century. by Massimo Faggioli. Liturgical Press, 2017. The beginning of the twenty-first century has provided abundant evidence of the necessity to reexamine the relationship between Catholicism and the modern, global world. This book tries to proceed on this path with a focus on the meaning, legacy, and reception in today's world of the ecclesiology of Vatican II, starting with Gaudium et Spes: "This council exhorts Christians, as citizens of two cities, to strive to discharge their earthly duties conscientiously and in response to the Gospel spirit." Catholicism and Citizenship is a call for a rediscovery of the moral and political imagination of Vatican II for the Church and the world of our time. 
La Verdad: A Witness to the Salvadoran Martyrs. Lucia Cerna, Mary Jo Ignoffo. Orbis Books, 2014. A firsthand account of the El Salvador martyrdoms and the process of resettling the the United States by Lucia Cerna, a housekeeper at the UCA, through transcribed interviews; also an academic and politically adept reading of El Salvador's history and the vagaries of the American immigration system by a local scholar and professor who also translated and transcribed Cerna's interviews. |
Visit these pages on each of the social teachings:
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These videos can help with prayer for Peace
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Pray for Peace by Reba McEntire.
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This music video offers lovely Taize-like melody
and stunningly beautiful images. |
Pope Francis has approved a revision the Catechism of the Catholic Church #2267 on the death penalty.
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For the new revision of #2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the death penalty:
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Available in the diocesan library is this book to help communities and individuals reflect more deeply on capital punishment. It incorporates Scripture, Catholic teaching, and contemporary issues.
Death Penalty and Discipleship: A Faith Formation Guide, by David Matzko McCarthy. CLICK HERE to reserve the book. |
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Here are ten ways from the Catholic Mobilizing Network to help with educating, advocating, and praying for an end to the death penalty in our country.
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The Catholic Conference of Ohio has this issues page on the death penalty, with updates on Governor DeWine's February 2019 halt on state executions.
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Archbishop Oscar Romero
Archbishop Oscar Romero (1917-1980) was canonized as a saint on October 14, 2018. His story shines light on Catholic Social Teaching.
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This 4-minute video, appropriate for kids and adults, details the life of Archbishop Oscar Romero:
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"An outspoken critic of the violence and injustices being committed at the time, Romero was declared a martyr who was killed in hatred of the faith for his vocal defense of human rights." - from the Catholic News Agency article on the announcement of his canonization. For the whole article, CLICK HERE. |
The Diocesan Library has these resources on Archbishop Romero.
CLICK HERE to reserve materials.
CLICK HERE to reserve materials.
Movies:
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The Library has the movie Romero, a powerful look at the transformation of the Archbishop from a middle-of-the-road priest to a committed leader for the gospel in El Salvador.
CLICK HERE to borrow the DVD. 
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Monseñor: The Last Journey of Oscar Romero
a film by Ana Carrigan & Juliet Weber This compilation of footage from the last three years of Romero's life is a balanced portrait of a man of great courage. There's a Study Guide with background, glossary, session designs, and reflection questions. Appropriate for teens and adults. CLICK HERE to borrow the DVD. 
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Books:
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Romero : A Life
by James R. Brockman. A biography drawing from the archbishop's own writings, sermons, and diaries to discuss his life and struggle to win justice for the poor and to end the oppression in his country. 
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Archbishop Romero : memories and reflections
by Jon Sobrino Written by a Jesuit theologian from San Salvador who worked closely with Archbishop Romero and has spent much of the past thirty-five years since his assassination reflecting on the meaning of his extraordinary life and witness. 
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Revolutionary Saint : The Theological Legacy of Oscar Romero
by Michael E. Lee. This 2017 work offers a profound reflection on the implications of the archbishop's recognition as a martyr and on the model of holiness he offers for the wider church today. 
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