Transcript Slide 1

In our nation, many of our sisters and brothers live in poverty. The
causes are complex, but the results are clear. They cannot find decent
work, feed their families, educate their children, secure health care, or find
adequate housing…millions of families cannot live in dignity because they
lack the conditions worthy of human life.
As Catholics and Christians, we must come together with a common
conviction that we can no longer tolerate the moral scandal of poverty in our
land…as believers, we can debate how best to overcome these realities, but
we must be united in our determination to do so. Our faith teaches us that
poor people are not issues or problems but sisters and brothers in God’s…
ONE HUMAN FAMILY.
The Road to the Kingdom has been
Under Construction Since 1989
A Prayer of John Henry Cardinal Newman
“God has created me to do some definite service;
God has committed some work to me which he has not
committed to another. I have my mission - I may never
know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next...I am a
link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.
God has not created me for naught. I shall do good. I
shall do God’s work. I shall be an angel of peace, a
preacher of truth in my own place. Whatever, wherever I
am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my
sickness may serve him; in perplexity, my perplexity may
serve him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve
him...God does nothing in vain;
Therefore, I will trust in the Lord!”
APPA– WHAT!?!
How do you pronounce Appalachia?
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Apa-lay-sha
Apa-lay-shia
Apa-lachia
Apa-lacha
THIS LAND IS HOME TO ME:
A Pastoral Letter on Powerlessness in Appalachia
by the Catholic Bishops of the Region
“The joy and the hope, the grief and anguish of
the men (and women) of our time, especially
those who are poor or afflicted in any way, are
the joy and hope, the grief and anguish of the
followers of Christ as well” Gaudium et Spes.
I.
THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
The Appalachian mountains form the spiny
backbone of the Eastern United States.
The Appalachian Region, runs from New
York to Northern Georgia and Alabama. It
contains 397 counties in 13 states, parts of
Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland,
Mississippi, New York, North Carolina,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,
Virginia, and all of West Virginia.
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Coal is King…
• “The Kings are those who control big coal, and the profit and power
which come with it. Many of these “kings” don’t live in the region.”
• “A long time ago in this country when big industry just got started,
Appalachian coal played a big role. It fed the furnaces of our first
industrial giants, like Pittsburgh.”
• “Soon the mountain people were dependent on the coal companies
and on the company towns that came with them.”
• “The mines in the hills began to close.”
• The people had to fight one another for the few jobs.
• “The powerlessness of isolated people.”
• This country took great riches from the Appalachian region, but left
so little for the people.
• We are not satisfied with our consumer society – it makes life a rat
race, where nobody feels they belong, where all are pushed around,
where roots disappear. With so much busy-ness and clutter of
things…we get lost in our busy-ness and grow to hate and abuse all
our things. Happiness is not the accumulation of things. We must
leave space for our God rather than filling up with little gods.
…CHRIST IS KING!
II. THE ANSWER OF JESUS & HIS CHURCH
The God of the Poor [Exodus 3:7-9, 30-31; Psalms 72:12-14]…the
Living God, the Lord whom we worship, is the God of the poor.
The Messiah & His Reign [Psalms 72:1-4, 12-13; Luke 4:18-19; 6:21,
24-25; Exodus 20:1-3; Deuteronomy 30:19-20]…God is with us!
The Church’s Mission [Acts 4:32-35]…insist on practical love!
“Our faith calls us to work for justice; to serve those in need; to pursue
peace; and to defend the life, dignity, and rights of all our sisters and
brothers. This is the call of Jesus, the urging of His Spirit, the challenge
of the prophets, and the living tradition of our Church” RTV.
The Church’s Social Teaching [Philippians 4:8]…God has challenged
us to take up as holy whatever is good and beautiful in the modern
world as in all of creation.
THEMES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING
III. FACING THE FUTURE
“We must continually take the time and invest
creativity into listening to our people, especially the
poor. For it is they who, out of their frustrations, dreams,
and struggles, must lead the way for all of us.”
“A new society is to be born, it will emerge from the
grass roots (i.e. you and me working together).”
“We know that all those who love Jesus will struggle to
follow His path.”
Proclaim Matthew 25:31-46…
“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25 Projects are a simple, minimum response to the challenge of
the Gospel. Doing God’s will is allowing His love to flow through us into our
love for others. It is the authenticating expression of our discipleship. The servant
who employs their talents is the one blessed on the Master’s return.
What sort of action should I perform because I believe in Christ?
The 7 Corporal Works of Mercy
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Shelter the homeless
Clothe the naked
Visit the sick
Visit the imprisoned
Bury the dead
(Welcome the Stranger)
Saint Catherine of Sweden Parish’s
APPALACHIAN SUMMER HOME
REPAIR PROGRAM
F.A.Q.’s
Q: What week is the trip?
A: Sunday, June 15 through
Saturday, June 21, 2008 (we
traditionally leave on Father’s
Day). We carpool to W.V.
with luggage, tools, and
materials arriving by truck.
F.A.Q.’s cont.
Q:
Who can come?
A:
Anyone who has completed his/her 9th
grade year in June 2008. Also, any student
who has completed the 8th grade by June
2008 is welcome to attend along with a
parent or guardian. Any Workcamper age 18
and older must complete the appropriate
clearances required by the Diocese of
Pittsburgh. In addition, each Workcamper
must complete and return all the required
forms in order to participate.
F.A.Q.’s cont.
Q:
Are Workcamper Meetings
mandatory?
A:
Yes, all (5) preparation meetings and
activities are mandatory with the
understanding that each person is
expected to assist with at least one
committee and/or some planning
aspect.
F.A.Q.’s cont.
Q:
How many people can attend?
A:
Camp capacity is 100 people. Our
roster is determined by the number of
adult participants age 21 and over. In order
to take 100 people we must first have 35
adults. Our goal is not to take the maximum
amount of people, but to serve our neighbors
the best possible way.
F.A.Q.’s cont.
Q:
What is the cost of attending?
A:
A non-refundable deposit of $50 is due
with registration. Each person must
also fundraise an additional $300 to
cover transportation, lodging, meals,
building materials, project supplies,
t-shirts, and administrative costs.
F.A.Q.’s cont.
Q:
Where do we sleep and how close
are the bathrooms?
A:
We sleep in single room cabins with
boys separated from girls and with at
least 2 adult chaperones in each
cabin. The bathrooms are within 150
feet from the furthest cabin and are
connected by paved walkways.
Cabin at Camp Galilee
Bathroom at Camp Galilee
F.A.Q.’s cont.
Q:
A:
Can I attend only part of the week?
This is a full week commitment, we expect
everyone to attend the entire week’s
program (Sunday morning to Saturday
evening). The intensity of the work demands
full and uninterrupted attention. Arriving late
or leaving early creates complications and
negatively impacts the experience.
We
cannot do everything…do something and
do it well.
F.A.Q.’s cont.
Q:
How is the group organized?
A:
The Appalachia Committee, under the
direction of the Project Manager (Youth
Minister), is responsible for the operation of
the program. Every Workcamper is
expected to assist with this work through
sub-committees, camp chores, etc.
APPALACHIA COMMITTEE PLEASE STAND
WORK EXPECTATIONS
We work on a variety of projects, but most of our
work consists of the following items…Roofs, Decks,
Ramps, Electrical, Plumbing, Siding, Painting,
Additions, Landscaping, etc.
Rain or shine, the work will go on! We work in all
kinds of weather as long as the situation is safe.
Participants are not required to work in conditions
that make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
Adult supervision is present at each work site.
DAILY SCHEDULE
6:45AM
Rise & Shine!
7:00AM
Morning Prayer & Breakfast
8:00AM
Leave for Worksites
12:00PM – 1:00PM
Prayer, Lunch, & Bible Study
5:00PM
Return to Camp Galilee
6:00PM
Evening Prayer & Dinner
7:00PM
Site Leaders Briefing
8:00PM
Camp Activities
9:00PM
Park Closed
10:00PM
Dining Hall Closed
10:00PM
Night Prayer & Bible Study
11:00PM
Rec. Hall Closed/Fire out
12:00PM
Lights Out...Go to Sleep!
SAFETY, RULES, & BEHAVIORAL GUIDELINES
We represent St. Catherine of Sweden Parish and the Roman Catholic Church
therefore “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The
second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself” Matthew 22:37-39.
[See also: Exodus 20:1-17; Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:1-12; Acts 2:42-47]
It is the responsibility of every Workcamper to ensure the safety and well being
of all participants. If any activity, action, or situation seems unsafe it is your
responsibility to notify the youth minister immediately.
If any student is involved in any serious violation of the rules and/or safety
guidelines the student’s parents will be called to pick him/her up at camp. If the
situation involves an adult, he/she will make immediate arrangements to leave
the camp. ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES MAY BE ADDED AT THE DISCRETION
OF THE PASTOR, YOUTH MINISTER, AND/OR APPALACHIA COMMITTEE…
If according to times and needs you should be obliged to make fresh rules and
change current things, do it with prudence and good advice” St. Angela Merici.
REGISTRATION
Registration A (Open to Adult Workcampers ONLY – ages 21 and over)
Begins January 2, 2008.
Registration B (Open to Parishioners ONLY – grade 9 through age 20)
Begins February 1, 2008.
Registration C (Open to non-Parishioners – grade 9 through age 20)
Begins February 15, 2008.
The following items are needed to complete individual registration:
An initial deposit of $50 (non-refundable and non-transferable) along with a
completed registration form. Complete Registration Forms will be accepted on a
first come, first serve basis and will not be accepted early.
Registration A, B, and C will be closed on February 24, 2008.
WHAT’S NEXT?
February 24
Workcamper Meeting #1
March 30
Workcamper Meeting #2
April 27
Workcamper Meeting #3
May 18 (Noon – 5PM)
Workcamper Meeting #4
June 8
Workcamper Meeting #5
June 15 (9:15AM)
Mass & Blessing of Workcampers
June 15-21, 2008
Appalachia Week!
June 21 (4:00PM)
Welcome Home Mass
Workcamper Meetings will be held on Sundays in the Church Hall beginning at
7:15PM and ending by 8:45PM.
Prayer of St. Francis
Lord make me an instrument of Your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned
and it is in dying,
that we are born to eternal life.
Amen!