Caregiving
Many of us are called into the Caregiving role with very little, if any preparation. We want to help … we truly do … and yet at times we can feel quite conflicted. On the one hand we feel love, concern, empathy, compassion, gratitude, and the like, while at the very same time we can sometimes feel the opposite: anger, frustration, resentment, impatience, and lots of guilt. Caregiving demands much of us; some of us are called to give direct care, others distance care, still others a care of management. We’re called to care for our children, our spouses, our aging parents, and others. Yet, whatever type of Caregiving we’re called to perform, we cannot forget to care for ourselves.
Jesus did command us to honor others, but He never asked that we dishonor ourselves in the process. Caregivers receive a special grace, a stream of grace that uplifts and sustains us, protects and propels us closer to God. Caregiving is essentially a faith journey, a pilgrimage to our very soul. Come learn some straight answers that help you serve their needs without ignoring your own.
Ministry to the Separated, Widowed, or Divorced
The loss of a relationship through death or divorce can be one of life’s most traumatic times. The Office of Family Life recognizes that rebuilding one’s life after such a loss can be emotionally, physically and spiritually draining. It is normal to experience a wide range of feelings- including anger, fear and even doubts about God and God’s plan for your future.
It is in keeping with the following US Bishops’ 1994 pastoral message to families, entitled Follow the Way of Love, that we offer support through a variety of spiritual and educational resources, programs and a network of trained peer support groups.
"Divorced and widowed persons: relationships and circumstances within your family may have changed, but God’s love for you is ever present and does not come to an end. Grasp the hands of those who reach out to you in loving concern. Extend your own hand to others whom you meet on the road to healing and reconciliation. There is a home for you within our parishes and communities of faith."
- Kids in the Middle
Separation, Divorce & Remarriage issues
Divorce
Divorce is hard. When a Roman Catholic experiences divorce, there is much confusion, from receiving communion to an understanding of the annulment process. The Catholic Church's views on dating, and certainly the issue of remarriage. But most importantly, Catholic women and men struggle to find support and healing from divorce. This site is a place where you can find answers and support; where you can learn from others who share your experience, and tap resources to help you or your loved ones heal from the devastation of divorce. A place where you are understood. Beginning Experience and Marriage HELP
Healthcare
Documents
Resources
- Background on Healthcare for the Uninsured
- Background on Medicaid
- Gospel Readings Related to Health Care
Websites
Immagration
"every man and woman may be regarded as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father" - Pope Benedict XVI see more at Juctice for Immigration.
Marriage
"The very preparation for Christian marriage is itself a journey of faith. It is a special opportunity for the engaged to rediscover and deepen the faith received in Baptism and nourished by their Christian upbringing. In this way they come to recognize and freely accept their vocation to follow Christ and to serve the Kingdom of God in the married state." - Pope John Paul II, The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World - Marriage Prep Guidelines - DOW Marriage Preparation and Enrichment - Pre-Cana Brochure
Questions for Engaged Couples
Looking for advice?
Advice for the groom
Advice for the bride
Would you like to begin praying together?
We have some resources that could help!
Looking for a way to plan your family? |
Are you living together before marriage? Your marriage will be more secure if you don’t! To read why, Click Here
Parenting a child, for many, will be the most important, challenging and rewarding job of lifetime. As with any job or career, it will require learning new skills that are not necessarily "automatic." Becoming a good parent will require a disciplined commitment to study and practice these new skills. Good parenting takes time. Visit our POYC page for more resources
Respect Life
Respect Life Apostolate (RLA) promotes the Catholic Church’s teachings on respect for and legal protection of every human life from inception to natural death by coordinating educational, spiritual, pastoral, and public policy advocacy efforts with particular focus on those issues in the culture that threaten life - abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, and unethical advances in scientific technology. NCHLA
Abortion and Healthcare Reform
USCCB Legal Analysis of Healthcare Reform Act click here
USCCB Factsheet on Healthcare Reform Act click here
For USCCB Respect Life Packet, click here