In our nation, many of our sisters and brothers live in poverty. The 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 causes are complex, but the results are clear. They cannot find decent

work, feed their families, educate their children, secure health care, or find work, feed their families, educate their children, secure health care, or find adequate housing…millions of families cannot live in dignity because they adequate housing…millions of families cannot live in dignity because they

lack the conditions worthy of human life. lack the conditions worthy of human life.

As Catholics and Christians, we must come together with a common 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 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 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 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… poor people are not issues or problems but sisters and brothers in God’s…

ONEONE HUMANHUMAN FAMILYFAMILY..

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?

• Apa-lay-sha

• Apa-lay-shia

• Apa-lachia

• Apa-lacha

THIS LAND IS HOME TO ME: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, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and allall of West Virginia of West Virginia.

**

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…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? What sort of action should I perform because I believe in Christ?

The 7 Corporal Works of MercyFeed the hungry

Give drink to the thirstyShelter the homeless

Clothe the nakedVisit the sick

Visit the imprisonedBury the dead

(Welcome the Stranger)

“The bread we clutch in our hands belongs to the starving, the

cloak we keep locked up in our closet belongs to the naked, the

shoes that we are not using belong to the barefooted” Saint Basil.

Saint Catherine of Sweden Parish’s

APPALACHIAN SUMMER HOME REPAIR PROGRAM

F.A.Q.’sQ: 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: Can I attend only part of the week?

A: 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 EXPECTATIONSWe 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 SCHEDULE6:45AM 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 GUIDELINESWe 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.

REGISTRATIONRegistration 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, 2008June 15-21, 2008 Appalachia Week!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. FrancisPrayer 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 notso 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!