The Catholic bishops of California have approved this policy which addresses how parishes and Catholic organizations can engage in public policy advocacy. Please direct all questions to Rick Medeiros, Chancellor.
Mental Health Ministries: Interested in having a mental health ministry in your parish? Or a speaker on Psychology & Faith? Contact: Kiona Medina at kmedina@oakdiocese.org. Prayers for your Bulletins: See attached.
Sponsored by Bread For The World, this ninety minute simulation.The simulation is an interactive tool that helps people understand the connections among racial equity, hunger, poverty, and wealth. Held winter and early-Spring 2024. Details through the link.
Bishop Barber invites the faithful to join in Peaceful, Prayerful 40 Days of Life Vigil from February 14 to March 24 in locations in Concord, El Cerrito, and Walnut Creek. Invitation through the link.
The Office of Life & Justice will be sharing resources for the justice of the heart and mind: mental and emotional resources that adhere to Catholic teaching. We are starting with a directory of Catholic counselors and therapist. Please let Kiona Medina know how the Ministry can support your parish.
Want to support Real Options Obria Medical Clinics? Checkout our volunteer opportunities and Clinic Wish List through the link, and please share widely!
January is National Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month, and February 8th is the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita as well as the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking. Parish resources, including speaker request info, are available through the link.
Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, of the Diocese of Oakland, has issued a statement regarding the war in Israel and Gaza and its impact on the Diocese of Oakland, which is Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
Claudia Ramirez of Walnut Creek CA has been appointed to a second term on the National Board of Directors of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, where she serves as a member of the CEO Task Force. Ramirez also serves as the Executive Director of the SVdP District Council of Contra Costa County. Press release through the link.
Adequate and nutritious food is a basic need and a fundamental human right. Nothing should stand in the way of people having access to the food they need to live. Ask your members of Congress to support the RESTORE Act which eliminates the ban on SNAP benefits for people with drug-related felony convictions.
Each year, Catholics around the globe set aside a week for prayer and action towards care for God’s creation in the spirit of the encyclical Laudato Si’ on Care for our Common Home. Pope Francis invites Catholics to hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor in responding to the climate crisis. This year, Laudato Si' is May 21-28. Resources through the link.
The mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is “a network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need.” St. Vincent de Paul is calling for volunteers to work at the West Oakland Direct Service Campus. Join their mission to feed, clothe, house and heal our neighbors. Share your passion for making a difference. Contact information through the link.
Join the California Catholic Conference’s Novena for Migrants and Asylum Seekers at the U.S. Border to pray for the migrants and asylum-seekers at the border now that Title 42 has expired and tens of thousands are expected at the southern U.S. Border each day.
On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated large areas of southern Turkey and northwest Syria. Since then, several earthquakes and aftershocks have been confirmed in the same region—including a 5.6 magnitude quake on February 27. At least 8.8 million people are affected across both countries, with the death toll surpassing 50,000 and continuing to rise. The earthquakes led to the total destruction of homes and infrastructure, and left millions of people without food, water and shelter. Read more through the link.
January is National Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month, and February 8th is the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita as well as the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking. USCCB has shared resources for your parish.
“The passage of Prop. 1 is devastating for women, children, and families in California." “The Catholic community in California invites you to join us through our We Were Born Ready campaign to educate Californians on ways to support and advocate for women in crisis pregnancy situations in our communities. And we continue to pray for our state and the countless lives lost to abortion.” Read the full statement through the link.