I will betroth you to me forever. Yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, in justice, in loving kindness, and in compassion.  -- Hosea 2:19

Bishops Urge Catholic Laity to Vote Faithfully.  “Catholic social teaching calls us to practice civic virtues and offers us principles to shape participation in public life. We cannot be indifferent to or cynical about the obligations of citizenship. Our political choices should not reflect simply our own interests, partisan preferences or ideological agendas, but should be shaped by the principles of or faith and our commitment to justice, especially to the weak and vulnerable. The voices and votes of lay Catholics are needed to shape a society with greater respect for human life, economic and environmental justice, cultural diversity and global solidarity.”  – Everyday Christianity: To Hunger and Thirst for Justice, http://tinyurl.com/HungerThirstJustice

Make a Difference in Washington, D.C., with the Click of a Mouse.  Catholic Charities USA keeps a close eye on legislation passing through Congress, and regularly asks Catholic voters to write to their Congresspersons on time urgent bills.  With a simple click of the mouse and the entry of a few fields of data about yourself, you can send an effective email to your Congressperson.  At the following website, click on “Advocacy” and then “Take Action”: www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

Ways to Make a Difference in the Tri-Valley: Donate to Tri-Valley Haven.  The Haven appreciates the donation of new personal hygiene products, cleaning products, holiday gift items, or gently used household items and furniture.  Please call 925-449-5845.  Financial donations are also appreciated.  Learn more at: http://www.trivalleyhaven.org



Tri-Valley Hotline 211: Help for the Needy.  Dial for help with food, housing, employment, health care, child care, elder care.  Translators are available.  Please help spread the word about this valuable resource.

Catholic Social Teaching: Human Dignity.  “Belief in the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all Catholic social teaching. Human life is sacred, and the dignity of the human person is the starting point for a moral vision for society.  The principle of human dignity is grounded in the idea that the person is made in the image of God. The person is the clearest reflection of God among us. We are required to honor the human person, to give priority to the person.”  -- Catholic Charities Office for Social Justice, http://www.osjspm.org

You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.  --Psalm 10:17