Patiently Waiting

When I was growing up, my family had an Advent tradition of doing "one thing a day" in preparation for Christmas. It always began with the Advent wreath. Another day we would take out the Advent calendar. Bake Christmas cookies one day. Take them to the elderly neighbor the next. We went to the Christmas carol sing on the town green, back in the day when that was allowed. There was no all-out decorating blitz. Each day we did a little something. I believe this was my mom's way of teaching us that this is a season of waiting and an opportunity to practice patience.

We live in a time of instant gratification - so counter-cultural to the season of Advent. During Advent, as you joyfully await the coming of Christ, I pray that you will find time for quiet and 

solitude. I pray that you will not be pulled into a culture of consumerism, and instead find opportunity for simplicity. That you will contemplate God's call to mission and what that means for you. 

In this fast paced world, let us continue to make advocating for the protection of human life and dignity in our world a priority, and proclaim God's kingdom of justice and peace for a world in need.

Come Lord Jesus, be our light! Guide us as we prepare to journey through Advent and welcome you at Christmas.

Advent Blessings,

This is the theme of the message that Pope Francis will offer on January 1, 2015, for the 48th World Day of Peace. It regards not only the foundation of peace, but also its concrete achievement in interpersonal relations, when the other is not considered an enemy to combat but rather a brother or sister to love.

Many people think that slavery is a thing of the past, but this social plague remains all too real in today's world. The 2014 Global Slavery Index gives an estimated number of 35.8 million people in modern slavery (human trafficking, trade in migrants and prostitutes, exploitation, slave labor, and the enslavement of women and children), and our country counts 60,100 of them. Shamefully, individuals and groups around the world profit from this slavery, taking advantage of the world's many conflicts and the economic crisis. It is a global phenomenon that needs a global mobilization.

For this World Day of Peace, Pope Francis challenges all of us to recognize every other person as a brother or sister, with God-given dignity. This is the only way that we can counter slavery effectively and build peace in the world.

I invite everyone, in accordance with his or her specific role and responsibilities, to practice acts of fraternity towards those kept in a state of enslavement. Let us ask ourselves, as individuals and as communities, whether we feel challenged when, in our daily lives, we meet or deal with persons who could be victims of human trafficking, or when we are tempted to select items which may well have been produced by exploiting others.

We can answer Pope Francis' call by committing ourselves to:

1.  Pray for the liberation and restoration of the victims and survivors of modern day    slavery.

2.  Take part in the SHEPHERD program of the U.S. Catholic bishops and work to protect, help, empower, and restore the dignity of trafficking survivors.      

3.  Advocate for policies that address the causes of modern day slavery, protect survivors of human trafficking, and seek justice for those who have been victimized. 

4.  Educate others. On Jan. 1 (World Day of Peace), use the hashtag #SlavesNoMore to spread the word.

5.  Observe the National Day of Prayer for Victims and Survivors of Human Trafficking on February 8, the Feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, presented by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Loving Father, make us instruments of your spirit
for the liberation of all who are exploited and enslaved.

Thank you for your generosity to this year's Collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Through CCHD and its beneficiaries, we help keep Catholic social teaching alive, and carry out Jesus' mission to "bring glad tidings to the poor . . . to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free" (Lk 4:18).

The Rev. James Manship, left, co-chairman of CONECT, speaks at a press conference at the Morton Government Center in Bridgeport.

One CCHD beneficiary in our Archdiocese is CONECT (Congregations Organized for a New CT). CONECT is a multi-faith organization with a mission to affect change in areas of social and economic justice, and in policies for the common good.

One issue CONECT is currently addressing is gun control. The organization is participating in a joint effort with "Do Not Stand Idly By" which seeks to leverage the purchasing power of state and local governments to pressure gun manufacturers to adopt gun safety technology. A total of 63 jurisdictions in 13 states have joined the strategy, to push gun manufacturers to promote smart gun technologies if they want municipalities and states to continue buying from them to equip safety personnel. You can learn more about CONECT at their website,  www.weconect.org.

If you missed your parish CCHD Collection, you can still make a donation to CCHD by sending a check or money order to:

     United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

     Office of National Collections - CCHD

     3211 Fourth Street NE

     Washington, DC 20017

Make checks payable to "USCCB - Catholic Campaign for Human Development."

In just 7 months, more than 10,000 people have been infected with Ebola in West Africa, and nearly 5,000 men, women and children have died from the virus. Many children are now orphaned, and communities already struggling with poverty are becoming poorer. It doesn't have to be this way. Your voice is powerful. You can speak out on behalf of our brothers and sisters so that the U.S. response to Ebola is more robust and effective. 

Join others.  Raise your voice today and help save lives! Contact your senators and representative and ask them to:

• Support the administration's request for additional funding to stop the outbreak at its source, saving lives in Africa and protecting public health here at home; and
   
• Allow health care workers and others to travel without unnecessary restrictions, and oppose efforts to impose travel restrictions on West Africa that impede people who are serving communities stricken by the virus.