One Man's Journey from Fear to Freedom

We read the daily paper and watch the late night news without giving a thought to the stories about refugees most of the time. After all, the abuse they sustain under the hand of tyrannical leaders is their problem! If they lack the freedom to practice their religious beliefs or make a living for their families, it is none of our business.

Yet, it is just this type of apathy that caused the world to collectively gasp after uncovering the plight of victims at Auschwitz or Krakow. It is just this type of apathy that shocked so many when discovering ethnic cleansing took place in Rwanda.

We encourage you to read more about Daniel and how Catholic Charities Refugee Services intervened in his journey toward safety and freedom.

Catholic Charities Christmas Appeal

The Catholic Charities Annual Christmas Appeal will run through February 15, 2010. A cornerstone of our Annual Campaign, we depend upon the Christmas Appeal to sustain our services throughout the year.

It is no easy task to impart 'Comfort and Joy' to people who enter Catholic Charities' outreach centers and agencies, but it is a goal we strive to achieve every day. To truly bring comfort and joy, we are called to provide more than just services. We are called to provide compassion, warmth, friendship, and respect. With Jesus Christ as our model, we are called to welcome clients as a part of our family.

Only in this way can we bring true comfort and joy to people in need. We get to know our clients, connect them with our community, and provide for their most basic needs. We pray for them during their hardships and cheer for them during their successes. Catholic Charities is about service to the whole person, to their physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being.

Seniors at our parish outreach in North City, the Fr. Tolton Center, could tell you about it. Amidst health fairs we host and hot meals we serve every day, there are also opportunities for fellowship. Senior adults come for socials and for field trips where they are driven to local attractions like the St. Louis Zoo or the Science Center. They meet and make friends, filling our hall with sounds of conversation and laughter.

With workshops, lectures, and games, seniors learned about issues that touch them personally, such as heart health, diabetes, and the use of exercise.


'Older adults at all levels of physical fitness were encouraged to participate in National Senior Health & Fitness Day,' said Tina Godin, NSHFD program manager. 'Our goals for Senior Day were to make exercise fun, to increase awareness of the benefits of a regular exercise programs for older adults, and to encourage all older adults to take advantage of many health and fitness programs offered in their communities.'

Archbishop-elect Robert J. Carlson visits Catholic Charities St. Louis

On April 21, Archbishop-elect Robert J. Carlson visited two Catholic Charities agencies to see firsthand the work being done for the most poor and vulnerable in St. Louis.

Announced at 5 a.m. (CST) that morning by the Press Office of the Holy See, Archbishop-elect Carlson spent the day touring his future Archdiocese, capping it off with a trip to St. Patrick Center and Catholic Charities Housing Resource Center (CCHRC).