Contact Information
R.J. Mangan
Director of Peace and Justice
144 West Wood St.
Youngstown, OH 44503
Phone: (330) 744-8451 Ext. 245
Email: rmangan@youngstowndiocese.org
Office Hours: 8:00am – 4:00pm, M – F
The Office of Peace and Justice promotes the themes of Catholic Social Teaching, particularly the dignity of the human person, through education, advocacy, and prayer.
Director of Peace and Justice, R.J. Mangan, provides opportunities for the Catholic faithful to engage with various aspects of the Church’s robust social mission, coordinating and collaborating with others of good will to influence public policy for the sake of the common good.
Services offered by the Office of Peace and Justice
What is Catholic Social Teaching?:
“Catholic social teaching is a central and essential element of our faith. Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets who announced God’s special love for the poor and called God’s people to a covenant of love and justice.” -USCCB
For resources and more, visit usccb.org.
Guest Speaking. The Director of Peace and Justice is available to come in to schools and other groups to speak on a variety of topics.
Please contact R.J. Mangan to inquire about a speaking engagement.
Civilize It
As a Church and a nation, we are polarized and divided. Pope Francis challenges us to respond by building a “better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good” (Fratelli Tutti, no. 154). We are called to overcome division, promote encounters with our neighbors, and seek the truth. Join Catholics across the country in living out A Better Kind of Politics by pledging charity, clarity, and creativity to promote the common good.
The Department of Justice, Peace & Human Development (JPHD) promotes awareness of Catholic social teaching and opportunities to live the Baptismal call to love God and neighbor.
Efforts include the anti-poverty mission of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, as well as advocacy in support of poor and vulnerable persons and communities, in the U.S. and abroad.
JPHD’s work is guided by the Committees on International Justice and Peace, Domestic Justice and Human Development and the Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
YouTube Resource Videos:
HOPE Letters Ministry
The program’s intent is to provide hope and guidance through regular mentoring correspondence to incarcerated men and women in Ohio’s state prisons. HOPE Letters builds faith-based relationships that ease the transition from prison to community and provides a supportive HOPE Letters reentry community for returning neighbors. The goal is to increase the likelihood that “inside” HOPE Letters mentees experience wholeness and meaning while incarcerated, and when released, will permanently reintegrate into the community as supported, restored, productive citizens.
Contact R.J. Mangan at (330) 744-8451, ext. 245 or email rmangan@youngstowndiocese.org if you are interested in volunteering with this program.
Current Issues
As of July 1st, 2024, the Director of Peace and Justice has taken on the responsibilities of Pro-Life Activities for the Diocese of Youngstown.
- This duty was previously held by David Schmidt, who was the Director of Pro-Life, Marriage, and Family Life for the Diocese of Youngstown. We wish to congratulate Dave on his retirement!
- Marriage and Family Life are currently being handled by the Tribunal of the Diocese of Youngstown. Please forward any and all questions regarding marriage and family life there.
- The National March for Life
- TBA
- The Ohio March for Life
- TBA
- Mass for Life
- The next Mass for Life is scheduled for January 18th, 2025, at 4 pm, to be held at St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown.
- Reception and Placement Resettlement Agency
- Catholic Charities is currently working with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), and the Bureau of Population, Migration, and Refugees (PRM) to open a refugee resettlement agency in the city of Youngstown.
- Refugees, like asylees, are documented individuals who have been received into the country through the U.S. Department of State. Please check the FAQ and the available links for more information.
- Uniting for Ukraine
- Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a 2-year period of parole. Ukrainians participating in Uniting for Ukraine must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay in the United States.
- If you are interested in this program, or wish to learn more, click the link.
- Town Halls on Immigration
- The Director of Peace and Justice, along with the Peace and Justice Committee, are currently hosting a series of Town Halls on Immigration around the Diocese of Youngstown.
- Key Goals of the Town Halls:
- To present the topic of immigration and its impact on our communities.
- To create a workgroup to advance advocacy efforts.
- To create engagement strategies reflective of Catholic social teaching on immigration.
- Previously Held:
- Youngstown, St. Dominic Parish - April 2024
- Ashtabula, Our Lady of Peace Parish - July 2024 (Canceled)
- Canton - October 2024
- Funding Pregnancy Resource Centers and Defunding Abortion
- HB 475 would prohibit state funds from being given to any entity that supports, promotes, or provides abortions, would require counties and municipal corporations to report abortion-related spending, and would withhold and reallocate to pregnancy resource centers state local government funds from a county or municipal corporation that engages in such spending.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Donating to Pregnancy Resource Centers
- SB 159 would authorize a nonrefundable tax credit for donations to certain pregnancy resource centers.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill and has provided proponent testimony.
- Funding Pregnancy Resource Centers and Defunding Abortion
- Modernization of Adoption
- HB 5 increases financial support for expecting mothers, expedites the foster to adopt process, allows for adult adoption for persons with developmental disabilities, and clarifies Ohio law to help streamline adoption.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill and has provided proponent testimony.
- The Strong Foundations Act
- HB 7 expands prenatal, postnatal, and infant and toddler services and supports. This bill would provide greater funding for several of the pro-family programs included in the State budget.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill and has provided proponent testimony.
- Breastfeeding Mothers Excused from Jury Duty
- HB 34 excuses breast-feeding mothers from jury duty.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this legislation and gave proponent testimony.
- Joint-Filing of Income Taxes
- HB 199 offers a tax credit for married couples to guarantee that married couples filing jointly do not pay more in personal income taxes than they would if filing separately
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this legislation and gave proponent testimony.
- The Innocence Act
- HB 295 requires websites that distribute pornography verify the age of users to restrict consumption by minors.
- The bill creates criminal penalties and includes a private right of action clause if a website does not abide by these verification requirements
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Lauren’s Law
- HB 465 permits electronic monitoring in rooms of care facilities for those with intellectual disabilities and requires Medicaid to provide monthly lump sum payments to parents and caregivers providing in-home care.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Modernization of Adoption
Abolition of the Death Penalty - HB 259 & SB 101
- As of 2018, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Recourse to the death penalty on the part of legitimate authority, following a fair trial, was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes and an acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good.
Today, however, there is an increasing awareness that the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes. In addition, a new understanding has emerged of the significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state. Lastly, more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption.
Consequently, the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person’, and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.” (CCC §2267)
- HB 259 and its companion bill, SB 101, would abolish the death penalty in the state of Ohio.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports these bills and has given proponent testimony.
- Nitrogen Hypoxia
- HB 392 would permit the use of nitrogen hypoxia as a method of execution in the state of Ohio.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio opposes this bill.
- Saving Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act and the Save Women’s Sports Act
- HB 68 prohibits minors from procuring surgical or pharmaceutical treatments to transition genders and requires schools, state institutions of higher education, and private colleges to designate separate single-sex teams and sports for each sex.
- The ACLU’s challenge to the bill has led to a state-wide injunction which is ongoing.
- Saving Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act and the Save Women’s Sports Act
- Extreme Risk Protection Order Act
- HB 170 would allow family members, household members, and law enforcement officers to obtain a court order that temporarily restricts a person's access to firearms if that person poses a danger to themselves or others.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Firearm Safety Device Exemption
- HB 186 would exempt firearm safety devices from sales and use taxes.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Building Safer Communities for Ohio's Children Act
- HB 420 would establish the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention within the Department of Children and Youth to administer grant programs intended to reduce gun violence.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Ohio Task Force on Gun Violence
- HB 421 would establish the Ohio Task Force on Gun Violence, composed of state and community members to study the prevalence of gun violence and various solutions.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Extreme Risk Protection Order Act
- Energy Savings Portfolios
- HB 79 allows electric distribution utilities to establish energy efficiency and savings portfolios.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Solar Pilot and Development Program
- HB 197 establishes a community solar pilot and solar development programs.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Energy Savings Portfolios
- Certificate of Qualification for Housing (CQH)
- In summary, this legislation (HB 50) creates a mechanism by which an individual who is subject to a collateral sanction for housing may obtain a certificate of qualification for housing that may provide relief from certain bars on housing.
- For many of our brothers and sisters returning from prison and jail, there are ‘collateral sanctions’ which may be applied and which prevent them from securing housing. Housing is a fundamental building block to reform and rehabilitation in the community and this legislation makes it possible for those who are dedicated to change to obtain this basic human right.
- Certificate of Qualification for Employment (CQE)
- Passed some time ago, this is similar to the CQH and is the model on which the CQH was built
- It is part of an Ohio law that helps people with criminal records obtain employment. The CQE is a certificate for which an individual who is subject to a civil impact (prior criminal conviction) may obtain an order of limited relief from a common pleas court that will provide relief from certain bars to employment or licensing in the State of Ohio. A CQE holder has voluntarily gone through a rigorous review process by Ohio rehabilitation officials, a judge, and a probation department
- Getting Rehabilitated Ohioans Working Act
- HB 460 would automatically seal the records of non-violent offenses, under felonies of the third degree through misdemeanors, barring objection from the prosecutor and Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this legislation and gave proponent testimony.
- State IDs for Inmates
- SB 198 creates an application for a state license that the DRC would be required to provide to every incarcerated person prior to release and requires DRC to provide records of vocational/educational programs
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this legislation and has given proponent testimony.
- Certificate of Qualification for Housing (CQH)
- Keeping the Lights On
- SB 150 prohibits terminating electric or gas service to customers with children, disabled family members, etc. and creates a payment plan requirement.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Raising the Minimum Wage
- SB 256 modifies the earned income tax credit, making it refundable, and raises the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2028.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- A Refundable Child Tax Credit
- HB 290 creates a refundable Child Tax Credit. The credit would provide $1,000 per child age 0-5 and $500 per child age 6-17 per year for families with an income up to $65,000 with means testing up to $85,000.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Pay Stub Protection Act
- HB 106 requires employers to provide pay stubs to employees.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this legislation and has given proponent testimony.
- SNAP Supplemental Benefit
- HB 428 establishes a supplemental SNAP benefit for low-income seniors to match previous levels of support.
- The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports this bill.
- Keeping the Lights On
Programs overseen by the Office of Peace and Justice
Mission statement:
Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We are motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to cherish, preserve and uphold the sacredness and dignity of all human life, foster charity and justice, and embody Catholic social and moral teaching as we act to:
PROMOTE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT by responding to major emergencies, fighting disease and poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies; and,
SERVE CATHOLICS IN THE UNITED STATES as they live their faith in solidarity with their brothers and sisters around the world.
As part of the universal mission of the Catholic Church, we work with local, national and international Catholic institutions and structures, as well as other organizations, to assist people on the basis of need, not creed, race or nationality.
Click here to learn more about CRS.
CRS Fellowship and Chapters
Catholic Relief Services Chapters and Clubs are communities of people transforming the world through CRS campaigns to eradicate global poverty and injustice.
Click here to learn more about CRS Chapters and Clubs.
Interested in starting a CRS Chapter or Club? Contact R.J. Mangan.
CRS Rice Bowl
CRS Rice Bowl is the Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services, the official relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Through CRS Rice Bowl, faith communities in dioceses throughout the United States put their faith into action through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lenten alms donated through CRS Rice Bowl support the work of CRS in more than 100 different countries each year. Twenty-five percent of donations to CRS Rice Bowl stay in the local diocese, supporting hunger and poverty alleviation efforts. Since its inception in 1975, CRS Rice Bowl has raised nearly $300 million.
Click here to learn more about CRS Rice Bowl.
Mission & Identity
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. Catholic Bishops, working to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ “… to bring good news to the poor … release to captives … sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free.” (Luke 4:18)
The belief that those who are directly affected by unjust systems and structures have the best insight into knowing how to change them is central to CCHD. CCHD works to break the cycle of poverty by helping low-income people participate in decisions that affect their lives, families and communities. CCHD offers a hand up, not a hand out.
CCHD has a complementary mission of educating on poverty and its causes. This strategy of education for justice and helping people who are poor speak and act for themselves reflects the mandate of the Scriptures and the principles of Catholic social teaching.
CCHD provides the Catholic faithful with concrete opportunities to live out the love of God and neighbor in ways that express our baptismal call and continuing Eucharistic transformation. CCHD is made possible by the generous support of Catholics in the United States, especially through an annual parish collection.
CCHD is an essential part of the Church in the United States’ social mission, and a unique part of the Catholic community’s broad commitment to assist low-income people, families and communities.
Click here to learn more about CCHD.
CCHD-Funded Groups
CCHD has made over 9,000 grants to support people living in poverty break the cycle of poverty, and over 200 organizations are supported annually. CCHD’s rigorous review process includes the recommendation and approval of the local bishop as well as a grant agreement.
Hundreds of smaller projects are funded through the 25 percent share of the CCHD collection retained by dioceses. These grants have significantly changed the lives of the poor in the United States.
Within the Diocese of Youngstown, our local CCHD-funded group is A.C.T.I.O.N. – Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods
CCHD Diocesan Director
The CCHD Diocesan Director is responsible for the general direction, supervision, planning and coordination of all aspects of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) at the diocesan level.
Mr. R.J. Mangan is the CCHD Director in the Diocese of Youngstown.
CRS Rice Bowl is the Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services, the official relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Through CRS Rice Bowl, faith communities in dioceses throughout the United States put their faith into action through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lenten alms donated through CRS Rice Bowl support the work of CRS in more than 100 different countries each year. Twenty-five percent of donations to CRS Rice Bowl stay in the local diocese, supporting hunger and poverty alleviation efforts. Since its inception in 1975, CRS Rice Bowl has raised nearly $300 million.
Click here to learn more about CRS Rice Bowl.
Our Mandate
• To share a Catholic presence, and visit every Catholic incarcerated in institutions within our diocese.
• To celebrate the sacraments.
• To provide a welcoming and supportive setting for those returning from incarceration
Our Mission
To share the love and consolation of Jesus Christ to those incarcerated by bringing a living message of God’s love and forgiveness, and through our presence, prayers and communications offer a sense of trust and hope.
Our Scope
The Diocese of Youngstown covers six counties in Northeast Ohio: Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Stark, Portage, and Ashtabula. Institutional facilities include county jails, juvenile detention facilities. Prisons include Ohio State Penitentiary (OSP), Trumbull Correctional Institution (TCI) and Camp (TCC), Lake Erie Correctional Institution (LAECI) Northeast Ohio Correctional Center (NEOCC), and Federal facilities FCI Elkton and FCC Elkton.
Inside Facility Programs:
Our programs vary depending on the facility. Typical programs include RCIA/Catechism classes, Catholic studies, Scripture readings and discussion, devotional prayer and rosary. In addition, we offer weekly communion services and Masses and Reconciliation, if possible. Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist are available at several institutions. When possible we offer our programs and resources in both English and Spanish languages.
Support for returning citizens and their families: Kolbe Gathering
Saint Maximilian Kolbe Society (SMKS) provides spiritual support to returning citizens through a network of parish-based volunteers from throughout the diocese. We strive to be a loving, welcoming, inclusive community of believers, ministering to the formerly incarcerated and their families by bringing the message of God’s unconditional love and a sense of hope to those we serve. We will share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, celebration of liturgies, reception of sacraments and, study of our Catholic faith, and Holy Scripture. This ministry is grounded in the Gospel and Catholic social teachings. The programs will include elements of Worship, Faith Sharing and Open Sharing.
If requested, we will share available contact information for reentry organizations that address secular needs (e.g. housing, jobs, and clothing).
General Reentry assistance is managed through Catholic Charities Regional Agency
For further information contact R.J. Mangan at (330) 744-8451, ext. 245 or email rmangan@youngstowndiocese.org.
Catholic Charities and Immigration: FAQs
As Catholic Charities USA has stated, “Our work is humanitarian, not political, and we have collaborated with every [presidential] administration since our founding in 1910.”[1] At the southern border, just like everywhere else Catholic Charities operates, it provides a variety of services to everyone, migrants included. Catholic Charities has established “respite centers” to help address the humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. At these respite centers, migrants can receive food, clean clothing, a place to rest; a shower and hygiene products; social work services; legal aid; medical care where appropriate and connections with healthcare services; and, lastly, assistance to “make sense of their next steps”[2] after they are detained and processed by the federal government and head to their destination cities to await their day in court.
Catholic Charities does not encourage or coerce people to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Respite center staff and volunteers are overwhelmed. They are working tirelessly to meet the needs that are presented to them. Why? Because taking care of people, especially vulnerable people seeking lives free from violence and fear, is the right thing to do.
[1] “Immigration Services,” Catholic Charities USA, February 28, 2024, https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/what-we-do/immigration-services/.
[2] “And They Shall Know Us by Our Love,” Catholic Charities USA, March 11, 2024, https://stories.catholiccharitiesusa.org/and-they-shall-know-us-by-our-love/.
Simply put, the Sacred Scripture and the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church call each of us to welcome the stranger in whatever capacity we are able. The foremost example of this call is found in the Gospel inspiration for Catholic Charities as a whole, Matthew 25:35-40, which states:
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”[1]
However, this act of “welcoming the stranger” very specifically refers to those who are foreigners in our lands, in addition to those merely unfamiliar to us. Other references in Sacred Scripture include:
- “You shall not oppress a resident alien; you well know how it feels to be an alien, since you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.”[2]
- “You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself; for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt. I, the LORD, am your God.”[3]
- “The LORD protects the resident alien, comes to the aid of the orphan and the widow, but thwarts the way of the wicked.”[4]
- “I was a father to the poor; the complaint of the stranger I pursued.”[5]
- “You shall allot it as heritage for yourselves and for the resident aliens in your midst who have fathered children among you. You shall treat them like native Israelites; along with you they shall receive a heritage among the tribes of Israel.”[6]
- “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.”[7]
As Christians, we are called to a radical hospitality to those who are poor, vulnerable, marginalized, or otherwise outcast. When Christ came to Earth, He spent His ministry in the company of prostitutes, tax collectors, lepers, and many others who were considered to be “unclean” or otherwise undesirable.
St. John Chrysostom reminds us:
“[Abraham] was a stranger, and [this] stranger entertained strangers: for he was a citizen of heaven. Therefore, not even while he was on earth was he a stranger (to [God]). We are rather strangers than that stranger, if we receive not strangers. He had no home, and his tent was his place of reception. And mark his liberality — he killed a calf and kneaded fine meal: mark his ready mind — by himself and his wife: mark the unassuming manner — he worships and beseeches them. For all these qualities ought to be in that man who entertains strangers — readiness, cheerfulness, liberality.”[8]
“Migrants or their sponsors are expected to pay for their transportation. Transportation is sometimes funded by social services agencies, such as Catholic Charities, if migrants are unable to pay the necessary travel costs to reach their final destinations.”[1] This work is done in close coordination with federal, state, and local authorities. Catholic Charities does not, has not, and will never participate in nor condone the illicit trafficking of human persons into, out of, or within the United States. Such trafficking is a grave sin which offends the dignity of human persons and is condemned by the Catechism of the Catholic Church through paragraphs 2239-2242 and 2414.[2]
[1] “And They Shall Know Us by Our Love,” FAQs About Our Work.
[2] Catechism of the Catholic Church (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2019), 540-541, 580.
The Department of Homeland Security has a useful glossary for terms used regularly when discussing immigration: https://www.dhs.gov/ohss/about-data/glossary#:~:text=Immigrant%3A%20Any%20person%20lawfully%20in,101(a)(15).
Additionally, the full law regarding immigration is available through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services: https://www.uscis.gov/laws-and-policy/legislation/immigration-and-nationality-act.
Some key definitions include the following:
- Alien: “Any person not a citizen or national of the United States.”[1]
- Immigrant: “Any person lawfully in the United States who is not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or person admitted under a nonimmigrant category as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) section 101(a)(15).”[2] There are various kinds of immigrant statuses under the law. The particular status attributed to an immigrant is dependent on a variety of conditions.
- Refugee: “Any person who is outside any country of such person's nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.”[3] The President may also specify individuals as refugees according to a particular procedure which meets the same requirements as those listed.[4] A person who is a refugee has legal status in the United States.
- Asylee: “Person granted asylum under section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).”[5] This is a particular kind of refugee; it is someone who already meets the definition previously stated and receives particular protections by obtaining asylum.
- Asylum: “Form of protection provided to noncitizens physically present in the United States who meet the definition of refugee under Immigration and Nationality (INA) section 101(a)(42) and are not otherwise barred from applying for or receiving asylum.”[6] Asylum prohibits the Attorney General of the United States, or other bodies acting under said office’s authority, from removing the alien or returning them to their country of nationality and/or their last place of habitual residence. In addition, it provides authorization for residency and employment within the United States, as well as the ability to travel abroad with permission of the Attorney General of the United States.[7]
No. All donations sent directly to Catholic Charities or raised through the Annual Diocesan Appeal remain within the Diocese of Youngstown and are used within the Diocese.
There are, however, special collections at various times which are directed towards a specific cause or purpose which may or may not be within the Diocese of Youngstown. Both the Diocese of Youngstown and individual parishes within it may have special collections. The Diocese of Youngstown has a number of special collections, some of which keep donations within the diocese, send donations overseas, or send them to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for redistribution to the national Catholic Church, such as:
- The Communications Collection, which directly supports the Diocese of Youngstown and its parishes in communications and media efforts.[1]
- The Church Overseas Combined Collection, which, as its name suggests, aids supporting the international Church.[2]
- The CRS Rice Bowl Collection, which is the Lenten faith-in-action collection of Catholic Relief Services.[3] 75% of all funds raised through this program are sent to Catholic Relief Services, the international anti-poverty program of the USCCB, and the remaining 25% is retained within the Diocese of Youngstown to relieve food insecurity and poverty locally.
- The Seminarian Support Collection, which aids the Diocese of Youngstown’s seminarians in supporting their education and formation as future priests for the Diocese.[4]
The Diocesan website www.doy.org has more information.
[1] Can be found at: https://doy.org/communications-collection/
[2] Can be found at: https://doy.org/events/church-at-home-combined-collection-956/
[3] Can be found at: https://doy.org/catholic-relief-services-rice-bowl/
[4] Can be found at: https://doy.org/collection-for-seminarian-support/
All of the programs and services Catholic Charities offers can be accessed by people in need in accordance with established program guidelines and availability of funding. We will not deny critical services because someone may be undocumented, just as we would not deny services to someone if they were not Catholic or professed no faith at all. If we see a person who is hungry, we will feed them. If we see someone who is homeless, we will help them find shelter. Jesus did not ask for proof of legal status before he healed the sick, comforted the afflicted, and forgave sins, so who are we to determine whether a person is “worthy” of our charity? A person is deserving of our assistance simply because they are human beings created in the image and likeness of God.
Additionally, the Diocese of Youngstown maintains a contract with the Diocese of Cleveland to provide immigration legal services for people living in our six counties. Last year, attorneys working in the Diocese of Youngstown provided family-based immigration legal services to 129 people representing 32 different countries.
When considering “hot-button” social issues like immigration, one ought to first focus on what it means to be a faithful citizen. The Catechism of the Catholic Church[1] and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) provide a wealth of information, including a resource on what it means to be a faithful citizen in the United States: https://www.usccb.org/offices/justice-peace-human-development/forming-consciences-faithful-citizenship. Generally, to be a faithful citizen, one ought to be influenced by the themes of Catholic Social Teaching, particularly:
- Human Dignity
- The Common Good
- Subsidiarity
- And Solidarity
When it comes to the immigration issue, one ought to discern what he or she is capable of doing. Below are some suggestions:
- Advocate for reforms in our immigration system. As anyone who has experience with it can tell you, it is fundamentally broken in many ways and needs comprehensive legislation in order to repair it; and to do so in such a way that respects not only our national sovereignty and security, but also the dignity of the foreigner and the common good overall.
- Pray for migrants and all of those impacted in some way by our broken immigration system. Prayer can bring about a change in the hearts and minds of men and women through the Grace of God.
- Support efforts that assist newcomers and/or provide opportunities to encounter and accompany newcomers on their journey. Such engagement with others invites the presence of Christ and helps to bring about the Kingdom of God.
[1] Catechism of the Catholic Church (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2019), 540-542. Note: There are other, disparate paragraphs which help inform the duties of a Catholic citizen; these pages are merely a reference to the wider discussion.
Useful Links:
- CCUSA
- General: https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/
- Immigration Services: https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/what-we-do/immigration-services/
- And They Shall Know Us by Our Love – Stories of Immigration https://stories.catholiccharitiesusa.org/and-they-shall-know-us-by-our-love/#section-HOME-KdvgtcfMUt
- USCCB
- USCCB Subcommittee on Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees, & Travelers: https://www.usccb.org/committees/pastoral-care-migrants-refugees-travelers
- Welcoming the Stranger, Letter from the USCCB on Immigration: https://www.usccb.org/committees/pastoral-care-migrants-refugees-travelers/welcoming-stranger-among-us-unity-diversity
- https://www.usccb.org/offices/justice-peace-human-development/forming-consciences-faithful-citizenship
- The Office of Justice, Peace, and Human Development: https://www.usccb.org/offices/justice-peace-human-development
- Catholic Social Teaching 101: https://www.usccb.org/offices/justice-peace-human-development/catholic-social-teaching
- CST on Immigration: https://www.usccb.org/committees/migration/immigration
- And more CST on Immigration: https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/immigration/catholic-teaching-on-immigration-and-the-movement-of-peoples
- CCHD: https://www.usccb.org/committees/catholic-campaign-human-development
- The Vatican
- Encyclical Letter from Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html
- Pope Francis on World Day of Migrants and Refugees: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/migration.html
- World Day of the Poor 2023 Homily: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2023/documents/20231119-omelia-giornatamondiale-poveri.html
- Catechism, Paragraph 2241: https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/543/#zoom=z