The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives. Lk 4:18

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Highlights from CCUSA

Save the Date! Join us in San Diego for CCUSA's 2021 Annual Gathering!

When: September 20-23, 2021. Where: Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. This past year of uncertainty has brought many changes, and we especially miss the opportunity for fellowship, learning and sharing best practices. We are excited to come together in the new year and see one another for an amazing event! Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details! (010421)

Register now for the 2021 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering!

“Make justice your aim” (cf. Is 1:17): Rebuilding Together, February 6-9, 2021, Virtual Gathering. This year only, scholarships are available to cover a portion of the registration fee. Apply now! The application deadline is January 19, 2021. Don’t miss this transformative annual gathering for leaders in Catholic social ministry and advocacy! This year, we will pray, learn, and advocate together on the disparities revealed by COVID-19 and re-imagine new models of justice and solidarity. For more than 30 years, the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) has brought together hundreds of participants whose faith inspires them to address pressing current domestic and global challenges affecting our most vulnerable brothers and sisters at home and around the world. This year’s gathering will include:

• Inspiring leading voices in Church and society
• Workshops with policy experts and grassroots community leaders
• Intentional opportunities for best practice-sharing among participants
• Resources from dozens of Catholic social ministry organizations
• Virtual advocacy visits with elected officials
• And much more!

Act now to be part of our special initiative for young leaders in Catholic social ministry and learn more about our Diversity Outreach Initiative. To register or for more information visit here. Join the discussion and be part of the solution!

Events and Webinars

Addressing racism: A time for gospel courage

We are inviting you to join us for a timely webinar, Addressing Racism: A Time for Gospel Courage, with a presentation by Dr. Christopher Pramuk on Wednesday, January 13th at 1 pm EDT. You can register at Catholicprisonministries.org or at here. Once you register a short preparation YouTube video will be sent to you, along with some materials to read. Let us all start this New Year of 2021 by implementing the words of Pope Francis "there is a need for paths of peace to heal open wounds. There is also a need for peacemakers, men and women prepared to work boldly and creatively to initiate processes of healing and renewed encounter”. (January 1, 2021)

Miracle Projects: Students leading the gospel call to love

This webinar will present Miracle Projects, an initiative of Catholic Charities Community Services (Phoenix) which engages local Catholic schools. Miracle Projects leverage students' strenghts and creativity in an entrepreneurial endeavor to teach social responsibility, the prevalence of social injustice, the impact of community reinvestment, and the joy of faithful stewardship of God's graces.  To accomplish this, 1) Catholic Charities makes classroom presentation about community justice issues; 2) Students choose one program to support the fight against injustice; 3) Students create an entrepreneurial project to raise resources; 4) Students reinvest their profits to bring about social change. This webinar will be of particular interest to those responsible for parish engagement and also social enterprise. Date: Jan. 19, 2021. Time: 3 - 4 PM. Register here.

Public Forum: CCUSA Poverty and Racism Paper