New and Noteable

I have refrained from posting any new blog entries over the last week as I believed it to be more important to keep the relief efforts in Haiti as top priority.  I will add a CRS button on the right side of the blog as the Haiti story slips lower on the page.  On to other notable issues facing Catholics here in the U.S. and across the world:

For New Yorkers: Public Policy Day is quickly approaching in Albany. Register now for the New York State Catholic Conference's 2010 Public Policy Day, Tuesday, March 9, at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany by clicking HERE.  Busing will be available from all areas in New York except for those in the Albany and Ogdensburg areas.  There is no registration fee.

Friday, January 22 is a day of penance and prayer in all of the dioceses of the US 'for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life.'  What can you do?  Spend some time before the Lord in adoration and immerse yourself in a day of prayerful fasting.  Give your time, talent and treasure to a local pregnancy crisis center which espouses the pro-life mentality.

March for Life and National Prayer Vigil for Life will take place in Washington D.C. beginning with an opening Mass at the National Shrine on Thursday January 21st.  See HERE for more information and schedule.  Check with your diocesan website to see where events will be taking place closer to home.  Not just for the U.S. anymore, there is an international March for Life effort.  Read HERE for more. 

Manhattan Declaration - Have you signed it yet?  My Bishop has signed it and he urges the faithful to sign as well.  I did.  Now you can be clicking HERE. 

Malayian 'Allah' Problem - Some emotional cooling is taking place in Malaysia where violence erupted over the use of the word 'Allah' by Catholics.  See the blog entry documenting the story HERE and see the Malaysian Catholic Newsletter HERE for updates.  Since first posting here about this story, we have received several visitors from Malaysia on this blog.  Welcome to our Malaysian brothers and sisters in Christ!  You are in our prayers.

Health Care Reform is needed in the United States, and probably in many other countries as well - yet we cannot accept government mandated funding for procedures which lead not to life, but to death.  Abortion is not health care - it is murder.  Follow the US Bishops on health care reform HERE. 

St. Damien of Molokai - Apostle of the Exiled   is my current read and I hope to finish it over the next week in between all of my other responsibilities. Watch for a review on this blog.  Catholic Charities of Western New York recently launched their annual appeal and I was surprised to learn that St. Damien of Molokai is the patron of this year's campaign.  I was timely and didn't even know it! 

How many rosaries can you give away before Easter?   See HERE for the full story.

Please note items placed on the right column of this blog as I try to update items of interest regularly.  Thank you for stopping by and may God continue to bless you.