As Pope Benedict XVI teaches us, “Since God has first loved us (cf. 1 John 4:10), love is now no longer a mere command; it is the response to the gift of love with which God draws near to us.” One of the privileged ways to live this love is by serving the poor and needy. There are tangible and concrete ways to do this, through diocesan and parish outreach services such as feeding the hungry, providing clothing and housing or providing rides and hospitality to the elderly. We can support people near and far with our prayers and generosity. This priority focuses on loving each other as Christ loves us. Let us vibrantly share what we have received.

• Become Stronger in Faith. It is only through the eyes of faith that we can recognize Christ in the many ways in which He comes to us each day. Thus, when our faith is deepened through prayer and our hearts are expanded with love, we become capable of recognizing, loving, and serving Christ Himself in the person of
the poor, the lonely, the forgotten, and the marginalized.

• Celebrate Joyfully in Hope. When suffering is present in our lives it can be borne with patience and joy only if we keep continually alive in our hearts the hope given us by Christ, the Victor over sin and death. Thus, when our hope is nourished by Christ in the Eucharist and in the other Sacraments, we are able to give the gift of hope to those who are in particular times of suffering, always recognizing their inherent dignity as they hunger in a particular way for Christ’s presence.

• Serve in Charity. “The charity of Christ urges us on,” (2 Corinthians 5:14) as Saint Paul writes to the Corinthians. The love of Christ, which takes hold in our souls at Baptism and expands as we cooperate with God’s grace, moves us to serve in charity any and all who are in need, recognizing in each person a son or
daughter of God, won at the price of Christ’s blood.

OVERALL GOALS:

1. Inspiring and inviting laity to volunteer and commit in parish outreach services, seeking to serve those in need with the love of Christ (cf. John 13:34).
2. Increasing awareness of all the services offered by Catholic Charities, connecting people in the Diocese to its work, and showing parishioners how they can become involved in its outreach.
3. Assisting the newly arrived, especially those who share our same faith, by welcoming them to our parishes and providing them with the tools they need to live a dignified life. 2
4. Educating the faithful regarding the social teachings of the Church so as to promote justice and peace.
5. Offering pastoral care for the patients at the hospitals and the residents at the convalescent homes in the Diocese.
6. Educating parishioners on the existing needs beyond our diocese, supporting the needy throughout the world, through the Office for the Propagation of the Faith.
   
   

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   2 Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Ecclesia in America, no. 65.

1. Continuing and enhancing the work of Catholic Charities by providing nutrition, housing, mental health, adoption, immigration, and family support services to the needy and vulnerable in Fairfield County and beyond.
2. Through Catholic Charities, supporting parishes by providing information on concrete volunteer opportunities for laity to get involved in outreach service, such as the New Covenant House of Hospitality, Thomas Merton Center, the Senior Nutrition Program, Cardinal Shehan Center, McGivney Center, and all other initiatives, as well as assisting the newly arrived.
3. Offering educational opportunities on the social teachings of the Church 3 in collaboration with ecclesial organizations working for justice and peace, such as Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice (CAPP), 4 as well as educating on the Christian call to loving service and outreach to the needy.
4. Providing pastoral ministry through the chaplains and the pastoral care department of the St. Vincent’s Medical Center, the Pope John Paul II, St. Camillus, St. Joseph’s Manor Rehabilitation, and Nursing Centers.
5. Sponsoring educational events to foster a missionary spirit. Creating awareness of the needs of the Church in the United States and universally, through organizations such as the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Home Missions, Habitat for Humanity, the Pontifical Association of the Holy Childhood, and other missionary efforts and universal charities.
   
   

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   3 “In proclaiming the Gospel, the church bears witness to man, in the name of Christ, to his dignity and his vocation to the communion of persons. She teaches him the demands of justice and peace in conformity with divine wisdom. (CCC, no. 2419)” Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, no 63.
   4 The foundation Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice (CAPP) was established in 1993 by Pope John Paul II as a vehicle for lay education and evangelization of Catholic social doctrine, as contained in the encyclical Centesimus Annus.

1. Inviting parishioners to generously serve others by offering concrete volunteering opportunitiesin the parish and throughthe many outreachinitiatives developed by Catholic Charities. Encouraging them to serve with charity those who are ill and in need, both in the parish and beyond. 5
2. Welcoming the newly arrived to the parish, celebrating the faith together and sharing their culture. Where applicable, organize courses of English as a Second Language (ESL) and assist them in their needs.
3. Providing pastoral ministry at hospitals and convalescent homes within the parish area.
4. Creating awareness of the needs of those beyond the Diocese, through prayer and generous contributions to national and international charities approved by the Church.
5. Organizing mission trips and projects that positively impact peoples’ lives beyond our diocese, especially by encouraging the involvement and participation of youth.
   
   

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   5 Cf. related strategy in the priority Inspiring Youth, parish strategy no. 3.

1. Offering opportunities for parents to deepen their faith by organizing discussion groups, seminars, and spiritual activities, so that they may lead their children in their faith formation. 5
2. Providing opportunities for ongoing catechesis and spiritual formation for faculty members. 6
3. After completing the required Saint Cyril courses offered by the diocese, encouraging teachers to continue their on-going formation process by expanding their knowledge through other available formation opportunities.
4. Encouraging faculty to obtain advanced degrees in their fields of specialization.
   
   

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   5 Cf. related strategies in the priority Cultivating Family and Life, diocesan strategies nos. 2, 4.
   6 Cf. NDC, p. 231.