Offer charity of prayers, wealth

Feb. 28, 2008

My dear friends in Christ,

I hope and pray that our Lord Jesus Christ is guiding you to a deep and sincere renewal in this Lenten season. Lent is a blessed opportunity for us to return to the side of our Lord, to prepare with Him for the Passion and the joy of the Resurrection. In Baptism we died with Him, so that now we may live with Him, freed from sin. Yet we are not yet the perfect creatures God wills us to be; and so we need continual conversion, repentance and healing, as we follow Him on the way of the Cross.

Part of our new life in Christ is our charity for the poor. Material and spiritual poverty both come in many forms, and we who are the hands and the heart of Christ in the world today must seek the poor and do what we can to alleviate their suffering. Most especially, we must pray with and for all the poor, so that the joy of knowing Christ's great love and freedom may bear them up, as we also are borne by Him in our trials.

At this half-way point in our Lenten season, we have the opportunity to offer the charity of our prayers and our God-given wealth to some of the poorest of the poor in the world. The special collection for Catholic Relief Services is scheduled for the fourth Sunday of Lent, March 1-2, and funds the charitable work of five Catholic agencies in the United States and throughout the poorest areas of the world.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international relief and development agency of the Catholic Church in the United States. It assists in 99 countries, allowing us in this privileged country to live in solidarity with the poorest of the poor through our generosity.

Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc, provides legal and social support to Catholic programs that aid and represent poor immigrants. It focuses on reunification of families, protection of those fleeing persecution or civil unrest, and comprehensive immigration reform in this country.

Migration and Refugee Services of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops annually resettles one quarter of the refugees admitted to the United States, providing pastoral care to newcomers and migrants.

Social Development and World Peace of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops advocates internationally for the poor and vulnerable, and for peace and justice. It extends the capacity of the Church to respond to global poverty.

The Holy Father's Relief Fund assists victims of natural disasters and other emergencies throughout the world.

Your generous support of the Catholic Relief Services Collection shows your commitment to love Jesus Christ in the poor, both at home and abroad. God has been generous with each of us; let us then share His generosity with many others, to the glory of His name.

May this season of Lent increase our faith and devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ, and may the grace of Almighty God for every spiritual and material blessing be upon each of you.

Your brother in Christ,

Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless
Bishop of Sioux City