Catholic myopia

This morning I was thinking about the horrific events in Asia and Africa, and could not help but wonder if as Christians, in our efforts to raise the flag against abortion and gay marriage, we sometimes drop the ball on other aspects of living out our Christian faith.

For example, if we are opposed to gay men and women becoming foster parents, are we prepared to step in to care for the more than six hundred thousand children who are court wards and without a permanent home? If every Catholic family in the United States took one child, or one sibling group -- perhaps in reparation for one of those lives ripped limb from limb -- we could also redeem one more life, whose prospects are otherwise unquestionably dim.

As Christians, and particularly American Catholics, it is not enough to wring our hands at the tragedy in Asia and Africa. As the richest people group in the world, we are morally obligated to respond to the very real needs of our brothers and sisters who are struggling to survive in Asia and Africa. Scripture tells us that each of us will have to give an account for how we used the resources God entrusted to us to help our brothers and sisters who cannot help themselves.

Consider it from this perspective: The Church entrusts those forty-four million innocents to the care of their heavenly Father. The hundred thousand lives lost since Sunday, on the other hand, very likely had no opportunity to avail themselves of the sacraments before they died. Those who live are going through their own personal hell on earth.

The world is watching how we are going to respond. Our faith demands that we do our part. Below is a link for Catholic Relief Services, a group initiated by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops to alleviate suffering in the world -- and right now, particularly in the East. Please respond generously.

Catholic Relief Services: https://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Simple/Donor.asp?ievent=90705&en=ieIHILPqF4KAITOuH3IALTMvGgLUKSPrGbIGKYOCKjIMLTNrHcJJJUNIF

Here is an article from America magazine on this organization: http://www.americamagazine.org/editorial.cfm?articleTypeID=3&textID=3126&issueID=448

God bless you!