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May a Time to Celebrate Asian Heritage
May is Asian Heritage Month. Asian Americans, especially Filipinos and Vietnamese, make up the third largest group of people of color in the Church in the United States today. They account for about 2.6 percent of all Catholics after Hispanics and African-Americans. As of 1997, the Bureau of Census counted some 10,100,000 Americans and resident immigrants who are of Asian ancestry. They are 3.8 percent of the total population in the United States. "The Pope's recent exhortation on Asia reminds us that the history of the Catholic Church in Asia is as old as the church herself," says Mark Franken, Director of the USCC Office of Migration and Refugee Services. "It was from Asia that Jesus sent his disciples to the ends of the earth to proclaim the good news and gather communities of believers. We look forward to a growing Asian influence on the Church in the United States."
Mark Franken can be reached at 202-541-3169.
CCHD Funded Program Makes Every Day Mother's Day
A mother's work is never done, and mothers in low income communities deserve an extra special Mother's Day kudos on Sunday, May 14. Mothers in two low-income Latino communities in Chicago are helping themselves start up their own home day-care businesses as part of an "incubator" program, funded by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). The innovative program expands the number of neighborhood daycare providers for mothers seeking good childcare while they go to work. "Many in the program think that CCHD is an 'angel behind the scenes' helping them be better mothers to their own children because of the training they receive in the licensing process," notes Barbara Stephenson, CCHD Communications Director.
Barbara Stephenson is available at 202-541-3364.
CCC Interview to Feature Military Chaplaincy
The month of May commemorates the armed forces both on Armed Forces Day, May 20, and Memorial Day on May 29, which Pope John Paul II has also declared a Jubilee Day to honor those who serve in the military. In keeping with this theme, the popular Personally Speaking, a Catholic Communications Campaign interview program, will feature Most Rev. Edwin O'Brien, Archbishop of Military Services. In the program, to be aired Friday, May 29, at 10 a.m. on the Odyssey Channel, host Father Jim Lisante will explores the importance of spiritual ministry in time of peace as well as war. "Priests who minister to Catholic military personnel is a little known, but fascinating story," states Ellen McCloskey, producer of Personally Speaking.
Ellen McCloskey can be reached at 202-541-3236.