PROVIDENCE—Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of Providence, has authorized parishes of the Diocese of Providence to hold a special collection in support of disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Ian. Parishes may participate on the weekends of October 8-9 or October 15-16.

Funds raised will be directed to Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), the official domestic relief agency of the U.S. Catholic Church. Donations will provide much-needed support—including shelter, food, water, medical care, long-term recovery efforts, and other humanitarian needs—to those impacted by the disaster. Catholic Charities USA will direct 100 percent of the funds raised through this effort to its agencies that are working with residents impacted by Hurricane Ian.

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Bill Donahue, the President of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, has a Ph.D. in sociology. As a trained sociologist, he’s often been critical of past surveys of Catholics, because, as he puts it: “Too often pollsters ask questions designed to elicit a response that dovetails with their own political leanings.”

In an attempt to get a more accurate picture of the opinions and attitudes of Catholics in the United States at the present time, Donahue commissioned McLaughlin and Associates to do a national survey last month, the results of which he called, “mostly promising.” For example, when the 800 participants were asked if their Catholic faith was important to them, nine out of 10 said it was. (Amazingly, 78% of those who rarely or never attend church answered in the affirmative.) When asked if the Catholic Church is “a strong voice for morality in America,” 75% said it is. Almost the same percentage said that the Church should be even more vocal in speaking out on moral issues in the future, while 66% asserted that the Church should not change her teachings because of “public opinion.”

By Cole DeSantis, Rhode Island Catholic Correspondent

PROVIDENCE — “We’re swimming upstream trying to live the culture of life, and the evil one wants to isolate us, separate us, make us second guess ourselves in the value of what we are doing. But the power of love, when joined to the Cross of Christ, is tremendous, and we just have to keep doing what we are called to do.”

These were the words of columnist and Our Lady of Mercy, East Greenwich, parishioner Genevieve Kineke summarizing in her talk the general message of Bishop Thomas J. Tobin’s Human Life Guild Day.

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Sincerely yours in Christ,

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence

Office of Communications and Public Relations

One Cathedral Square, Providence, RI

to the Catholic Communication Campaign. Thank you!