The Two Feet Newsletter

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
- Matthew 5:9

A Catholic Response to the Violence at our Nation’s Capitol

As Pope Francis said in response to the attack at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, "Nothing is gained with violence and so much is lost." For a Catholic perspective on the event, we offer words from Pope Francis himself, the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops and the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in Davenport.

Pope Francis, January 10, 2021

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Get to Know Iowa City Catholic Worker House
(Option for the Poor and Vulnerable)

Pope Francis decreed this a special Catholic year for St. Joseph. The Pope compares Joseph, a committed father who worked in the shadows, to the essential workers who have kept things running during COVID. The Iowa City Catholic Worker House is reaching out to community members and supporters to determine how to celebrate this special year.

If you are unfamiliar with CWH in Iowa City, you can watch their Christmas Appeal 2020 video below for a thoughtful introduction. The video was created as a final project by Madisen Huffman, a young adult studying social justice who interned at CWH. You can also read these Catholic Messenger articles: Catholic Worker House opens in Iowa City | Iowa City Catholic Worker establishes community land trust.

Iowa City CWH Service and Impact

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Recommended Viewing
(Life and Dignity of the Human Person)

In the United States, tens of millions of people live in a web of poverty. This video from Justice, Peace and Human Development offers a unique insight into the complexity of poverty, how it connects to everything that we do and the factors that keep so many people and families entrapped. Use this resource to discuss how poverty affects your community and what solutions are needed to overcome poverty.

As people of faith, we are called to create a more just and peaceful world for all. Diocese of Davenport native, Kevin O'Brien of Davenport, shares his experience serving with Catholic Relief Services in Honduras and West Bank/Gaza.

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Call to Action
(Care for God's Creation)

From Iowa Interfaith Power and Light - Tell our Elected Officials People of Faith & Conscience are Called to Climate Action: This past summer, five Iowa college students wrote the 2020 Called to Climate Action religious statement for Iowa Interfaith Power and Light. They have an ambitious goal of 1,000 Iowans signing the statement by February 1. They will then share it with state and federal elected officials. Let's show our legislators Iowa Catholics care for God's creation. To read their statement and show your support, click here.

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Information to share: Heating Cost Assistance

(Option for the Poor and Vulnerable)

Consider sharing this information with parishioners via bulletins, websites and emails. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps qualifying low-income Iowa homeowners and renters pay for a portion of their primary heating costs for the winter heating season. The application period ends 4/30/21. Customers who qualify for LIHEAP are protected from having their natural gas and electric utilities disconnected from November 1 to April 1. Click here to find your local agency.

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The Lampstand - Life as a Seminarian

(Call to Family, Community and Participation)

Second year seminarian, Isaac Doucette from the Diocese of Davenport, provides snapshots of needs in his home parish and Chicago, both impacted by the pandemic. He also speaks of the joy of working to meet those needs, even when it means rising way before the sun comes up. Read his account here.
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From the Social Action Office - Now's your chance! The Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) is all virtual February 6-9 and we would love to have you participating as part of our Diocese. Each year, CSMG offers relevant sessions from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops leadership, Catholic Charities USA, Justice for Immigrants, Catholic Climate Covenant, and Catholic Mobilizing Network, among others. The event culminates with groups of attendees making Capitol Hill visits to highlight justice issues from the conference. Due to the pandemic, this year’s gathering is virtual, removing the need to travel to D.C., and the cost of registration for the entire conference is reduced to $50. The USCCB offers some financial assistance for qualified attendees (information here, apply by January 19). In addition, the Diocesan Social Action Office is able to provide some financial assistance. Contact Esmeralda at 563-888-4210 or guerrero@davenportdiocese.org for more information.

From Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat - Faith Farms and Climate: Iowa Farmers Helping Solve Our Climate Crisis. Matt Russell, executive director of Iowa Interfaith Power and Light and a 5th generation Iowa farmer, will lead farmers and farmland owners in a discussion about how Iowa farms can provide solutions to our most important environmental challenges. Farmer innovation around clean energy, reduced tillage, growing a wider variety of crops, growing something all year such as cover crops, and integrating livestock into cropping systems are vital to the next agricultural revolution.
This free event is Wednesday, January 27 from 9:30 - 11:30 AM. Click here to register.

From the Social Action Office - CRS Rice Bowl Success. Wondering how to change up your parish Rice Bowl Program in the time of COVID? If you missed our last Lunch and Learn, you can watch it by clicking the video below. You’ll find out about the impact of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) globally and locally through our diocesan grants. Then you’ll hear about resources and listen to ideas from parishioners around the Diocese about modifying programs to stay socially distant without losing your connection. Despite fewer people at Mass and the inability to gather together in large numbers, you can still keep people informed and engaged this year with Rice Bowl. Click the image below to view.

(Life and Dignity of the Human Person)

How do refugees find their way to communities in our DIocese, who helps them and what is their experience like? Join us for the next Lunch and Learn, Refugee Resettlement in our Diocese, on Thursday, February 4, 12:00-1:00 PM CST. To register, go to http://bit.ly/DioDavLunchLearn.

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Learn Something New

(Rights and Responsibilities)

The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops recently gave formal support to JustFaith Catholic, a series of programs from JustFaith Ministries designed to teach us about our Church’s social justice tradition. Catholic Campaign for Human Development strongly encourages the use of this program. Glenn Leach participated in JustFaith as a member at St. Ann’s in Long Grove. He remembers it as “a conversion process - a turning toward God.” He said it was a “very powerful experience for me, which caused a major change in my life.” Learn more by clicking here.

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January 2021