Thursday, September 3, 2009

DAYTON DEANERY — Unemployment and the nation’s economy are presenting teachable moments for Catholics and the community to learn how our faith calls us to bring about a just economy for everyone.

On Monday, Sept. 7, Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk will celebrate a special Labor Day Mass at 9 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 2300 S. Smithville Rd. He will be joined by area priests.

The liturgy will include special blessings for those in need of work and their families, employers and policy-makers and the support community.

Radio Maria will broadcast the Mass live. Details are available online at www.radiomaria.us.

Weavers of Justice and the Archdiocesan Catholic Social Action Office will present a three-week series combining local speakers and Catholic social teaching beginning Sept. 14. The series will be held at Trinity Center, 266 Bainbridge St., Dayton.

“Unemployment continues to be a struggle for the residents of Montgomery County. The most recent statistics from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services for July 2009 places the county’s unemployment rate at 12.5 percent, Dayton’s rate at 13.7 and Kettering at 10.8 percent,” said Pam Long, regional director of the Catholic Social Action Office.

The presenters are: Leigh Sempeles, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul, Dayton, who will address “Poverty and Homelessness in Today’s Economy,” Monday, Sept. 14, and Tuesday, Sept. 15; Heath MacAlpine, assistant director of the Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services, who will address “Unemployment — Impacts and Options,” Monday, Sept. 21, and Tuesday, Sept. 22; and Michael Vanderburgh, director of the Stewardship Department for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, who will speak on “Individual Responsibility in Social Justice: The Steward’s Choice,”  Monday, Sept. 28, and Tuesday, Sept. 29.

The speakers will present in the first half of the 90-minute session. The second half will focus on Catholic social teaching on economic justice with an overview of Economic Justice for All, A Decade After Economic Justice for All and Pope Benedict XVI’s Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth).

Each speaker will present the session twice, first on Monday night, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and again on Tuesday noon to 1:30 p.m. The talks are free, but reservations should be made by calling 937-224-3026.