WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?

Neighbor helping neighbor is one of the hallmarks of our American people. No matter what part of the country a disaster occurs people from all across this huge country want to help!

The aftermath from Katrina is no different. Amy Welborn at Open Book is doing us all a great service which the media doesn't seem to be doing (at least the news on the internet; we don't watch TV) keeping us all informed about what the different organizations, church institutions, dioceses, religious orders and your average Joe and Jane are doing to help our brothers and sisters in need AND how we can all help!

When we asked a friend of our who is with the Red Cross, what we could post to help she said, "put 1-800-HELP-NOW in big Red letters and tell your readers that the lines are happily overwhelmed so CALL BACK if you can't go through. She also directs you to the Red Cross website.

OK, Julia, is this OK?

Also, Catholic Charities USA is the other large help organization.

Most of all, pray and sacrifice for the people of the Gulf Coast, for the poor who have no one and nothing, for the looters, for the National Guard and all the volunteers trying to help! Maybe you don't have a lot of money but the alms of prayer is priceless. Find an adoration chapel nearby and sacrifice some free time (which is always so little!) and intercede for the needs of all these people that Christ, the loving Shepherd will strengthen and console those whom He loves. St. John Vianney said, "Miles melt before the tabernacle." Before Him who is the Creator and Sustainer of the world we are one in Him and we can strengthen one another!