40 Days For Life - SEPTEMBER 22 TO OCTOBER 31

This Fall, from September 22 - October 31, 2010, our community is uniting with hundreds of other cities around the world for the largest and longest coordinated pro-life mobilization in history: the 40 Days for Life campaign. Recognizing that “with God all things are possible,” people of faith are praying that this effort will help bring an end to the tragedy of abortion.

40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign that has already mobilized over 350,000 people worldwide, saved more than 2,800 lives from abortion, led to the conversion of 38 abortion workers, and seen five abortion facilities close.

40 Days for Life is made up of three components:

• Prayer and Fasting: believers throughout our city join together with prayer and fasting to end abortion.

• Peaceful Vigil: stand for life during a 40-day peaceful public witness outside the Charleston Women’s Medical Center, 1312 Ashley River Road (Hwy 61).

• Community Outreach: advocacy and public visibility.

Learn to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves here in

Charleston at the “CAST A VISION RALLY” at Calvary Lutheran 1400 Manor Blvd. Off Highway 7 on Saturday, September 11th at 10 a.m. to noon. Contacts: Cathedral, call Cheryle 795-3029 or Deborah 906-8287; St. Mary’s, call Jim Corso 813-6078. www.40daysforlife.com/charleston

FREE MEDICAL CLINIC FOR THE UNINSURED

Sponsored by Coastal Catholic Charities, a free medical clinic for the uninsured is available on the third Wednesday of the month. The next clinic will be Wednesday, July 15th from 9 - noon at Echo House located at 1911 Hackeman Avenue in North Charleston. Please call for an appointment 843-308-9361.

St. Mathias Society (Sobriety and the Catholic Faith)

The St. Mathias Society is an association of Catholics who suffer from the disease of alcoholism and strive to maintain their sobriety through participation in Alcoholics Anonymous and practice their Catholic faith.

The Society strives to interest Catholics who have an alcohol problem in the virtue of total abstinence and to promote the spiritual development of its members. Both of these goals are consistent with the AA’s Twelve Step Program where the stated aim is spiritual awakening. The program is open to newcomers who need help and old timers with years of sobriety.

The St. Mathias Society meets the first and third Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room of the Parish Hall at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, 120 Broad Street in downtown Charleston. For further information, please contact Seth at (843) 276-5583.

Join Fr. Edward Fitzgerald as he leads a pilgrimage to France and Spain November 8 - 19, 2010. Spend 5 nights in Paris; 4 nights in Lourdes; spend a day in Lisieux, and a night in Barcelona. Celebrate Mass each day and enjoy free days in Paris and Lourdes to explore and spend time in personal prayer. Cost of the pilgrimage is $3,200 and includes air fare, hotel accommodations, transportation during the pilgrimage, guided tours and entrance fees, as well as breakfast and supper daily. For more information or to register, please visit www.proximotravel.com and click on the link for Fr. Fitzgerald or contact Fr. Fitzgerald at (843) 553-0340.

Come join us for a relaxing evening on the water! No paddling involved! Mark your calendar because St. Joseph is sailing the inland waterways on Friday, October 1st . We will “gather by the river” (Maritime Center) at 6:30 and return at 8:30 p.m. Bring your own cooler and snacks. For a mere monetary charge of $20 per person, you can leave your cares behind and enjoy the sights of Charleston from the water! Call the office (556-4611) to make your reservations. Only 40 seats available and 25 have already been claimed!

Lydia’s Corner, located in the Pauline Book and Media Center, 243 King Street, is an ongoing fund raising endeavor for the Daughters of St. Paul. Lydia’s Corner is a consignment boutique featuring jewelry, silver, objets d’art, furniture, embroidered Baptismal and First Communion garments, plus other children’s clothing, furs, gowns and much more.

The Diocese of Charleston is sponsoring a discernment retreat for men on September 24-26, 2010 at the White Oak Retreat Center. The retreat will allow participants to discern a possible vocation to the diocesan priesthood. For more information, please email Fr. Jeff Kirby at vocationskirby@aol.com or call (803) 254-7646.