Recommended Resources - Communities of Salt and Light

1. We root our work for justice in prayer and in our relationship with God, who loves those who are poor and vulnerable. 

Helpful Resources:

Prayers for Church and World | en Español 
Prayers and Resources from Catholic Relief Services 
Scriptural Rosary for Justice and Peace  
Nine New Ways to Pray | en Español 
  

2. We pray together (through Scriptural reflection, Prayers of the Faithful, etc.) for those who are vulnerable in our local and global communities. 

Helpful Resources:

Caring for God's Creation: Resources for Liturgy, Preaching, and Taking Action | en Español 
Sample Prayers of the Faithful for Labor Day 
Prayers of the Faithful for Day of Prayer for Peace in Our Communities | en Español 
Stations of the Cross: Overcoming Racism | en Español 
Holy Hour Against Racism 
St. Peter Claver Prayer Service 
Resources for the World Day of Peace (Jan. 1)    
Parish Integrates Social Mission into Liturgy, Prayer 

 

3. We share Christ’s call to conversion, discipleship and love for neighbors through Scriptural reflection, homilies, preaching, and/or other formation opportunities. 

Helpful Resources: 

Preaching the Mystery of Faith: the Sunday Homily   
Marten Program conference on “Preaching and Catholic Social Teaching 
Preach Solidarity: CRS Global Fellows 
Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples | en Español 

 

4. Our liturgical celebrations and/or common prayer acknowledge Christ’s presence in the community and lead to sending forth on mission in daily life. 

Helpful Resources: 

The Eucharistic Liturgy: Formed, Transformed, and Sent | en Español 
Eucharist and Social Mission: Body of Christ, Broken for the World | en Español 
Reflection on The Mystery of the Eucharist and the Call to Love and Transform | en Español 
Mass Formulary for the Memorial of St. Peter Claver 

 

5. Music for prayer, worship, and/or reflection reinforces the call to discipleship and mission. 

Helpful Resources:

Caring for God's Creation: Resources for Liturgy, Preaching, and Taking Action | en Español 

 

6. We help those preparing to be initiated into the Christian community (and their sponsors or parents and godparents) to understand Baptism as being incorporated into the Body of Christ and sent on mission. 

Helpful Resources:

Baptism: Incorporated into Christ's Body, Sent on Christ's Mission | en Español 

 

7. We help our community members examine their attitudes, words, actions, and inactions that affect our relationships with God, self, and neighbor. 

Helpful Resources:

Examination of Conscience in Light of Catholic Social Teaching | en Español. 
Penance: Reconciled to Right Relationship, Called to Heal and Restore | en Español 
A Prayer Service for Racial Healing in Our Land | en Español 

 

8. We help those preparing to be Confirmed to understand that the Holy Spirit calls them to be witnesses and to carry out a mission of love and service. 

Helpful Resources:

Confirmation: Strengthened by the Spirit, Called to Action | en Español 

 

9. We help couples preparing for marriage understand the call to imitate Christ’s love, self-gift and service towards one another, their families and the world. 

Helpful Resources:

Matrimony: United in Love, Strengthened for Service | en Español 
How to Include Service to Others in Your Wedding Ceremony

10. We foster opportunities for encounter and relationship between and among members of our faith community. 

Helpful Resources:

Parish holds listening sessions to better journey together
Questions to Facilitate Encounter 
Building Relationships: Creating a Culture of Encounter Through One-to-One Relational Meetings | en Español 

 

11. Our community welcomes newcomers, persons with disabilities, people of diverse ethnicities and cultures, immigrants, spouses of other denominations, single adults, divorced and widowed persons, elderly persons, and children. 

Helpful Resources:

Best Practices for Shared Parishes: So That They May All Be One 
Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love | en Español 
USCCB Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism resource page  
Intercultural Competencies 
Catechesis with People with Disabilities 
Pastoral Statement on Persons with Disabilities 
National Catholic Partnership on Disability | en Español 
 

 

12. We foster opportunities for encounter between members of our community and the “least of these” in our neighborhood, city, and/or wider community. 

Helpful Resources:

Plan a Journey to Justice Day  | en Español 
Transformed by Eucharist, Sent on Mission: A Service Learning Retreat Experience   
Civilize It: A Better Kind of Politics | en Español 

 

13. Our community helps cultivate a sense of solidarity with the global church. 

Helpful Resources:

Called to Global Solidarity: International Challenges for U.S. Parishes | En Español    
CRS Resource Center  
Learn about the work of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace 
Discovering solidarity through mutual encounter in Guatemala  

 

14. We reach out to people who live in the geographic area surrounding our community—including those of diverse cultures, backgrounds and economic statuses—to take part in our community’s life, worship, and/or activities. 

Helpful Resources: 

Encountering Your Neighbor: A Catholic Social Teaching Perspective | en Español 
Learn about the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) and its work in communities 

 

15. We work to cultivate diverse leaders representative of the ethnicities, cultures, income levels, and ages of people in our community. 

Helpful Resources:

Catholic Social Teaching Bilingual Certificate Program 
Diversity Outreach Initiative  
CCHD Internships 

 

16. We help emerging leaders develop leadership skills, such as running meetings, planning, recruiting volunteers, etc. 

Helpful Resources:

Skills Building for Leaders   
What Does a Well-Run Meeting Look Like?   
Skills for Dialogue | Español 
Diocese trains rural leaders for leadership in service and social justice 

 

17. We connect with others (leaders, community organizations, other faith communities, etc.) who are working to address issues in the community. 

Helpful Resources:

Meet Mary: An Introduction to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development   

 

18. We have relationships with communities of other faith traditions. 

Helpful Resources:

USCCB Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs 
Conversations in the Courtyard of the Gentiles: Learning from Interchurch and Interfaith Dialogue | en Español 
Ecumenical and Interreligious Guidebook on Care for Our Common Home 
Generations of Faith: Interreligious, Intercultural, Intergenerational Dialogue  

19. We connect formation (i.e. religious education, catechetical formation, sacramental preparation, adult education, etc.) with the call to mission in the world as Christ’s disciples. 

Helpful Resources: 

Learning Activities on Catholic Social Teaching (includes materials en Español) 
Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples | en Español 

 

20. We integrate Catholic social teaching into our education and formation programs. 

Helpful Resources:

USCCB resources on Catholic Social Teaching | en Español 
CST Posters for Children and Adults (also en Español) 
Educational Materials on Racism (includes materials en Español) 
Educational Materials on Care for Creation (includes materials en Español) 

 

21. Our communication tools (social media, emails, newsletters, bulletins, etc.) regularly speak about our call to discipleship and mission in the world. 

Helpful Resources:

Get ideas from USCCB Dept of Justice, Peace and Human Development newsletters, and our Meta (Facebook) and X (Twitter). 

 

22. We provide opportunities for children and teens to learn about and respond to issues related to poverty, racism, and other forms of injustice. 

Helpful Resources:

K-12 Resources on Racism
PovertyUSA Education Center 
Two Feet of Love in Action Session for Teens  
Two Feet of Love in Action Elementary Storybooks  
Schools Unite for Life and Justice 
Teens Educate Parish, Sell Fair Trade Products 

 

23. We integrate into our faith formation activities global concerns and solidarity with our human family around the world. 

Helpful Resources:

Explore the CRS Resource Center for prayer and learning resources on global solidarity (English and Spanish) 

 

24. We seek to understand more deeply the issues that affect those in poverty and develop a strategy to respond. 

Helpful Resources:

PovertyUSA.org | PobrezaUSA.org  
Stack of the Deck Illustration of the Root Causes of Poverty | en Español 
Take a Step: Illustration of Advantages, Disadvantages and Factors Leading to Poverty | en Español 
Ending Poverty in Community (EPIC) Toolkit   
JustFaith Catholic Inspires Home for Victims of Sex Trafficking and Exploitation 

 

25. We offer opportunities for prayerful discernment of how we are called to respond to needs both locally and globally. 

Helpful Resources:

A Process for Group Discernment
Reflection/Action Process for Doing Social Analysis  

26. Social justice is an integral piece of our efforts for the new evangelization. 

Helpful Resources:

The Mystery of the Eucharist and the Call to Love and Transform | en Español  
Eucharist and Mission 
Scripture and Justice Timeline Activity 
Biblical Justice Challenge 
The New Evangelization and Social Justice  

 

27. We respond generously to emergency and ongoing situations, both local and global. 

Helpful Resources:

Find Your Local Catholic Charities
Pray, Learn and Fast for Those in Poverty   

 

28. We engage in charitable works that meet basic, short-term needs (food, clothing, shelter etc.) and also foster long term self-sufficiency. 

Helpful Resources:

Two Feet of Love in Action | en Español 

 

29. Our service programs connect volunteers with opportunities to change the conditions that create poverty and injustice. 

Helpful Resources:

Making Service Transformational | en Español 
Shift: CRS/LifeTeen Retreat 
 

30. If applicable, twinning (or “sister” relationships with parishes, dioceses, or communities in other countries) is based on mutual giving and receiving by both parties. 

Helpful Resources: 

Parish Partnership Manual 
Parish Twinning and the Global Church 
Parish Twinning: How You Can Help Child Abuse Overseas 
Discovering Solidarity through Mutual Encounter in Guatemala 

 

31. We lift up service and justice as means for strengthening family relationships, including between spouses and between parents and children. 

Helpful Resources:

Practicing Solidarity as a Family   
Marriage: United in Love, Strengthened for Service | en Español 

 

32. We provide concrete ideas and opportunities for our community members to live their faith in work, family, marriage or single life, and in everyday decisions and actions. 

Helpful Resources:

Everyday Christianity: To Hunger and Thirst for Justice | en Español 
Teaching Civil Dialogue in Our Families 
Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines 
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (English and Spanish) 

 

33. We help business owners, managers, workers, and consumers to live their faith in the workplace. 

Helpful Resources:

Vocation of the Business Leader: A Reflection | en Español 
Catholic Framework for Economic Life | en Español 
USCCB Labor Day Statements and Resources  

 

34. We put Gospel values in action through our purchasing choices and encourage others to do the same. 

Helpful Resources:

Support Fair Trade to Fight Poverty Globally: Equal Exchange and SERRV  
Teens Educate Parish, Sell Fair Trade Products  

 

35. As a community or organization, we allocate a designated percentage of our funds to both direct service (charitable works) and long-term solutions (social justice) activities. 

Helpful Resources:

Collection for the Church in Latin America (4th Sunday in January)   
Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe (Ash Wednesday)   
Catholic Relief Services Collection (4th Sunday of Lent)   
Collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (World Day of the Poor in November)  
 

36. Our organizational policies (employment, compensation, due process, etc.) are implemented in a way that reflects the Church's teaching about human dignity, rights, equality, and justice. 

Helpful Resources:

USCCB on Labor and Employment 
Vocation of the Business Leader: A Reflection | en Español 

 

37. We communicate our values to the public arena through letter writing, calling or visiting elected officials, or other forms of advocacy. 

Helpful Resources:

USCCB Action Center 
Sign Up for JPHD Action Alerts (Email and Text) 
Access toolkit resources from CRS on how to advocate | en Español 
Schools unite for life and justice 
Catholic groups mobilize to end the death penalty in Georgia 

 

38. We participate in national, regional and local efforts to communicate our concerns and values to public policymakers. 

Helpful Resources: 

Take Action with your State Catholic Conference   
Participate in the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering  
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (English and Spanish) 
Advocacy Helps Students Live Faith that Does Justice 

 

39. We model care for God’s creation by taking practical steps to be good stewards, such as conserving energy, purchasing sustainable products, reducing consumption, recycling, etc. 

Helpful Resources:

U.S. Catholic bishops’ Environmental Justice Page (English and Spanish) 
Laudato Si’ Week (May) | en Español  
Season of Creation (September-October) | en Español 
Catholic Climate Covenant    
Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good  | en Español 
Parish forms green teams in response to Laudato Si’ 

 

40. Our homilies, preaching and/or teaching focus not only on disciples’ individual relationship with God, but also on their call to be disciples on mission in daily life. 

Helpful Resources:

Preaching the Mystery of Faith: the Sunday Homily   

 

41. Homilies, preaching, and/or teaching speak to concerns facing those who are vulnerable and invite response. 

Helpful Resources:

Caring for God's Creation: Resources for Liturgy, Preaching, and Taking Action | en Español 

42. We work with others in our community (organizations, places of worship, etc.) to understand and respond to problems and issues. 

Helpful Resources: 

Learn about the work of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) 
Chicago parish addresses domestic violence 

 

43. We support local efforts to address the root causes of poverty in our community, especially those efforts led by the people most impacted by the problems being addressed. 

Helpful Resources:

CCHD-funded group Success Stories | en Español 
Find a CCHD group near you | en Español 

 

44. We engage in self-evaluation of our efforts to be a community of salt and light. 

Helpful Resources:

Evaluate Your Efforts