CARDINAL RIGALI TO LEAD INTERFAITH PRAYER SERVICE
Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, invites people of all faiths to pray together in response to President Bush's call for a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Interfaith Prayer Service for Victims of Hurricane Katrina will be held Thursday, September 15, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. in the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, 18th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia. Religious leaders who have indicated their participation at this time include: Rabbi Michael Holzman, Congregation Rodeph Shalom; Imam Anwar Muhaiman, International Muslim Brotherhood; and Rev. Steven Lawrence, White Rock Baptist Church and President, Board of Metropolitan Christian Council.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WELCOME STUDENTS FROM AFFECTED REGION
Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School has enrolled a young man at the South Philadelphia Archdiocesan high school after his evacuation from New Orleans with his father. Both are natives of Rwanda, where the boy's mother and sister were killed in civil strife prior to coming to this country. At this time, 14 young people from the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast region have been enrolled in four Archdiocesan Catholic high schools and four parish elementary schools. Students in the 194 parish elementary schools, all parish religious education programs and 21 Archdiocesan high schools are asked to participate in the relief collection of the National Catholic Educational Association's Child to Child program, details of which can be found at www.ncea.org. Students are asked to contribute one dollar to be designated for the educational needs of the young people in the affected areas.

CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES ASSISTING RELIEF EFFORTS
Three social workers of Catholic Social Services (CSS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are ready for deployment to the Gulf Coast. The names of the three women, all long-time staff members with extensive experience in clinical counseling and case management, have been sent to Catholic Charities USA, which is coordinating the relief efforts of all Catholic dioceses in the United States. CSS has to date responded to 17 requests for assistance from victims of Hurricane Katrina. Individuals displaced from the affected area, living with family members within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, have received assistance, information or referrals for emergency aid, housing and financial assistance. Approximately 50 people to date have offered to open their homes to displaced people in the affected region. CSS is assisting in gathering housing information to contribute to a database being organized on a national level. If someone in the Philadelphia area wishes to share their home, they may call Catholic Social Services at 215-587-3900 to be included in the database.

NUTRITIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DONATING FOOD AID
This agency of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Catholic Human Services donated $20,000 from its Operation Rice Bowl program to Catholic Community Services of Baton Rouge to be used for food aid to hurricane victims. NDS is also planning a food drive, to begin later this month, in which grade school, high school and college students throughout the Archdiocese can contribute plastic jars of peanut butter and jelly to the Greater New Orleans Food Bank, now relocated in Baton Rouge and operated by the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

OFFICE FOR BLACK CATHOLICS TO HOST BENEFIT CONCERT
Choirs from the Black Catholic community will hold a Benefit Concert at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 23, 2005 at Saint Raymond Parish (Vernon Road & Williams Avenue, Philadelphia). Any choir wishing to participate should contact the Office for Black Catholics as soon as possible at 215-587-3634.

PARISHES COLLECT FOR RELIEF EFFORT
Cardinal Rigali has asked all 274 parishes in the Archdiocese to hold special collections as soon as possible to assist in the relief effort. All donations will be forwarded to Catholic Charities USA. (www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.)

Contact
Donna Farrell
Director of Communications
215-587-3747