Web links from past EXTENSION Magazines

Healthcare reports

If you want to see how your state or another area stacks up in healthcare, you can find illuminating statistics in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ report at www.ahrq.gov/qual/measurix.htm
The HHS home site also contains a host of other healthful information for consumers on illnesses and their treatments, prescriptions, healthcare plans and even how to quit smoking that can supplement a doctor’s instructions.  Click here

100 years of experience in Charitable Gift Annuities

Catholic Extension is celebrating its centennial of its Charitable Gift Annuity Program, which is a unique way for Catholics to help the missions and themselves at the same time. For more on the history and current details on this program, see Director Michael Prym’s Q-and-A interview. Click here

Miraculous Medal

The Miraculous Medal has long been a popular devotion commemorating the 1830 apparition of the Blessed Mother to St. Catherine Laboure. The association formed to promote this homage to the Immaculate Conception is also celebrating its centennial through November 2009 with a special offer of this medal. Click here

Musical rosary meditations

Two commercial jingle composers set their talents to creating a contemporary musical background for the Rosary that might appeal to all ages. Not just for individual meditation, one parish now uses the music as background for children’s confession time. For a free sample of the Joyful Mysteries, visit the creators' website at www.rosarytapes.com/listen.html

Volunteering data

Most parishes run on volunteer power, but that source is grew a little leaner lately, according to the Corportation for National and Community Service. Look for interesting research findings and state-by-state details at www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/

Spreading the Word

To arm yourself with answers to questions often posed by evangelizers from other faiths, visit any of these websites for online articles as well as apologetics books and magazines:
Catholic Answers http://www.catholic.com/

Envoy http://www.envoymagazine.com/Index.asp

TheCatholicAnswer (Our Sunday Visitor) http://www.osv.com/TCANav/TheCatholicAnswer/tabid/3970/Default.aspx

These publishers also offer good instructional materials. These links take you directly to their book offerings, but most also offer audio and video resources elsewhere on their websites:

ACTA Publications http://www.actapublications.com/products.html?&cat=2

Franciscan Fathers http://catalog.americancatholic.org//category_list.aspx?pcat=96

Paulist Fathers http://www.paulistpress.com/bookSearch.cgi?page=books_christedu

Ignatius Press http://www.ignatius.com/Apologetics-C3.aspx?SID=1&

Redemptorist Fathers (Liguori) http://www.liguori.org/showproducts.cfm?wpcid=1002

The Archdiocese of Military Services has a unique website with more information than most diocesan websites. You can learn about the history of military chaplains, find prayers used by soldiers and chaplains in the field, and see where chaplains are needed at priestless facilities as well as details on the archdiocese's vocation program. Click here to start at their home page. http://www.milarch.org/

Resources For Marriage

Catholic Extension has supported family and marriage-enrichment programs through grants to many dioceses that might not have been able to provide them otherwise. Follow the links here to many of these national programs and their resources for married couples. Click here.

Pathways Awareness Foundation

The Pathways Awareness Foundation offers practical information and materials about ways to ensure people of all abilities can participate fully. Click here for that information and details on $1,000 grants to help churches “open the doors wider.” http://www.inclusioninworship.org/

People You Should Know

Sister Margie Zureick was contentedly living in retirement near her mother’s home in Dayton, Ohio, when God called her back to the coal country she had just served for 14 years. Read more about her religious community of Sisters of the Precious Blood at http://userpages.bright.net/~cppsnews/ Click here to support her mission work in Appalachia.

Father James Massa of the U.S. Bishops’ Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Secre­tariat explains that the Church intends to dialogue more with the LDS Church. Learn more about interfaith relations at http://www.usccb.org/seia/