Five Things to Remember on Jan. 14

1.      National Vocation Awareness Week began Sunday. . This week we’ll post guest blogs by young priests and religious. Here’s the first vocation post, by Sister Faith Marie Woolsey, a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist.

 2.      President Obama declared January 2013 as "National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month." The bishops condemn human trafficking—or just plain slavery—as an affront against human dignity and have called for its end. For years, the USCCB worked closely with the Departments of Health and Human Services and Justice to raise awareness about this problem and to assist its victims. Now the USCCB has the opportunity to initiate new ventures in anti-trafficking, including a national education campaign that will reach into parishes and schools across the country to inform Catholics about the evil of human slavery. Education is a critical first step in its eventual abolition. For more information about MRS’ anti-slavery efforts go to http://www.usccb.org/about/anti-trafficking-program/

 3.      The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins Friday. For more than 100 years, Christians around the world have taken part in an octave of prayer for visible Christian unity from January 18 - 25. By annually observing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU), Christians move toward the fulfillment of Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper "that they all may beone."

4.      Poverty Awareness Month urges people to act to alleviate poverty. 

5.    God loves you.