"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way." This year Charles Dickens’ famous opening lines to A Tale of Two Cities resonates all too deeply.
Foreclosures, bankruptcies, and bank failures are the staple of the daily news. Economic crisis has hit the world, the country and the state. Costs of the basic necessities of life – food, clothing, utilities, and health care – continue to rise. Rhode Island leads the nation in unemployment and there seems to be no end in sight. Tough times call for sacrifice but also for solidarity.
Thousands of Rhode Islanders will face a cold winter with no electricity or heat. High costs for heating oil and natural gas are predicted for the coming cold winter months. Assistance from the federal or state government cannot be counted on as both face huge budget deficits and a failing economy. This situation is perilous for families that cannot afford to heat their homes during the cold winter months. Once again, Bishop Tobin has called upon Rhode Island’s many Catholics to join his campaign to provide heating assistance through the “Keep the Heat On” program.
As before, the Diocese of Providence is offering a program that provides heating assistance for struggling families who have no other means to pay utility bills. Since it was established in 2005, Keep the Heat On has provided more than $600,000 in heating assistance to more than 2,000 Rhode Island households through grants from the Catholic diocese and private contributions.
The news has not been good for many poor and low-income families across the state, with a dark cold winter looming on the horizon. Many of these families will have their heat and electricity shut off as they choose between buying food, getting needed prescriptions, filling the gas tank or paying high utility bills.
The Keep the Heat On Campaign provides an opportunity for Catholics and all people of good will to truly help their neighbors in need. It may mean making extraordinary sacrifices in order to lend a helping hand or to give a generous donation to the program. But solidarity with the poor is needed now more than ever. Indeed, as Dickens suggested so long ago, it is the worst of times and the best of times: The worst of times for those who are suffering in need and poverty, but the best of times as their brothers and sisters come forward in solidarity to support them. It is a time to let the light of charity replace the darkness of poverty and need. Sacrifice and solidarity are needed to "Keep the Heat On" this year, so please join the effort with your generous donation today.
