On November 7, Pope John Paul II called attention to the 8th century miracle in Lanciano, Italy, at the beginning of the Year of the Eucharist. In a letter addressed to Archbishop Carlo Ghidelli of Lanciano, Ortona, the Pope said: “I very much desire that, during the Year of the Eucharist, every diocesan community renew publicly its act of faith in Jesus present in the sacrament of the altar and inspire all its life and pastoral action in the Eucharistic spirituality that emerges so clearly in the evangelical accounts.”

According to tradition, a Basilian monk who was celebrating Mass in the Latin rite in the church of St. Legonziano in Lanciano, began to doubt the real presence of Christ under the sacred species after the consecration. At that very moment, the priest saw how the sacred host was transformed into human flesh and the wine into blood, which later coagulated. Today these relics are kept in the cathedral. On November 18, 1970, Dr. Edoardo Linoli analyzed the remains of “miraculous flesh and blood” and concluded that it was human myocardial tissue and genuine blood, respectively.

For us Christians, the Eucharist is everything. It is the center of our faith and the source of all our spiritual life,” the Pope explained in his letter, emphasizing that this applies “in a particular way” to the community of Lanciano.

Alexandria, VA -The Catholic Charities network - more than 1,400 local agencies and institutions nationwide - has been ranked 3rd among the

nation's largest nonprofits in the country by The NonProfit Times, which publishes the oldest annual ranking of charities in the country.

To be included in the "NPT 100," nonprofits must raise at least 10 percent of their total revenue from public sources, such as individual donors and foundations.

Catholic Charities agencies provide a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from day care and counseling to food and housing. In 2003, local Catholic Charities agencies provided help and created hope for nearly than seven million people in need, regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds. The 2003 combined revenue of the Catholic Charities network was $2,858,623,665.00. Nearly 90 percent of these funds were spent on programs and services, making Catholic Charities one of the nation's most efficient charities.