Lenten Social Justice Project

Help build the Casey Center for Faith and Community Service – Integrating Faith, Service and Social Justice.

For more than three generations, the Society of St. Edmund has promoted and championed the healing presence of Jesus Christ through programs that sustain those who are most vulnerable within the Black Belt of Alabama.

The Missions understands that in order to drive long-term change and develop sustainable solutions to the societal deficits inherent to its founding, a networked approach to problem solving must be addressed.

A critical component of this networked approach has been maintaining a volunteer program to engage college and university students.

Over the last several years, the Missions has restructured its volunteer program. The longer-term goal is to engage young people in experiential opportunities that both define the role of the individual in community problem solving and align their faith in light of their search for meaning, purpose and societal impact.

As such, this program will evolve into a field site for young people to deepen their understanding and commitment to the pursuit of social justice and civic engagement through the lens of Catholic social justice teaching.

2022 Lenten Social Justice Project – Mercy Personified – Raised $56,250.

Holy Family Catholic Community partnered with Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation, located in Chicago, serving the neighborhoods of Back of the Yards/New City and Englewood.

Their mission is rooted in the spirituality of the Precious Blood to restore human dignity through radical hospitality, hope and healing. They serve youth, families and community members who are impacted by violence and the criminal justice system.

PBMR is mercy personified promoting a restorative justice approach to conflict while building a sense of community.

We also collected a total of $51,204 in cash donations not to mention gift cards, Costco rebates and Easter Holiday Sharing gift cards for each resident bringing that total to almost $54,000. Thank you on behalf of Holy Family and on behalf of the Little Sisters of the Poor who continue to serve the economically disadvantaged elderly in our community with love and dignity.

We are living in a time that is challenging to our faith practice and our ability to see one another as God’s children. Instead of drawing ourselves to one another in our common goodness, we stand as witnesses to increased divisiveness.

Our Catholic social teaching on Solidarity states:

“We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Learning to practice the virtue of solidarity, learning that loving our neighbor has global dimensions in an interdependent world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace.”

JUNE NEWS LETTER

KBI recently dedicated a brand new building to better serve people fleeing their homeland due to famine or violence. The dedication began with a Love First moment. A woman noticed people walking in her neighborhood with white lips. She knew that meant they were hungry and dehydrated. She saw so many people that she thought all she could do was pray.

While continuing to see these people, she then wondered, “How much can it cost to offer them some beans and a cup of water?” That was in 2010.

What began with a woman with love for her neighbor in her heart grew to what is now KBI. They began to serve people in a small building holding approximately 100 people at a time. Since 2010, it is estimated 775,000 immigrants have been served by KBI in that small building.

This new building with greater capacity allows KBI to provide additional services such as counseling, sleeping quarters and a clothing room. Because of our donation to fund support services to their visitors, KBI dedicated the Social Services Room in Holy Family’s honor.

Holy Family Fund

In August 2019, nearly 700 workers in chicken processing plants in the Jackson, Mississippi diocese were arrested in ICE raids. Most were of Guatemalan descent. Catholic Extension, with the assistance of Holy Family Parish, has been instrumental in providing resources and aid to local Catholic churches serving these families whose lives were turned upside down in a matter of moments.

Separated families, like the ones in Mississippi, are the human toll of our broken immigration system, which suffers from our nation’s inability to find a common sense legislative solution to this pressing issue.

To date, the Holy Family Fund has extended nearly $125,000 to immigrant families. In addition to donating $80,000 to this fund, Holy Family Parish has extended nearly $300,000 to Catholic Extension from other Lenten campaigns through our Parish Partnership Program.

Jonathan, 8 years old, wrote: “There are many destroyed families, children who are suffering, waiting to see their dad or their mom who are still in detention. We ask you to keep helping people who still have family members in detention. Please do not abandon us.”

To read Catholic Extension’s 2019 Annual Report, go to https://catholicextension.org/annual-report/pdf/2019-CE-AnnualReport-web.pdf.

The program was able to service 165 active participants in 2019. As of December 2019, 122 participants or 74% obtained employment and 2 members enrolled in college full time. The Strong Futures program also assisted several individuals with securing permanent housing and looked to expand its participant base, with the goal of 100% full time employment.

The Peace Corner Youth Center

Fr. Maurizio Binaghi of the Comboni Missionaries saw a need in 2002 and what transpired was the beginning of what is now The Peace Corner Youth Center. It was created as a place where children could be safe to be children. Young people of the neighborhood came to do homework, play pool, and talk to someone about their problems.

As affordable housing options diminish in our area, JOURNEYS provides the care and dignity to individuals and families facing homelessness during their time of struggle. Holy Family Parish and its parishioners are a beacon of light to our neighbors, especially our neighbors in need. For more information about JOURNEYS, go to journeystheroadhome.org.

2015 – St. Mary’s Mission Church, Red Lake Reservation, Red Lake, MN

Fr. Jerry Rogers’ approach brought rich Catholic traditions to the Reservation and merged them with rich Native American rituals. Since his arrival at Red Lake, the people of St. Mary’s Church and the local community have embraced him for his love and commitment to them through all their ups and downs.

Holy Family’s Lenten Project supported a Pastoral Associate at St. Mary’s Mission and School, which increased outreach to vulnerable children and families. These positions still exist at the parish. A three-year grant to the diocese supported a Grant Writer position which generated a total of $390,000 in grant funding during that period to ensure greater sustainability of the parish and school. Holy Family’s investment in this position continues to have impact.

Feedback from the school in 2018: “St. Mary’s Mission School has successfully raised the level of reading and math in our students. An area which we lacked in was technology. With one of the grants received, we were able to purchase iPad, Chrome books and Smart Boards for the students and teachers.”

Another report from June 2019 stated: “Our students and the children of Red Lake live in households that are very high risk. They have been exposed to more than the average child should or does experience in their lives. St. Mary’s gives our students consistency, love, guidance along with the education. These children know they are safe and have no trouble expressing this.”