Getting Involved - Social Justice
Our Mission: Rooted in Catholic social teaching and impelled by love, the Social Justice Commission of St. Angela Merici seeks to promote justice as the way to peace, uphold the dignity of every person, and foster solidarity and respect for the poor in our community and the world. We hope to achieve this through prayer, reflection, education, advocacy and action on various social justice issues. The St. Angela Merici Social Justice Commission meets monthly to discuss and promote social justice issues. The Commission is just beginning to work with our parish cluster partner, St. Christopher Parish, on a Church in the City initiative to assist St. Colman Parish with their neighborhood meal program. |
The St. Angela Merici Social Justice Commission meets monthly to discuss and promote social justice issues. Some members of the Commission also meet monthly with our parish cluster partner, St. Christopher Parish, and our Church in the City partner St. Colman Parish to discuss ways in which each of the parishes can assist each other. One of the ways St. Angela assists St. Colman is by providing a neighborhood meal twice a year on a Saturday afternoon. The next meal will be on October 23rd, 2010.
To get involved with the Social Justice Commission, contact Trina Pacetti, trenamarks@aol.com or 440-686-0981.
Fair Trade Coffee
12 oz. bags of Equal Exchange Fair Trade coffee, boxes of tea, and Fair Trade dark chocolate candy bars are available for purchase in the Parish Center. Coffee is $7 per bag, tea is $3 per box, and the chocolate is $2.50 per bar. A portion of the proceeds goes to help fund events sponsored by the Social Justice Commission. For more information on "fair trade," please visit the Catholic Relief Services Web site at www.crsfairtrade.org.
Nsumba Home-Partnership Orphanage in Uganda
In December of 2009, St. Angela Parish and School began a partnership with Nsumba Home, an orphanage of approximately 450 children just outside the capitol city of Kampala, Uganda. One of the first projects was to write letters to the children from individual parishioners and students to introduce ourselves. The letters were hand-delivered by Mother Superior Anne Christine Kizza, IHMR, who visited St. Angela in February 2010. She spoke at all the weekend masses, as well as to the day school and PSR students concerning the daily life of the children at the orphanage as well as their needs. (The orphanage has no running water or electricity, and most of the children have no living relatives due to diseases such as AIDS and malaria.) The orphanage was taken over by Fr. Gene Hattie, SJ in January of 2008. Fr. Hattie is a long time friend of St. Angela's own Fr. Don Dunson, who has visited the orphanage and met the children first hand. The Social Justice Commission hopes to have at least one project per year to promote solidarity and an awareness of the poverty facing so many children in Africa.
Church in the City Partner: St. Colman
The Social Justice Commission will be promoting opportunities to be involved with our Church in the City partner, St. Colman. The following is a list of activities where help is needed:
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The St. Colman Literacy Project is underway and in need of tutors to help people study for the GED. One-on-one turtoring takes place at St.Colman on Tuesdays from 6PM-9PM and Wednesdays from 10AM-12pm. No experience needed.
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A Computer Center has recently opened with 20 reconditioned computers and 20 desks with wireless access; volunteer teachers are needed with experience in Word and the Internet.
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PSR classes (in conjunction with La Sagrada Familia) for grades 4 – 8 are scheduled for Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon; volunteers are needed
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Programs for African immigrant children are held from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday; adult volunteers and tutors are needed
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Volunteers are needed to answer phones in the rectory, any day for any length of time
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Is your business looking to hire in custodial care, painting, low-level labor, etc.? Freehand Ministry will provide three-week adult job training in custodial care, painting, low-level labor, etc., primarily for African immigrants; the program needs help in finding job placements for persons completing the training.
If you are interested in helping in any way, call Eileen Kelly, pastoral minister at St. Colman at 216-651-0550 or email efk5@hotmail.com.