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. |
Upcoming Events:
March for Life Parish Bus Trip to Washington DC, January 22-23
Our Social Justice Commission will be organizing a bus trip for up to 50 people leaving on Sunday January 22nd, 2012 and returning Monday night, January 23rd. This is the 39th annual March for Life event, held on or around the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. About 250,000 gather in DC to rally against abortion. Watch the bulletin for more information.
The St. Angela Merici Social Justice Commission meets at 7pm on the first Monday of every month to discuss and promote social justice issues. The Commission collaborates with the Social Concerns group of our parish cluster partner, St. Christopher Parish. Both churches are partnered with St. Colman Parish through the Church in the City initiative of Bishop Anthony Pilla. Members of all three parishes meet a few times a year 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 four times a year on a Saturday afternoon. To get involved with the Social Justice Commission, contact Trena Pacettitrenamarks@aol.com or 440-686-0981. To view or download the Social Justice Commission flyer, click here. |
Fair Trade Coffee
10-12 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 during regular business hours. Coffee is $7 per bag, tea is $3 per box, and the chocolate is $2.50 per bar. 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.
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Front Gate at Nsumba Home |
Fr. Gene Hattie, S. J. |
Gardening |
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Singing |
Mother Anne Christine Kizza with Mary Flanagan at St. Angela Merici |
Nsumba Home Info
- There are 487 children ages 2-20
- Most have lost parents to diseases such as AIDS and malaria and have no relatives able to care for them
- It costs about $4000 per month to feed the children
- That's about 25 cents per day per child
- And about $91 per year per child
- Tuition with room and board is about $400 per child per year
- That's about $33 per month per child
If you would like to donate to Nsumba Home, you may use your pink envelope. Every so often, donations will be totaled and sent to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Reparatrix convent in Indianapolis. From there, it is safely wired to Nsumba Home. Checks can be made payable to St. Angela Merici Parish.
Current Projects
"Called By Name" Prayer Invitation
Based on the scripture passage, "I have called you by name; you are mine," (Is 43:16), parishioners were given the opportunity to take a card including an individual child's name, age, and grade to remember that child in prayer for the next year. It was suggested to leave the card somewhere very visible, such as on a nightstand or refrigerator, to try to think of this child each day. Saying the child’s name creates a special connection with them and a spiritual bond, as it is their God-given name and a gift from their parents who are no longer a physical presence in their lives. Living in a world with so few possessions, for many of them their name is the only concrete reminder of their parents that they possess. Over 1200 cards were distributed.
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.