The mission of the Social Concerns (Peace & Justice) Committee of St. Mary Parish is to assist our parishioners in continuing Jesus' mission, his work, and his service toward others. By helping them live out the gospel, our parishioners will better understand that justice is a basic element of this gospel. This is to be done with a primary focus on the needs of others outside of our parish.
Social Concerns (Peace & Justice) Committee: We are in need of someone to chair this important committee in our parish program. We are also seeking people to be part of this committee which meets for one hour every fourth Tues. of the month. This committee seeks to involve the parish in the work of service & justice. There are many issues in our world such as poverty, war, unemplyment, hunger, abuse that we as a communtiy need to address. Please call the parish office 352-2493, if you are interested.
Activities sponsored by Social Concerns Committee:
Food Bank Donations - first weekend of the month. Bring your non-perishable
food item, toiletry, cleaning supplies, or paper products to Mass with you.
Checks can be made payable to "Food Bank."
Delivery of bags to Food Bank - first Sunday of each month at 11 am (following
10am Mass). Help transport donations to Waverly location.
Hand out bags - hand out paper bags to parishioners after the weekend Masses
on the last weekend of each month. The bags will be filled & returned
the following weekend.
Service Trip - the committee organizes a 2-4 day service trip, open to all. Past
trips have been to a South Dakota reservation mission and to the
Davenport area following severe flooding.
To participate in any of the above activities, call the parish office 352-2493.
The Function of Our Committee:
1. Raise the consciousness of the parish community concerning
the social mission of the church.
2. Promote and coordinate programs that will foster justice and charity in full measure to all God's children.
3. Call the parish community to responsibility, and to provide resources for the translation of this consciousness and concern into strategies for effective action.
4. Incorporate and support the activities of the youth ministry service sub-committee.
5. Educate parishioners to realize that all are called to care for the needs of the universal church and the world.
6. Raise the awareness of parishioners on issues relating to justice, peace, and hunger by encouraging the study of papal encyclicals and bishops' statements.
7. Coordinate all parish outreach service programs and mission projects, e.g., Thanksgiving clothing drive, the Lenten "Operation Rice Bowl", the annual Campaign for Human Development collection, food collections for the needy, emergency assistance programs, etc.
8. Inform parishioners of programs and resources available through Catholic Charities, Social Justice Committees, ACCW, and the Rural Life Conference.
9. Coordinate our parish's challenge of institutions of our society to change when necessary, in order that the dignity and rights of each person may be preserved.
10. Promote social justice through direct service, through policy formation, through advocacy, and by other means which promote justice and peace.
11. Annually assess the needs of the parish relating to social justice issues, set goals for further development of our responsiveness to these issues, evaluate attainment of these goals, and report findings to the Parish Council and the parish.
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