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 at 7pm on the first Monday of every month 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 Trena Pacetti, trenamarks@aol.com or 440-686-0981.
Upcoming Events
"Lay People in Action" Adult Faith Formation Session
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 at 7pm in the Social Hall
Come and hear 3 inspiring presentations from ordinary people living out their faith in extraordinary ways. The speakers will present their personal stories of how they became involved in their individual ministries, serving the materially poor and marginalized in the Cleveland area. They will also present ways for anyone of any age who is looking to volunteer. Speakers include Eileen Kelly, Pastoral and Outreach Minister at St. Colman; Cathy Duer, Regional Director of the Ignatian Volunteer Corplooking for retired or semi-retired volunteers for various ministries in the Cleveland area; and Molly Shroeder and Colleen Aldinger who brought the Interfaith Hospitality Network to St. Christopher Parish, which houses homeless families. This is a joint event between St. Christopher, St. Colman, and St. Angela Parishes, held at St. Angela. Refreshments will be provided.
Ohio Fair Trade Expo at John Carroll University
Saturday, October 9th, 2010 from 9am-4pm
John Carroll University is hosting a Fair Trade Expo that is open to the public. The Expo will offer educational workshops for beginners on up and will also have a Fair Trade Marketplace with fair trade products from around the world sold by regional vendors. Learn about the need for fair trade and become a conscious consumer in your community. Key Note speaker will be Jackie DeCarlo, Senior Program director of Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade. The cost is $12 per person. Learn more and register at www.ohiofairtrade.com.
Open Hands Loving Hearts-An Evening with the St. Kizito Foundation
Saturday, October 2, 2010 at St. Angela Merici
Mass with Fr. Don Dunson at 5:30pm
Social Hour at 5:30pm
Dinner at 6:30pm
Join the St. Kizito Foundation and Fr. Donald Dunson as we open our hands and hearts to celebrate the students in east central Africa. Meet these loving young people through stories, photos, and videos, and enjoy an evening of friendship, fun and solidarity with Uganda. The cost of the evening is $30 per person. All proceeds will benefit African scholars. For more information, call 440-943-7611 by September 24th. Registration is required.
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.