"We give witness to our faith in action." As part of our mission statement, this is a fundamental aspect of our parish life, to bring Jesus to others by our actions. The Outreach ministries are those whose core function is to act on our faith by serving those who need help, and include:
Social Justice / Social Concerns Ministry is focused on putting our faith into action. We sponsor many events that extend God's loving hand through us, His Mystical Body, to people outside the parish borders.
St. Vincent de Paul Society also focuses on bringing God's love to those who need it in concrete, practical ways. It's an international Catholic organization that focuses on bearing witness to the love of Christ through their daily lives and in their relationships with those in need.
Do You Know Catholic Social Teaching—
On the Needs of the Poor and Vulnerable?
In a world characterized by growing prosperity for some and pervasive poverty for others, Catholic teaching proclaims that a basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25: 31–46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.
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Sharing Catholic Social Teaching; Challenges and Directions Summary Report, US Catholic Bishops
On Respect for Life?
In a world warped by materialism and declining respect for human life, the Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. Our belief in the sanctity of human life and the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching.
In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and assisted suicide. The value of human life is being threatened by increasing use of the death penalty. The dignity of life is undermined when the creation of human life is reduced to the manufacture of a product, as in human cloning or proposals for genetic engineering to create "perfect" human beings. We believe that every person is precious; that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life or dignity of the human person.
Social Justice/Social Concerns Committee
The Social Justice / Social Concerns Committee is focused on putting our faith into action. We sponsor many events that extend God's loving hand through us, His Mystical Body, to people outside the parish borders, including the annual Lenten alsmgiving campaign, which has helped the Bishop Asili clinic in Uganda and Fr. Gene's parish in India; Soup Kitchen volunteer events; and more.
We are always grateful for new volunteers to help in these activities! Come out and join us—you may be surprised at how much fun you can have doing good deeds
Many families still find putting food on the table a challenge. Please remember those who are hungry and place your nonperishable donations for Mount Carmel Guild and St Raphael’s Food Pantry in the receptacles at the doors of our churches. And if you know of anyone in need, please let them know about the food pantry. Click here for more details on when the pantry is open and what kind of items are needed.
The Knights of Columbus Hamilton Council #6213 would like to give thanks to all of the parishioners from Our Lady of Sorrows – Saint Anthony Parish who supported our program. With your generous donations, we were able to distribute 42 cases of coats to local schools and organizations. Click here for more information.
If you are struggling to pay your energy bills, help is available. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Universal Service Fund (USF) have expanded to include more people at higher income levels. Click here for details.