BICENTENNIAL SEASON OF SERVICE
One of the events the Archdiocese has sponsored to celebrate our Bicentennial Year is a "Season of Service" that began January 5th on the Feast of St. John Neumann, and concluded on March 3rd, the Feast of St. Katharine Drexel. Cardinal Rigali invited parishes and schools to undertake a heightened level of volunteer service as part of this celebration. Parishes were asked to share some of the stories from the experiences of this season so we provided that opportunity at our Lenten Poor Man's Supper held on March 3rd.
We chose some of these experiences and sorted them by Corporal Works of Mercy. Here are a few of the volunteer services that were shared:
FEEDING THE HUNGRY:
A Small Church Community prepared dinner for Safe Harbor Homeless Shelter in West Chester and will continue to do so once a month. This simple task has helped keep homeless people fed for another day and opened the eyes of the volunteers to the grace of helping others.
Two sisters were asked to help make a dessert for the St. Agnes Day Room in West Chester which provides a hot lunch to 60 -80 people on weekdays. They were making dessert once a week. When one of the volunteers who made salad once a week became ill and died, the two sisters were asked if they could help out for a couple of weeks, and now they continue to make the salad as well as the desserts once a week for the Day Room. It is humbling to realize that those of us with full pantries and opportunity to eat what we what are privileged to do so. This small service of helping feed the homeless has been very rewarding.
Our SS. Simon and Jude Varsity Cheerleaders chose to collect canned goods for the St. Agnes Day Room food pantry. The girls collected and delivered the food and then spent time doing activities with the people at the Day Room shelter. This gave the girls a new appreciation for what they have and how simple acts of kindness can make a difference in the lives of others in need.
CLOTHING THE NAKED
One of our SS. Simon and Jude Boys Basketball Teams chose to collect warm clothing for our Sister Parish, St. Veronica’s, in Philadelphia. They went through their own closets and collected clothing from others and then went with a couple of the coaches and parents to deliver them to St. Veronicas. This helped open the eyes of our young athletes as to how blessed they are.
BURYING THE DEAD
Our Pro-Life ministry spent many hours in prayer and in other efforts to stand up for the rights of the unborn, and the frail elderly who are killed everyday through abortions or mercy killing in an effort to raise awareness and to change the hearts of people who participate in these actions.
SHELTERING THE HOMELESS
A participant in the Single Women’s Temporary Homeless Shelter project in Chester County sent a letter of thanks to all the people who made it possible for her to have a place to sleep and wash during these cold months of winter. A few SS. Simon and Jude volunteers participated by helping to staff the temporary shelters provided by other area churches.
VISITING THE IMPRISONED
A few volunteers from SS. Simon and Jude participate in a prison ministry where they lead a group of people in a bible study. One group had 25, another had 88 prisoners attend on a one particular evening. Prisoners are longing to hear God’s Word and these few volunteers are helping to make that possible. The eyes of these volunteers are being opened to another way of life that has broadened their souls.
VISITING THE SICK
A story and video clip on CN8 were shared about Neighborhood Hospice near Chester County Hospital. We have parishioners who have gone through the hospice scenario there with the families having wonderful experiences surrounding their loved ones final days of life.
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