Catholics strive to serve those in need in St. John Neumann Deanery |
 |
 |
|
Written by .
|
|
Thursday, 05 March 2009 01:00 |
All across the St. John Neumann Deanery, Catholics are reaching out to help their fellow parishioners and other community members who are struggling in the difficult economy.
 |
Sixth-graders from Monroeville St. Joseph stand beside 1,025 food items collected by school families to mark Catholic Schools Week. The items were donated to the Norwalk Area Food Bank. (Photo courtesy of Monroeville St. Joseph)
|
Most parishes of the deanery are located in Huron County, which has the highest unemployment rate in the state at 18.5 percent in January. Without the programs operated by local churches, social service agencies would be stretched far beyond their limits.
Members of Monroeville St. Joseph and Peru St. Alphonsus Liguori support the “Non-Food Bank,” a local ecumenical effort started in 2007 to distribute items such as paper goods, trash bags, laundry aids, cleaning supplies and personal care items to those in need. There is no other organization that helps with these types of products.
St. Joseph also partnered with Catholic Charities to provide housing to a family in need in the Carpenter House, a former convent on the parish property. Catholic Charities provides ongoing support to the residents as well as to the social concerns committee of the parish.
On the east side of the deanery, parishioners of Wakeman St. Mary have partnered with members of other area churches in a Caring Community project that includes a food bank and community action program. Working with other area agencies and social service programs, including the United Fund, the Caring Community provides food and emergency financial assistance to prevent homelessness or the disconnection of utilities.
At New London Our Lady of Lourdes, parishioners feed about 130 people at a monthly soup and sandwich gathering. They donate and prepare food for community members who are both physically hungry and hungry for fellowship.
Their donations also support a monthly food distribution that provides food boxes to almost 50 families each month, and the parish assists those in emergency financial need on a limited basis, providing services similar to those of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
|
|
Last Updated on Wednesday, 06 May 2009 09:07 |
