MISSIONS
COLLECTION OF RELIGIOUS ITEMS
One way that our parish can minister to the spiritual needs of national and international missions is through the collection of religious items, including holy cards, small statues, medals, rosaries, and other altar items, such as priest vestments, altar server robes, and linens. These items are packaged and sent to “Beads of Peace” in Ohio, which gets requests from all over the world for specific religious items needed. At their expense and from donations of postage from our parish, they send these articles to the areas of most need. The best way we can help in this worthwhile project it to collect and donate religious articles we are not using, so that others may benefit from them.
COLLECTION OF STAMPS
Every cancelled stamp cut from an envelope received in the mail means money for the Missions. Stamps are collected in baskets in the back of the church and outside the Adoration Chapel, and a local gentleman sorts them and is able to get money for them, all of which is donated to the Missions. What could be more simple than donating your cancelled stamps to help the poor?
HOUSE OF HEALING
The HOUSE OF HEALING is the 3-story brick home located across from the south parking lot on 25th Street. This Christian-based home is designed for the rehabilitation of women as they are released from the criminal justice system. Residents are reunited with their children and provided with training in many areas to help them overcome the pain of addiction, poverty, and abuse. Our parish is able to help them in may ways — providing food for the residents, giving gifts at Christmas time, helping them to clothe and feed the babies and youngsters, and praying for them in their time of need. If you are called to help in any way, call the parish office.
ST. ANTHONY ORPHANAGE
The St. Anthony’s Orphanage Mission was established on December 25, 2001, to provide financial help for the care and education of 180 orphan children at the St. Anthony’s Children’s Home, Nagercoil, TN, India. In this orphanage, deserted and orphaned children from infants to 22 years of age are cared for by members of the Congregation of Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Since the Mission is run by volunteers, 100% of all contributions are used for the care and education of the children. Since one of the founders of the Mission was a parishioner who passed away suddenly, our parish has taken it upon ourselves to “adopt” the orphanage. Monetary contributions are distributed for tuition support, food and clothing support, and child health clinics. In the recent past, our parish assisted in providing an electrical generator for the orphanage in times of power failure and in sending several young women to nursing school. Contributions are gratefully accepted through the diocesan Mission Office and through our parish collection.