November 5, 2004

St. Francis of Assisi

Outreach, advocacy initiatives promote peace, social justice

The St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Community has been committed to promoting peace and social justice through a variety of outreach and advocacy initiatives. Inspired by the social message of the gospel and a tradition of Catholic social teaching, parishioners give of their time, talent and treasure toward building a better community.

Over the years, the parish has built partnerships with service agencies in the area, including St. Vincent de Paul, St. Joseph Cathedral Outreach Ministries, Community Homeless Alliance Ministry (CHAM), Sacred Heart Community Services and San Jose Family Shelter.

Others include Casa de Clara, John XXIII Center, San Juan Diego Society, Jeanne d’Arc Center, Emergency Housing Consortium, Second Harvest Food Bank, St. Joseph the Worker day worker center, food pantries and other parishes.

Some of the social justice initiatives are year-round in nature, and parishioners are continually asked to reach out and help within our community. One issue that the parish has addressed in a variety of ways is hunger. Canned food is collected every week and shared with local food pantries, where parish volunteers also help to distribute the food.

The La Boulanger bakery/restaurant kindly provides its leftover bread, which is collected several nights a week, packaged and delivered to the church’s community partners. Families gather after Mass each Sunday to make sandwiches, which are distributed to the downtown homeless population during the week.

Clothing and toiletry items are also collected on a regular basis and shared with our community partners.

Some initiatives have become annual traditions. In November, parishioners generously donate money used to purchase SCRIP food vouchers from a local school, helping with one of its fundraisers. The SCRIP is distributed among three parishes, where it is used to help needy in the area to purchase food for their own special Thanksgiving holiday celebration.

During December, parishioners are invited to select tags from the Christmas “Giving Trees” and purchase gifts for families at the San Jose Family Shelter or workers at the St. Joseph the Worker day worker center. Many parishioners have become accustomed to picking up an extra gift while they are Christmas shopping to share with someone in need.

St. Francis of Assisi also collects towels, blankets and sheets for the families and day workers in January, as well as items for babies and mothers as part of the Mother’s Day Layette Drive in May. The summer activities include a Back-to-School Drive, where the parish donates backpacks and school supplies to elementary schools in the Evergreen District to ensure that students can start the school year well prepared.

It may seem like we are always asking for people to give something more, but the St. Francis community has responded enthusiastically to these initiatives, knowing that their gifts are touching the lives of others.

Parishioners also regularly offer their time and skills to prepare and serve meals at shelters, where they have the opportunity to work directly with people in need. Each April, volunteers help to repair and rehabilitate homes in our community through the Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley program. Their commitment to neighbors is demonstrated through doing yard work, painting, cleaning and making general improvements.

With each initiative, we try to reach beyond the act’s charity and consider the root causes of the issues being addressed. If we honestly seek to build a more just society, it is important to become informed and active agents of change. We host speakers and discussion sessions to help educate parishioners on community and global issues, and move people toward taking action.

This fall, St. Francis has emphasized the importance of “faithful citizenship,” registering voters and encouraging them to participate in the elections.

The parish supports People Acting in Community Together (PACT), a faith and community-based organizing group that promotes civic participation through research and action. Recent PACT initiatives have focused on children’s healthcare, after school programs, safer streets and affordable housing.

Throughout the year, the Social Justice Ministry Team at St. Francis of Assisi offers a broad range of involvement opportunities and supports worthwhile causes. However, there is always more to do. Parishioners feel that it is the responsibility of every person to do their part, and they look forward to continuing their efforts. New volunteers and ideas are always welcome.

The St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Community is located at 5111 San Felipe Rd. in San Jose. For information, call the parish office at (408) 223-1562 or visit the Web site: www.stfrancisofassisi.com.