Participate
A few weeks ago, Fr. Thomas made these points in a homily: we are called to be more than just pious observers. Everyone has gifts to share. Never underestimate our power to help—at St. Matt’s and beyond. For example:
• At our September Parish Council meeting, we learned about a local program to help families. It’s called “Faithful Hospitality”, and its goal is to empower the newly arrived with stable, short-term shelter and connections to employment and other resources.
(If that reminds you of Casa Guadalupana, one of our parish ministry partners, I’m with you. Both programs focus on immigrants seeking asylum. Both programs offer more than a bed for a night. And both programs rely heavily on participating volunteers who share their gifts.)
(Faithful Hospitality is a program of Interfaith Action. We first connected with them at August’s Festival of Rights.)
Council members were impressed with Faithful Hospitality’s volunteer coordinator, Annessa Ihde, who spoke about the program. If you feel called to learn more, or to help, call Annessa at 651-364-7489.
• We’re improving our parish community’s ability to help the homeless and unsheltered who visit us more frequently these days. I recently wrote about what the City of St. Paul is doing, and how we’re learning about more options for people needing a bed for the night. Our front office now has an expanded roster of such possibilities.
• I believe a call to share gifts also applies to our role as citizens. I recently received a letter from the Minnesota Catholic Conference. In it, bishops throughout Minnesota urge us to participate in our civic life—by voting in elections at all levels, advocating for policies that promote the common good, and continuing our efforts to build a just society.
I agree. Self-government definitely calls for participation—not just observation.
In sum, we improve our power to help by learning about possibilities, discerning which of them call to us, and then participating actively. Our parish is strong because of our many volunteers, and yet there are possibilities to do more—at St. Matt’s and beyond. What are we called to do now?
Have a great week!
Phil Grant, Administrator
Safe Environment Coordinator
651-224-9793
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