Parish Social Ministry Corner
The Black Bag collection and the monthly transfer from the parish collections was $2,620.57.
The PSM office financially assisted in July:
The PSM office has not been assisting with the City of Round Rock water bills as the Round Rock Area Serving Center receives all the money from the City from those residents that donate an extra $1 to their bill.
Gasoline vouchers have been suspended because of the extreme heat we have been experiencing and assisting with electric bills has become a priority.
Your continued support of the pantry by donating items for the pantry each week has made a difference in the amount of money it takes to restock the shelves. The August restocking amount will reflect this generosity.
Please remember that the Black Bag collection is usually on the 4th weekend of the month. Donating money to the Black Bag allows the Parish Social Ministry Office to assist our parishioners and the community we live in who are struggling to make ends meet in your name.
Our Catholic presence in the community, especially to those in need has made an impact on the community. People who come to our doors seeking assistance are welcomed with dignity, shown respect and are listened to as it is very humbling to have to ask for help. It also gives us an opportunity to evangelize Jesus’ message and create an atmosphere of love and concern.
We ask people what church affiliation they belong to so we can encourage them to continue or to start going to church because a faith community can give them the spiritual support they need. It also gives us an opportunity to invite former Catholics to our parish and some have come back to church just because we asked the question.
Our message to those who come to us is that we, the SJV community, believe in living the Beatitudes, through the Corporal Works of Mercy and Jesus’ commandment of loving our neighbor as ourselves.
Thank you for the opportunity, through your generosity, to be the face of Jesus to others and for us to see the face of Jesus in them.
LABOR DAY LITANY
Lord, Bless the work of our hands.
For all those who toil and labor:
Lord, Bless the work of their hands.
For those who have lost their jobs, who are underemployed, let us pray:
Lord, Bless the work of their hands.
For those who work in hazardous conditions without sufficient protection, let us pray:
Lord, Bless the work of their hands.
For those who face discrimination, harassment, or abuse in the work place, let us pray:
Lord, Bless the work of their hands.
For those who are paid fair wages or who are denied legally due overtime pay, let us pray:
Lord, Bless the work of their hands.
For migrant agricultural workers and for all who work the land, let us pray:
Lord, Bless the work of their hands.
For all employers that they may seek to provide a just working environment, let us pray:
Lord, Bless the work of their hands.
For those who struggle to balance job commitments with the needs of their family, let us pray:
Lord, Bless the work of their hands.
For all humans who seek to become the co-creators of the promised Kingdom, let us pray:
Lord, Bless the work of their hands.
Loving God, through your Son you gave us an example of how to love one another and how to embody this love in labor to serve the poor and the oppressed. Give us the strength to continue working to bring forth your kingdom here on earth—a kingdom of justice and peace, where all know compassion, grace and mercy. Grant this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
www.educationforjustice.org ; Interfaith Worker Justice resource.
Caritas in Veritate
Charity in Truth
Pope Benedict XVI
The final reflections on Pope Benedict’s encyclical will touch on how we as Catholics can live this teaching in our daily lives.
Some excerpts will be from “
How can it be that even today there are still people dying of hunger? Condemned to illiteracy? Lacking the most basic medical care? Without a roof over their heads?...Christians must learn to make their act of faith in Christ by discerning His voice in the cry for help that rises from this world of poverty.
Pope John Paul II Novo Millennio Ineunte (50)
A table is where people come together for food. For many there is not enough food and, in some cases, no table at all.
A table is where people meet to make decisions—in neighborhoods, nations, and the global community. Many people have no place at the table. Their voices and needs are ignored or dismissed.
As Catholics we gather to worship around a table to celebrate the Eucharist. We hear the Word of God and receive His Body and Blood.
“The Eucharist commits us to the poor. To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us, we must recognize Christ in the poorest.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1397)
Our faith teaches us that poor people are not issues or problems but brothers and sisters in God’s one human family.
The social doctrine of the Church provides principles for reflection, criteria for judgment, and guidelines for the choices we make everyday.
Catholic teaching affirms that all persons have basic human rights:
Right to life and those things necessary to the proper development of life.
Faith; Family; Work and Education; Housing and Health Care.
There are essential roles and responsibilities of four institutions.
The table we seek for all rests on these four institutions. A table may fall without each leg.
What families and individuals can do
What community and religious institutions can do
What the private sector can do
What the government can do to work together to overcome poverty
Reflection Questions:
How can I work to secure my rights but also the rights of others?
How can I influence the private sector to be a reflection of Catholic values and priorities and be a contributor to the common good?
How can I become an advocate for the poor in our local, national and global governing bodies?
Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development