The parish is where the Church lives. Parishes are communities of faith, of action, and of hope. They are where the gospel is proclaimed and celebrated, where believers are formed and sent to renew the earth. Parishes are the home of the Christian community; they are the heart of our Church. Parishes are the place where God's people meet Jesus in word and sacrament and come in touch with the source of the Church's life.

One of the most encouraging signs of the gospel at work in our midst is the vitality and quality of social justice ministries in our parishes. Across the country, countless local communities of faith are serving those in need, working for justice, and sharing our social teaching as never before. Millions of parishioners are applying the gospel and church teaching in their own families, work, and communities. More and more, the social justice dimensions of our faith are moving from the fringes of parishes to become an integral part of local Catholic life. - from Communities Of Salt And Light: Reflections On The Social Mission Of The Parish by the USCCB

Participating in the Social Concerns Ministry is a wonderful way to share our blessings with those in need. The Ministry promotes parish involvement in providing outreach to groups in need through a variety of services.  Our activities include the collection of clothing, monetary donations, food, baby items, household products  and holiday gifts for distribution to community-based organization.  The Ministry also coordinates an annual blood drive and Loaves & Fishes (meals served at St. Mary’s Cathedral).

We meet from September through June on the 2nd Monday of the month in the Parish Center at 7:00pm, and the meetings usually last approximately one hour.  Please consider coming to one of our meetings to meet other caring parishioners, and find out more about Social Concerns.  You'll always be welcomed!   Any questions, please contact Teresa Tilton at ttilton829@gmail.com. 

Here are some of our great outreach activities:
 
Warm Hands/Warm Hearts:  collect gloves, hats and scarves for men, women and childrens for HomeFront.
 
Stars for Jesus:  organize the collections and delivery of gifts and monetary donations for 12 area organizations at Christmastime.
 
Holiday Cookie Trays:  collect home baked cookies to assemble trays to be delivered to the homeless through local charities.
 
Souper Bowl Sunday:  organize the collections of canned soup and monetary donations to be distributed Mt. Carmel Guild.
 
Blood Drive:  organize and provide workers to make phone calls and assist with various duties the day of the blood drive.
 
Easter Baskets: collection of candy and small gifts to assemble Easter Baskets for Catholic Charities Emergency Services for families in transitional housing.
 
Loaves and Fishes: collect, prepare and serve a meal to the homeless at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Trenton.