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December 27 and 28, 2021
This weekend we move from Thanksgiving, a time with family and friends. A time when we focus on our blessings and we give thanks to Advent when we shift our attention outside of ourselves to the plight of others near and far away.
Year-round our Social Ministries and St. Vincent de Paul Society make us aware of those in need right here within our own parish boundaries. Thousands of dollars and tons of grocery products, gift cards and other in-kind support flow through our Ministry Center through our caring and welcoming staff and volunteers bringing material, emotional and spiritual assistance to babies, children, parents, seniors, and many low-income neighbors in need. Your generous gifts each week, each month, and this month through our Angel tress ….enable St. Mary Magdalene Parish to witness the love of Christ in our community!
As we came together as one parish last year, we brought with us some global partners with international missions: Organizations and the people associated with them that bring a consciousness to us as a community of faith, followers of Jesus, of those who are struggling with basic human needs: like food, shelter, healthcare, and education.
Twice a year, in Lent through almsgiving and in Advent as a part of our Christmas giving, we come together to learn more about our Global Solidarity Partners and their international missions and take up a collection to demonstrate our solidarity with them in a financial way. These opportunities are afforded to us through envelopes in our Lenten and December packets and through Faith Direct.
This Advent, each weekend, we have a few minutes to share with you a little information about each of our Global Partners. Today, I bring you a message about Bread for the World. Acting on Jesus’ teaching, “When I was hungry, you gave me to eat…; Bread for the World was founded almost 50 years ago as a Christian organization that works with local Christian congregations to collectively bring our voices in a non-partisan way to members of Congress in support of public policies with the goal of ending hunger in the U.S. and around the world. Continuing the relationship begun by St. James congregation, St. Mary Magdalene is now a member congregation of Bread for the World. We join our prayer with thousands of other Bread churches asking God to guide our elected officials to enact just policies to end hunger. Annually, we send letters to our U.S. Representatives and Senators as we did in September supporting priority legislation identified by the Board and Staff of Bread for the World – this year in support of improvements in the Child Tax credit program that is lifting millions of children in the U.S. out of poverty and increased funding for global nutrition programs. We also meet annually with our members of Congress or their staff seeking their support on pending food security policies. In September, we were also able to share a program developed by Bread for the World: a racial wealth gap simulation showing the relationship between racism in public policy and hunger and poverty in the U.S.
Advocacy works. Our government has increased funding effective programs that address the root causes of hunger in our world. There is more to do.
I invite you to view the poster and Bread info and to pick up a prayer card about Bread for the World if you did not get one on the way in, as you leave church today and to remember Bread for the World and all our Global Solidarity Partners this season.
Please welcome Denise Charron-Prochownick and her daughter, Katie, next weekend who will bring updates on Queen of Apostles Academy in Uganda, also known as Fr. Fred’s School, the second of our St. Mary Magdalene Global Solidarity Partners.
I would like to conclude with the prayer on this week’s prayer card and invite you if you got a prayer card on the way in, to join me :
Generous God, we hear story upon story of people who lack the basics of food, water, shelter, health care and education that we consider essential to life. Please, now, bring your people the home, the food, and all else they need to thrive. And help us individually and as a parish family – to be moved by your Holy Spirit to simplify, to share generously, to advocate, and to support our St. Mary Magdalene Parish Global Solidarity Partners this Advent. In the name of Jesus who showed us how to love one another without measure and without regret. Amen.Joyce Rothermel
St. Mary Magdalene Global Solidarity Committee