In the Spring of 2022, I wrote a series of bulletin columns about the Corporal Works of Mercy. These were offered to help our parish begin to examine the Gospel values that will shape the formation of a renewed Social Concerns Commission. My column of August 14, 2022 announced the start of regular Social Concerns Commission meetings. We have been meeting regularly, generally the third Wednesday of the month at 4:00 PM in the Parish Center. We haven’t quite reached “critical mass” for explosive growth in our work, but there has been a steady presence of folks who have thoughtfully engaged in fruitful discussion regarding what our commission should be about.
One of the first practical outcomes of the meetings has been working toward more definition and awareness of our local benevolence (aka “Quarter Sunday”) works. Lynn Carter OFS has always been great at informing the community how their contributions are used to provide a direct and meaningful benefit to folks who need assistance. She especially makes it easy to know in an appropriate manner some of the stories of the people we help out. Monthly details regarding income and expenses (Lynn’s note: I now print an itemized report with notes each month for Social Concerns, Parish Finance Council, and Parish Pastoral Council. If you’re interested in receiving this, just let me know) have enabled us to better define our goals for local benevolence and make it part of the parish budget process as we move from the model of a second collection to designating a portion of our parish budget for direct charity. Making it a budget item promotes a model of stewardship whereby every parishioner participates in local benevolence, and not just those so moved to make a special offering.
We are working toward some type of flyer or information brochure that we can have available for parishioners, especially newly registered parishioners, so that everyone understands the important charity we offer under what conditions and circumstances.
As I continue to work on a vision for the Social Concerns Commission, I have been thinking of it in terms of the four “A’s”: Awareness, Advocacy, Assistance, and Action. The parish as a whole is at various stages of these goals in regard to social concerns. Local benevolence assistance and the volunteer work we do at the Food Pantry of Adair County and the Ministry of Visitation are good examples of assistance and action.
At this time, though, the Commission is very focused on awareness. We are asking the question: just what are the social concerns that preoccupy us? The primary method for raising awareness is inviting a presenter to come to our meetings and speak about their own experience. We are blessed in our area to have amazing resources that respond to so many social needs and we want to learn from their expertise. Janie Theobald provided us with a very detailed history of the local food pantry our parish sponsors (Pantry for Adair County) and for which we provide many volunteers and lots of material and financial assistance.
From our first meetings the commission noted that mental health concerns were a common feature of many of the priorities and preferences that we have been reflecting on to guide us forward. So we invited folks from Preferred Family Healthcare to present about opportunities for Mental Health Awareness Training. From that presentation we were able to arrange to schedule an event for our parish to raise awareness in regard to mental health and wellness. Preferred Family has agreed to come and present a program that would equip attendees with the basic skills to respond to someone who may be having a mental health crisis. This particular workshop is called QPR, standing for question, persuade, and refer. More details will be provided later on in the summer, but note that the workshop has been scheduled for 7:00 PM, Wednesday, September 6 in the Parish Center. It is open for all parishioners 18 years or older.
The next Commission meeting is Wednesday, July 19 at 4:00 PM in the Parish Center. We have invited Leah Bell, the Social Services Unit Supervisor from 2nd Circuit Children’s Division, to come and speak about the current state of foster care in our area and in all of Missouri. Having been made aware of the tremendous challenges that the foster care system faces these days, we want to extend that awareness to others with the hope of continuing on the road to advocacy, assistance, and direct action.
We are currently looking into inviting someone who is familiar with our local juvenile office simply to promote awareness in ourselves of what might be the needs of the officers, the case workers, the juveniles at risk, and their families. I see this as a simple step toward putting into practice the corporal work of mercy to visit the captive, one step that I hope will lead us to more interaction with others who are engaged in the criminal justice system on any side of the law.
From awareness to advocacy: This is certainly one of the steps we will be taking in the coming year in regard to many social concerns. I think particularly of our parish’s engagement in advocacy for the protection of human life at all ages and stages. Formalizing our pro-life efforts or at least identifying what we are promoting at the moment and what we need to engage in more should be one of our priorities. Yes, we do support Lifeline and have a good showing each year for the Life Chain in October. When was the last time we organized a contingent to attend the Pro-Life March in Washington, D.C.? Or even organized a group to attend one of the local Missouri rallies for life?
The Social Concerns Commission is meeting regularly and we are well on our way to defining our vision, mission, and objectives. But there is still more to be done to have a robust commission, chartered and committed to by parishioners who agree to be leaders in one of the key responsibility areas that are identified.
Please prayerfully consider attending the next meeting. Or drop me an email with your questions or comments about the direction you think the commission should take and how you would be willing to participate.