SOCIAL
MINISTRY
BARBARA HUNTER, PhD • 410.964.1438 •
bhunter@sjerc.org
Mission Statement
Of the St. John the Evangelist Social Ministry
Committee
We will inform, inspire and invite parish members
- to consider and to act on local and global issues of
social justice
- and to support the empowerment of the oppressed and
the disenfranchised
Love of neighbor, grounded in the love of God, is first
and foremost a responsibility for each individual member of the
faithful, but it is also a responsibility for the entire ecclesial
community at every level: from the local community to the particular
Church and to the Church universal in its entirety. As a community, the
Church must practice love. Love thus needs to be organized if it is to
be an ordered service to the community….Within the community of
believers there can never be room for a poverty that denies anyone what
is needed for a dignified life.
DEUS CARITAS EST
ENCYCLICAL OF THE SUPREME PONT BENEDICT
XVI, 2005
Welcome!
The Social Ministry Committee of St. John the Evangelist Parish invites
you to consider participating in one or more of the activities you will
see in the bulletin or on the website.
We also invite you to join the social ministry committee, an arena for
prayer, discussion, thoughtful consideration and action on issues that
affect the common good and demand a response from people of faith. In
addition to existing projects, the committee encourages those who have
ideas for new ways of carrying out this mission. Generally, the
committee meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 7:30 PM at Oakland
Mills Interfaith Center.
Call the parish social ministry office at 410-964-1438 for more
information. Come and see!
"The whole world is bound
tightly together by economic, cultural and sociological ties which
make us all, to some extent, responsible for what happens to others
on the far side of the earth."
Thomas Merton
The social ministry office works to provide the parish with
opportunities to help our brothers and sisters through direct service,
legislative advocacy, community organizing, and global solidarity.
The social ministry committee meets on the fourth Wednesday of each
month from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Oakland Mills. Guests and prospective
members are welcome. For more information, see the parish bulletin.
Legislative Advocacy
Efforts to help create or change legislation and cultural influences to
bring about a more just and compassionate society. Get contact information for federal and
state policy makers. See Seven Lessons on Catholic Social
Teaching and the Global Community from Center
of Concern.
Community Organizing/Empowerment
Community-based economic development projects that empower individuals
and families to participate in decisions that affect the quality of
everyday life.
Global Justice & Peace
Global justice and peace efforts including relationships with parishes
in other countries and environmental stewardship projects.
Direct Service
Ministries providing compassionate, empowering response to the
immediate pain of individuals and families in need as shown in the social ministry volunteer opportunities booklet
Learn more about social justice in the Church on the pages devoted to
Catholic social teaching and links to other sites.