Service and Outreach – Page 2 – St. John – St. Paul Catholic Collaborative

Lenten Gift Story Part 1: Build the Faith

BUILD THE FAITH was inspired by the unwavering faith in God exhibited by Christina Dangond Lacouture, who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in December 2012, at the tender age of 6. In the months and years after her diagnosis, Christina and her parents, Monica Lacouture and Fernando Dangond, members of our Collaborative, began to organize rosary groups and retreats. The family also heard of a proposed Catholic church in their home country of Colombia that was to be built in an area stricken with poverty and in need of funding. They held fundraisers and collected donations, and together made rosaries to sell for the cause. In 2016, they founded Build the Faith as a non-profit to “help build the Catholic faith around the world.”

In 2017, Christina and her family flew to Colombia to present the church with a check for $20,000, and in February of 2018, a month after Christina died, Monica flew back to Colombia to present the church with another check, this time for $25,000…

Thursday, March 20: Lenten Gift Lecture – “Turning Dreams into Reality with Build the Faith”

Please join us on Thursday, March 20 at 7:00pm in St. John Powers Hall for “Turning Dreams into Reality with Build the Faith.” The evening will offer a comprehensive introduction to our 2025 Lenten Gift recipient, Build the Faith, and their current project which our gift will support – the building of a church in the Archdiocese of Bamenda, Cameroon.

Monica Lacouture and Fernando Dangond will share the story of Build the Faith, which was inspired by the unwavering faith in God exhibited by their daughter, Christina Dangond Lacouture, who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the tender age of 6.

Fr. Gabriel and Fr. Lesley, who both served as pastor in this community before joining us here in Wellesley, will share their experiences…

An Important Message from NPH: Emergency Funds needed in Haiti

Today I write to you about our home and programs in Haiti, and a recent emergency need that we ask for your support. Our programs in Haiti are vast, supporting over 3,500 individuals from the capital to the mountains of Kenscoff, where our main campus and home provides services to over 600 children. Of those, 340 children live on campus full time, including 53 with disabilities from the Kay Christine program and over 100 staff members.

Throughout the last few weeks, due to violence in the Kenscoff area, NPH’s main children’s home was compelled to open its doors to accommodate 392 refugees, including 145 children. These individuals and children have lost everything – their homes, belongings, food, and clothing…

Catholic Charities Boston Seeks Playspace Volunteers

Catholic Charities Inn, a Safety-Net Shelter run by Catholic Charities Boston, is looking for volunteers to watch children while their caregiver(s) are in an onsite English as a Second/Other Language (ESOL) and Workforce Development class.

Children and volunteers will be in the shelter playroom, which is stocked with toys and activities. Volunteers are expected to supervise the children; keep them safe; and engage in play, reading, and other activities with them. Shelter staff are onsite for support as needed. Volunteers are needed on Tuesdays from 10am-1pm and on Thursdays from 10am-12pm. We welcome people to volunteer for one or both shifts.

If interested…

Do You Love to Knit/Crochet? Help Make Baby Items for our Mother’s Day “Baby Shower” for Pregnancy Help Boston!

Our Collaborative will once again host a Mother’s Day “Baby Shower” to collect needed items for the clients of Pregnancy Help Boston, a pregnancy resource center supported through the Archdiocese…

Last year we also provided handmade baby items like hats and blankets for newborns, and the staff at Pregnancy Help remarked particularly on the quantity and quality of the knitted items. Many women who come to Pregnancy Help are alone, so having such a unique and special item for their baby, knitted with love in magnificent colors, is a very special gift!

It’s time to get knitting! We’re asking folks who love to knit/crochet to participate in this ministry once again…

Thank You from Birthright of Framingham

On behalf of Birthright of Framingham, thank you for the lovely and generous donation of baby items following your St. Paul Giving Tree drive. Once again, we were overwhelmed and deeply humbled by St. Paul’s incredible outpouring of generosity. There were so many boxes and bags of donated items that my jeep was filled to the brim – twice! What an enormous effort by your Parish and the Giving Tree Ministry! This donation will carry us through much of the year for many of the basic supplies we try to offer our clients, like diapers, wipes, baby blankets, warm clothing, and bathing supplies. I can tell you that it does truly make a difference to the families who come into Birthright when we are able to provide them with these items…

Sunday, February 9: We’re Joining Capuchin Mobile Missions for Winter Walk 2025!

Please consider joining the Capuchin Mobile Missions Winter Walk Team to help raise awareness and critical funds for their important mission!

All are welcome – individuals, families, adults, kids – even dogs! It’s a great opportunity to join together in service with other members of our SJSP community!

While those who are able to fundraise or make a personal donation for Capuchin Mobile Missions are encouraged to do so, it not required to participate in the walk. To register…

Christmas Wish and Giving Tree All Wrapped Up!

Thank you to all who purchased gifts and gave so generously to the Giving Tree! We are so grateful for your support, which make a real difference in the lives of others each year at Christmas time. And thank you to the Religious Ed students and families who helped move and sort the gifts in the Parish Hall so they would be ready for pick up!

Through the overwhelming kindness and generosity of our parish, Christmas Wish was able to provide gifts and outfits to more than 345 children from 116 families in Brockton, Lowell, Roxbury, and Wellesley. We also raised enough donations for each family to get a $200 grocery gift card. And in addition we were able to donate another 336 $25 grocery gift cards to Julie’s Family Learning Program in South Boston…

A Message from our friends at NPH

This Christmas season, 9,000 children and adults that receive services from Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) have you to thank and pray for! You have continuously provided them with essentials to live, and tools to survive.

I recently read a story about a young man who grew up at NPH Peru. At 7 months old, Adalberto was abandoned by his mother and his father wasn’t in the picture. He first lived with his maternal aunt and grandmother, but they did not have adequate resources to care for him. He would usually be found sleeping on the street using a cardboard box as a bed and a newspaper as a blanket. In 2004, Adalberto was the first child to join the home at NPH Peru when it opened…

Saturday, December 14 at 9:30am: Gaudete Prayer Service with SVdP at St. Paul Church

All are invited to join the Saint Vincent de Paul Conference of St. John-St. Paul Collaborative in a Prayer Service on Saturday morning, December 14, at 9:30am at St. Paul Church (or streaming online here.) This prayer service is our send-off offering prior to our Christmas visits to our homebound parishioners.

We would also like to thank the members of the Young Adult Ministry group and the students preparing for their Confirmation for their support of this effort.

Merry Christmas and a heartfelt thank you from our St. Vincent de Paul Conference team.