Service and Outreach – Page 9 – St. John – St. Paul Catholic Collaborative

Join the St. John “Christmas Wish” Team!

The Christmas Wish program, which brings the joy of Christmas to hundreds of children and families in need, has been a highlight of St. John’s outreach efforts since 1993. During the Christmas season, the program fulfills a special gift request for the more than 400 children in the program, and provides gift cards for their families to purchase clothing and other necessities…

We want to thank Deirdre O’Kelly Lynch for her outstanding direction of this program for the past several years, and we look forward to its continued success under the leadership of Chrissy Cassa.

We are looking for volunteers for the Christmas Wish Leadership Team – if you want to work with a great team and be a part of this important project, please contact Mary Campion mary.campion@sjspwellesley.org for more details. Work begins in October and wraps up in December.

A New Video from Our Friends at NPH!

Our friends at NPH USA have created a new video highlighting their work – check it out below!

ABOUT NPH USA

Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) means “Our Little Brothers and Sisters” in Spanish. NPH USA transforms the lives of vulnerable children in Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru. Together, we help children overcome poverty and become productive, caring leaders in their own communities. Founded in 1954 by Father William Wasson, NPH is supporting nearly 7,000 children…

Thank You From Our SVdP Conference!

Our St. John-St. Paul Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul would like to thank everyone who joined us in celebrating the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul!

Thank you to those who participated in our retreat, those who walked with us from St. Paul Church to St. John Church, those who joined us for the BBQ at St. John, and all those who made generous donations to support the work of our Conference!

We would also like to thank the following businesses who made donations to support our Walk and BBQ Luncheon…

POWIR Update: Seeking IT Professional

The POWIR group is seeking an IT professional as a volunteer tutor for one of the young men we are helping to resettle here in MA. He has a college degree from Afghanistan and is a hard worker. He is working on a Google Professional Certificate in IT Support and could use some assistance with this course.

Google has partnered with the National Association of State Workforce Agencies to distribute 30,000 scholarships among its member organizations. Upon completion, he will be well prepared for a competitively paid job as a Computer Support Specialist, IT Manager, Help Desk Technician, or Network Administrator, and will be able to directly apply for jobs with Google and over 150 U.S. employers.

The course is online at the student’s own pace so your time commitment is flexible. Students are expected to complete the certificate within six months, and he is on track to finish in January, but the material is becoming more challenging…

This Weekend’s Events Celebrating the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul

Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared the history and mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. We’ve also shared the history of our SJSP Conference and told you about the work we’ve done to help our friends in need here in our local community, made possible by your generous donations.

The Second Collection at all Masses this weekend will support the on-going work of the SJSP Collaborative Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Thank you for helping us to help the many friends in need in our community through your generous donations.

All parishioners are invited to participate in this weekend’s Community Walk and Welcome Back Luncheon events, sponsored by our SVdP Conference…

From Our SVdP Conference: Special Stories of our Visits and Assistance Provided

The SVDP Conference has shared in this space the life of St. Vincent de Paul and the international society dedicated to the ministry of serving the poor that he inspired. We also have shared our local history and an overview of the numbers we have served in our community of Wellesley and Newton. Below, we would like to share a few reflections on some friends we have worked with through the generous donations of many parishioners and how that experience has inspired us.

A First Home Visit:It was to be my first home visit. I was to accompany two other members of our local SVDP Conference who had home visit experience. We began with a prayer in the car as we awaited the start of the visit. The friend who had reached out for help was a single mother with three school-age children. She found herself short of funds as she worked through the break-up of her marriage, and needed help to pay her children’s school tuition. As we listened to this mother’s situation, one thought ran through my head – this young friend is just like all of us…

September 24-25: Feast of St. Vincent de Paul Celebration

The Saint Vincent de Paul Conference of the St. John-St. Paul Collaborative invites all parishioners to a series of events to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul..

Saturday September 24: Retreat at Sisters of St. Joseph Retreat Center (71 Walnut Park, Newton MA)

Space limited – open to first 25 respondents to SVDP@sjspwellesley.org.

Sunday September 25: Community Walk from St. Paul Church to St. John Church

Immediately following the St. Paul 11:00am Mass, join us for the 2.4 mile walk from St. Paul Church to St. John Church along Washington St.

Sunday September 25: Fall Welcome Back Luncheon at St. John

The festivities will begin at the conclusion of the St. John 12:00pm Mass with the arrival of the walkers from St. Paul…

History of the St. John and St. Paul Conference of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

Our St. John and St. Paul Conference (local chapter) of the International Society of Saint Vincent de Paul was started over five years ago to extend Christ’s ministry to those struggling to get by in our community. Under the leadership of Fr. Robert Blaney several members of both parishes met to learn more about the starting of a Conference of Saint Vincent de Paul Society. This ministry at its core is centered on the confidential home visit to our friends in need by two of our members, dating back to the 19th century tradition when Blessed Frederick Ozanam initiated the home visit so members could understand directly the needs of our friends.

Our conference of Saint Vincent de Paul was led by founding President Michael Mastrianni with Margaret Klingmeyer as Treasurer. The Society members began to meet on a monthly basis to grow in holiness and help serve those in need who contacted the conference…

Celebrating St. Vincent de Paul: The History

As Christians we are called to minister to the poor and needy among us. The parable of the Good Samaritan offers a prime example of the ministry Jesus envisioned. Throughout more than two millennia, service to the poor has been an important component of all Christian ministries. Guided by the vision and leadership of St. Vincent de Paul and Blessed Frederic Ozanam, a world-wide Vincentian community carries out its mission of service to the poor while fostering spiritual development of all its members.

St. Vincent is recognized as the “Apostle of Charity” and “Father of the Poor,” as well as being named patron of all works of charity by Pope Leo XIII in 1885. Vincent de Paul was canonized by Pope Clement XII in 1737. St. Vincent de Paul’s Feast Day is September 27…