St. Patrick's

Thank you, St. Patrick’s Parish Family! 
 
At the weekend masses of June 22-23, we shared news of the 28^th annual Capuchin Appalachian Mission and our roles as first-time participants. We asked you, our parish family, for your prayers and financial support for the mission trip, and you responded generously! Thank you for your well wishes, encouragement, prayers and contributions! You sent us off as missioners to Harlan, Kentucky with hearts full of hope and gratitude.
 
The July 6-14 mission was very successful. Our community of 50 high-school and college students and 26 adults traveled to Kentucky via passenger vans and cargo vans. A U-Haul truck transported the 90+ boxes of donated clothing, books, and other items that we would distribute to those in need, as well as our supplies and tools. We were hosted by Holy Trinity Catholic Parish in Harlan, sleeping in their former convent and school.
 
From Monday, July 8 to Friday, July 12 we worked in Harlan and vicinity, performing:
Manual Labor – 3 teams made substantial repairs to four homes and 2 teams worked on a new home that had been started the year before.
Outreach – One team brought clothing, children’s books and games, household essentials and other items to low-income and poor neighborhoods.
Vacation Bible School Ministry – One team ran a free day camp with lunch for young children.
Senior Ministry – Another team spent quality time engaging lonely residents at a local nursing home.
 
What also made this experience so special was performing service within a Catholic community. Not only did we work and eat together, but we also prayed together multiple times each day: morning prayer and blessing each work group; grace before every meal; personal reflection time; theological reflection groups where we shared where we had experienced God’s grace in our service that day; and mass every evening.
 
Thank you, fellow St. Patrick’s parishioners, for helping to make all this possible. You, as well as all of our Companions in Mission, were remembered in our prayers each day. May God bless you!
 
Matthew Collins and Maria Lonczak