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Mission Statement
The Social Concerns Ministry seeks to encourage parishioners and the larger surrounding community to understand and act upon the principles of the Gospel and Catholic Social Doctrine. It is committed to serving the People of God in short- and long-term ways, especially those who are disadvantaged and oppressed by structural societal systems. The Social Concerns Ministry is grounded in prayer and collaborates with other persons and organizations in taking seriously our baptismal call to be respectful, responsible citizens of God’s earthly kingdom.
About Social Concerns Ministry
The Social Concerns Ministry is fully integrated into the life and mission of Holy Family Church. The phrase “connecting faith with life” accurately describes the work of the ministry. It examines the “signs of the times,” situations that affect humanity in a very practical way at the present moment, and discusses them in the light of scripture and Catholic Social Teaching. Indeed, this is the social mission of our Catholic Church, codified specifically by Vatican II. This ministry supports and builds upon one of the major recommendations of the Los Angeles Archdiocesan 2003 Synod – the establishment and maintenance of vibrant social concern activities.
This ministry was founded in November 2002 at the will of a group of parishioners. It serves the community-at-large, bringing hundreds of people together for well-crafted speaker series. The presentations are designed to be fair to all points of view, while not diluting the emphasis on Gospel values. Top-notch speakers presented talks on a variety of issues:
- 2003 Just War; Islam and Christianity
- 2004 Juvenile Justice; Environmental Stewardship
- 2005 Immigration
- 2006 Local and World Hunger; Iraq War
- 2007 An Inconvenient Truth
The two-fold purpose of the Social Concerns Ministry is to educate and to take practical action aimed at systemic change. The speaker series, for example, is both informational and formational. Two ministries have sprung from Social Concerns – Detention and Fair Trade. Both allow the opportunity to engage in practical, faith-filled action aimed at creating long-term solutions for difficult issues of our day – the juvenile youth system and trade inequalities.
Current Highlights
The Social Concerns Ministry is exploring the possibility of being part of the nationwide movement called JustFaith. This is a social justice program for 15–20 people that emphasizes spirituality, community, reading, reflection and prayer. There are also two retreats and opportunities for practical ways for people to engage their faith through service formation. Through this 30-week program, participants grow in their understanding of Catholic Social Doctrine and the constitutive social mission of the church.
Another exciting development is our environmental initiative. Responding to one of the major “signs of the times” – the environment and how best to care for it – we reflected upon Catholic Social Doctrine and what it has taught us. One of our church’s major principles is the care for God’s creation. By caring for creation, we are nurturing the people within it. The health of our planet’s life systems dictates the health of all people. The documentary An Inconvenient Truth was shown in April 2007. Information was offered on how people can make simple choices in caring for creation. At present, an “eco-tip of the week” appears in the Sunday Bulletin and on the parish website. There is a proposal to establish an Earth Cares Ministry, and we are actively seeking interested, dedicated persons to take part in this project.
Volunteer Ministry Opportunities
The Social Concerns Ministry is actively seeking new committee members to bring a fresh perspective to this ministry. A new structure would be welcome, with a revolving chair and scribe, perhaps for one-year terms.
Monthly planning meetings are generally held on the second Wednesday of the month, 7:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m., in St. Joseph Center. The schedule is flexible, however, depending on the availability of the members. In the case of specific events, subcommittees are formed and the time commitment increases. The committee believes, however, in the phrase “many hands make light work,” so the commitment is not overwhelming.
If you feel called to this ministry, or would simply like more information, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.
Leadership Team
Jane Argento, Facilitator
Phil Argento
Karen Harvey
Amy Juhas
Frank Ponnet
Conchita Puncel
Fred Seymour
Teresa Watanabe
Resources
Contact
Jane Argento
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