Notes from the Our Lady of Fatima Social Ministry

November 5, 2008 at 6:30 PM in the Gathering Place

 

             Those in attendance were Father Tom, Nichole Paladie from the Catholic Charities office in Worthington, Tillie Clark, Vicky Nelson, Connie Wieneke, Sue Buffington, Virginia Gerken and Mary Lou Mulligan.

 

             Mary Lou opened the meeting with a very short reading about Dorothy Day and then a Prayer for Our Leaders.

            

             Nichole Paladie talked about the October meeting that she attended in Paynesville for parish social ministry participants.  This will be an annual forum and Father would like some from our parish to attend next year.  She would like us to set some goals for expanding the number of people, especially men, on our committee.  She has learned some new techniques to achieve her goals.  She mentioned that a man from our parish had expressed an interest in starting a grief group but she does not have his name so if any of us remembers whom it was she would appreciate receiving that.  She would like to introduce some adult classes on social ministry. 

 

             Father told us that some of the upcoming things going on in the parishes are: Weekend of November 15-16 is Stewardship Weekend.  We will have a table showing some of our areas of interest and asking parishioners to assist us in any way they can.  Organ donations will be part of it.  We need 2 people to be at the table for each Mass to answer questions.  On November 23 10,000 VILLAGES will display some of their Fair Trade items which would be appropriate for Christmas gifts.  December 3 is the Advent Festival and it will be the Heifer Project Kickoff.  Nichole will prepare some posters and such for the event.  December 7 we will have the Palestinian Olivewood products on sale.   Migration Week will be January 4-10.  We have no plans for that week.

 

             Father Tom and Nichole had to leave to attend the high school religious education classes.  Before he left he said that since this would be the last meeting of the year he wanted to acknowledge all of the good work done all year long by the whole committee. 

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             Mary Lou reported on Habitat for Humanity.  The new home was dedicated on Saturday, November 1.  The family has now moved into it.  Next year the build will be in Nobles county.  HFH needs new board members and committee members.

 

             We discussed some alternative Christmas shopping ideas.  We are trying to suggest that some families may want to try to give gifts that help others and there are charitable plans that offer those opportunities.  There are several catalogs available for parishioners to peruse on the table in the Gathering Space.

 

             Harveen Gluf sent a report on the Elizabeth Ministry.  She said that she has improved the delivery of meals to families with new babies by using email. 

 

             The Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service will be on November 25th at the Methodist Church at 730 PM.

 

             Mary Lou suggested that the National Catholic Rural Life Conference has a very good website with a lot information on farming and conservation.

 

             We set our next meeting for January 7, 2009 at 6 PM in the Gathering Space.

 

             We closed with the Lord's Prayer.

 

             Respectfully submitted by Mary Lou Mulligan, Coordinator.