Social Ministry

Contacts:

• Parish Coordinator: Jean Lashley [905-898-4137]
  Cell: [905-392-1909]

Parish social ministry helps parishioners, as disciples of Jesus, to fulfill the mission of the Church, by responding in an organized way, in the parish, to societal and individual human needs.

Locally, parish social ministry is a joint effort of three parishes:

• St. John Chrysostom, Newmarket [905-898-4137]
• St. Elizabeth Seton, Newmarket [905-853-5009]
• Holy Martyrs of Japan, Bradford [905-775-2065]

Catholic Charities promotes parish social ministry as a strategic direction. Catholic Community Services of York Region and Catholic Family Services of Simcoe, both agencies funded by Share Life, provide support for parish social ministry through staff and referral to other resources. Frank Folz is the area coordinator for social ministry in York Region.

Education
The first component of Parish Social Ministry is education, which seeks to bring a greater understanding of the scriptural basis for social ministry, the social teaching of the Church, and the social issues which confront us in our society today. We need to understand these within our parish, community, nation and world in order to stand in solidarity as children of God.

Service
The second component of Parish Social Ministry is service, which responds directly to social issues. It meets the immediate and emergency needs of people. Collaborative partnerships are critical, as many social issues are complex and referrals to professional agencies are essential. As well, the more we work together, the better we are able to wrap care around individuals and families in need.

Social Action
A third component is one that is often forgotten or lost in the service. Social action is required to move us beyond the meeting of the basic emergency needs of people, as important and non-negotiable as those are. It is the dimension of Parish Social Ministry that addresses the root causes of social issues and works for individual, community and social transformation. It calls us to work for long term structural and institutional change, to ensure the dignity of all our brothers and sisters.

Understanding Our Communities
In order to understand our communities well, we conducted a needs assessment during the fall of 1999. This included an in-pew survey at mass, various meetings with key groups in the parishes and input from external sources such as Catholic Community Services. We reported on the results of this process in January of 2000 and are continuing to use these results in planning our response to the needs of the parishes.

We are also going through a process of gifts assessment, to understand what resources and individual gifts already exist within our communities to meet these needs.

Couselling Services
One of the findings of the needs survey was that many individuals and families are struggling to cope with complex issues with insufficient support. We have arranged with Catholic Community Services of York Region to subsidize the provision of professional counselling services one day a week in Newmarket at St. John Chrysostom Parish Centre. While we wish to improve the informal support available to individuals and families, we also want to make it easier for individuals and families to access professional support when that is needed. To arrange to see a counsellor in Newmarket, please call Catholic Community Services at 1-800-263-2075.

Developing the Gifts of the Individual
In order to prepare people for special roles in parish social ministry or to support and strengthen individuals in roles they have already taken on in the community, the parishes have offered the Parish Social Ministry "Minister of Care" Training and Formation program during the winter and spring of 2000. This twelve week program will be offered again in 2001. It incorporates paraprofessional skills development, personal growth and faith development, discernment of personal gifts, and commitment to bring our gifts into service to our community. The goals include the development of lay leadership and preparation for work in collaborative ministry.

The approximately eighty individuals who completed this program are continuing to meet on a regular basis to develop and support their gifts for ministry. Some individuals are helping with the hospital visiting ministry organized by Deacon Frank McLean, others are visiting seniors at home, helping with transportation for isolated individuals, becoming involved in service programs within the community and otherwise making themselves available to support individuals and families in the parishes.

PROJECT EL SEMBRADOR
With the assistance of the Spanish prayer group and the Spanish Catholic community of the three parishes, we are developing a ministry with the approximately 500 Mexican workers who live on the farms of the Holland Marsh and Keswick Marsh for on average six months of the year. To address their isolation, caused by the long hours they work and their lack of transportation and English skills, we have started a program of farm visits, transportation assistance to the monthly Spanish masses at St. Elizabeth Seton, organization of monthly prayer and recreation events at Holy Martyrs of Japan, and assistance with translation and intercultural interpretation. Various parishioners who do not speak Spanish have also provided assistance with transportation, hospitality, collecting bicycles and clothing, etc. We are looking for more people who would like to be part of this program.

Do You Have a Problem?
If you have a problem or concern, please contact Jean Lashley at 905-392-1909 or one of the parish offices. We would like to help, or find some other source of support for you.

Questions?
For more information about parish social ministry or to become involved, please contact Jean Lashley.