Outreach and social ministries provide services, including works of charity and justice, to people in the community and beyond. Throughout his public ministry, Jesus demonstrated we are to provide service to others in need while working to change the social conditions that create such needs. At St. Philip Neri, we are called both to direct service (works of charity, like providing food, clothing and shelter) and to address the root causes of social problems (works of justice, like changing an unjust law or social structure).
At St. Philip Neri, we also have a very active Catholic Women’s League (CWL) and a Knights of Columbus Council (K of C) who provide many services of charity and justice on our behalf.
We invite you to read through our listing of outreach and social ministries. Perhaps one will speak to you. We are always looking for more volunteers for these important ministries.
Several years ago , at the request of our then Bishop, Don Bolen, St. Philip Neri Parish made a commitment to The Bridge on 20th to provide ongoing financial support to sustain it’s mission to serve the poor and marginalized in our city. A few years ago the parishioners were invited to donate toiletry items, and clean socks and underwear to the Bridge as the clients were in need of these items. At about the same time the Parish Council made a decision to provide supper once per month to a group of men who gather at The Bridge every Tuesday night for supper and prayer. Members of the Council along with parishioners planned and prepared the meal, served it and did the clean up. In the fall of 2019 a group of Oblate Associates along with several parishioners took on this task and were happy to be part of this outreach. With the start of the pandemic all meal preparation and gathering in groups to eat and pray came to an abrupt end.
At the present time we are still providing toiletry items along with clothing items such as new socks and underwear. We will continue to help in this way until it is safe to resume providing meals. We continue to keep all those working in this ministry in our prayers.
The Development and Peace ministry works to provide education and resources to address social, political and economic injustices in the Global South. Their largest focus is during Lent, when they coordinate the Share Lent campaign for the parish. This campaign is offered under the direction of Development and Peace – Caritas Canada.
Development and Peace – Caritas Canada (The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace), is a democratic movement for international solidarity, inspired by the values of the Gospel, particularly the preferential option for the poor.
St. Philip Neri has, for most of its life, enjoyed and participated in many different ways of celebrating Eumenism. We have parishioners who regularly visit other churches to pray with them. Among these churches are Redeemer Lutheran, Grace Westminster United Church, the East Mosque on Copland Crescent, and Nutana Park Mennonite.
The Prairie Center for Ecumenism has been active for a number of decades and numerous members of St. Philip Neri have in the past, and continue to provide support and attendance there. Some activities which are regularly supported by the Ecumenism committee include the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, World Day of Prayer, and the Nutana Park Ecumenical Prayer Service which is held annually during Lent. Facilitators: Jim & Adele Longstaff
St Philip Neri parish has been involved in Refugee support for over 40 years and have sponsored over 65 individuals in their resettlement in Canada from many countries: Eritrea, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Vietnam, Sierra Leone, DRC and Pakistan. Now in 2020, we have two families in their settlement year, plus 7 families that have been applied for and expected to arrive any time within a few months up to couple years from now.
Our committee is active in fundraising, for the financial support of our work. Our most popular fundraiser is the Tomato and Pepper plant sale that we host in May of each year. We also host Fair Trade sales several times a year (originally in collaboration with Ten Thousand Villages) and, during the Christmas season, Poinsettia plant sales.
Volunteers to assist with this committee’s work are welcome. The work involved could be assisting with settlement of refugees into their new home, working with refugees to assist them with medical appointments, learning English or finding employment, or assisting with our fundraising work.
The Father April Refugee Bursary Fund was established in summer of 2017 to assist previous refugee newcomers with educational needs, to aid them in finding employment. Our committee is involved in the administration of the bursary. Over the past year, the Bursary Sub-committee made five awards to assist previous refugees with their education.