Social Justice Committee

Purpose & Responsibilities/Activities

The Social Justice Committee is one of the standing committees of the Parish Pastoral Council.  The Social Justice Committee continues the ministry of Jesus by service to marginalized persons and persons with special needs.  It promotes and coordinates programs that strive to provide justice and charity in full measure to all of God’s children.  It provides opportunities for parishioners to respond to the social needs of today.

In accord with Catholic Social Justice teaching, the Social Justice Committee addresses these goals

1. Through direct Committee and subcommittee activities (examples include: Alternative Gift Market, Operation Rice Bowl, Prison Ministry, Sanctity of Human Life committee, …);
2. Through official encouragement of Committee members and St. Cecilia parish members to support and involve themselves in the conduct of worthy activities sponsored by other organizations in the Ames and larger community. Through donations of funds provided by the parish through the black bag collections to help support the activities of other organizations that are active in social justice areas. Examples of organizations receiving monthly donations include: Butterfly Freedom House, Emergency Residence Project, Food at First, Good Neighbor Emergency Assistance, Inc., Home For Awhile, Matthew 25 House, Obria Medical Clinics, Primary Health Care, MICA Food Pantry, Story County Dental Clinic.  Examples of organizations receiving annual donations are:  ACCESS, Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Ames Ecumenical Housing, AMOS, Friendship Ark, Habitat for Humanity, Heartland Senior Services, Youth and Shelter Services (Stork’s Nest). Other recipients include: Days for Girls International, Haiti Mission Trip, Martha’s House of Hope, Save the Rain, Sister Water Project, Wellspring Missions (Sudan wells with Trinity Lutheran Church, Marshalltown, Iowa) and Wings of Refuge.

The Social Concerns Committee bridges the gap between the Gospel and the world.  The committee’s role is to promote and coordinate programs that will guarantee justice and charity for all people in local and world communities, especially the poor, lonely, aged, oppressed, homeless, and minority groups.  The committee seeks to realize these goals by direct service, policy formation, and advocacy.

The committee’s purpose and responsibilities are specified more completely in official guidance provided by the Archdiocese of Dubuque.  Please see page 38 and page 39 of the MANUAL FOR PARISH PASTORAL COUNCILS.

Want to know more about Catholic Social Teaching?   See:  Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions.

The committee members are volunteers. The committee meets monthly.
The committee contact person is Doreen Berg, 956-3414

SJ Website Contacts (April 2019)

The Social Justice meeting minutes, BELOW, are organized first by the year of publication (the tabs below).  Within each year the files are listed in order of the date of publication; the most recent file is listed first.  The leading numbers give the year, month and day of publication.  Just click on the newsletter or newsletters you wish to view.  All the files below require Adobe Reader to view. Click HERE to download Adobe Reader.

The Social Justice Newsletters are ordered by the date of publication; the most recent is listed first.  The leading numbers give the year and month of publication.  Just click on the newsletter or newsletters you wish to view.  All the files below require Adobe Reader to view. Click HERE to download Adobe Reader.

Social Justice Newsletter – May 2019
Social Justice Newsletter Feb. 2019
STC SJ Minutes October 15, , 2018
Social Justice November 2018 Newsletter
2018-09-17 SJ Minutes
Social Justice Newsletter, August 2018
2018-05-SJ-Newsletter
2017-11-SJ-Newsletter
2017-05-SJ-Newsletter
2017-02 SJ Newsletter
2016-11 SJ Newsletter
2016-08 SJ Newsletter
2016-05 SJ Newsletter
2016-02 SJ Newsletter
2015-11 SJ Newsletter
2015-08 SJ Newsletter
2015-05 SJ Newsletter
2015-02 SJ Newsletter
2014-11 SJ Newsletter
2014-08 SJ Newsletter
2014-05 SJ Newsletter
2014-02 SJ Newsletter
2013-11 SJ Newsletter
2013-08 SJ Newsletter
2013-05 SJ Newsletter
2013-02 SJ Newsletter
2012-11 SJ Newsletter
2012-08 SJ Newsletter
2012-05 SJ Newsletter
2012-02 SJ Newsletter
2011-11 SJ Newsletter
2011-08 SJ Newsletter
2011-05 SJ Newsletter
2011-02 SJ Newsletter

The Sanctity of Life Committee was commissioned by Saint Cecilia Parish in Ames, Iowa in February 2002, to act as a witness to the Gospel of Life.  We dedicate ourselves to this cause and consecrate ourselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary, guardian and nurturer of innocent life.

• Charge to the Committee
• Minutes of Committee Meetings
• Roster of Members
• Life Issues
• Source Documents
• Links to Internet Sites on Sanctity of Life

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