June 22, 2013

After Mass

All are invited to stick around after Mass this week for a Clare & Francis movie night that ties into our social justice focus on racial and economic injustice.  

We will be showing the documentary "The House I Live In," which captures heart-wrenching stories from individuals at all levels of America's War on Drugs. From the dealer to the grieving mother, the narcotics officer to the senator, the inmate to the federal judge, the film offers a penetrating look inside America's longest war, offering a definitive portrait and revealing its profound human rights implications.  

While recognizing the seriousness of drug abuse as a matter of public health, the film investigates the tragic errors and shortcomings that have meant it is more often treated as a matter for law enforcement, creating a vast machine that feeds largely on America's poor, and especially on minority communities.  

We will be ordering pizza and invite you to bring a salad or desert to share if able.  Please also remember to bring your own reusable dishes, utensils, and drink ware to support our ongoing efforts at caring for the environment by being mindful consumers and stewards of our resources by reducing the amount of waste we create.  See you after Mass on Saturday for a thought provoking movie and discussion!  

This is your opportunity to participate in micro-lending through a community.  Often only a relatively small amount of money stands in the way of Kiva borrowers and their dreams.  Whether it's a Kenyan farmer who needs $500 in order to double her grain production, or a young Bolivian woman who lacks the $1,500 tuition for nursing school, Kiva lenders provide a hand up to these and countless other borrowers.  

Sometimes providing just one small loan to people in poverty can be enough to help them become profitably self-employed and financially stable.  These loans are not donations, and are almost always paid back.

If there is a sufficient number of persons interested (we need at least eight), then together we will finalize the model for implementing this.  A preliminary concept is that our group would meet once per quarter to jointly decide loan recipients.  We will determine the schedule for these meetings as a group.  Funds for the loans would be provided by our SCF community.  If you are likely to participate in these meetings and/or want further information, please contact Clarence Heller (marclar123@aol.com, 636.256.6515) no later than July 6.

Pride Festival 

June 28 - 30, 2013

Show you are PROUD to be a Welcoming Catholic by joining Sts. Clare & Francis in celebrating the annual Pride Festival June 29-30.  Kick off the weekend with an outdoor movie night showing the documentary "Fish Out Of Water," which tackles the bible verses used most to discriminate against homosexuals. The film features theologians, clergy, and laity to help us understand what our faith really says about homosexuality and how we can move forward with love and compassion.  The movie will be shown on the Commerce Bank lot of S. Grand Blvd, near the intersection of Grand and Hartford, Friday, June 28 at 8:30 pm.  Bring a blanket or lawn-chair to sit on.  

Then join us on Sunday, June 30 for the annual Pride Parade, which will march down Market Street this year.  Plan to be downtown by 10:00 am, but please stay tuned for exact information about where to meet. 

After the parade we need volunteers to staff a booth for the group of Welcoming Catholic Communities from 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm.  If you are able to work the table at all during that time, please e-mail Jennifer Reyes Lay: jennlay331@gmail.com with your name, phone number, and times you can be there.  We look forward to celebrating Pride with you as a Welcoming Catholic Community! 

SAVE THE DATE:  Art and Frank will be hosting our first BBQ of the season at their house on July 4th.    Mark your calendars for the BBQ and fireworks viewing that evening.  More info in the next newsletter. Everyone is welcome!

We now have a wheelchair at church for Ed Bilger's use, so drivers for Ed do not need to carry Ed's wheelchair any more.  This makes picking Ed up so much easier since he is able to get from inside his house to your car on his own with the aid of a cane.  Because of this, volunteers do not need to have the strength that was previously required.  We have three parties willing to pick up Ed every four weeks.  We are looking for a fourth.  Let us know if that is something you feel led to do.  Please contact me by clicking here.  

Thanks, 

Frank 

Homilies   

Frank's homily from the 10th Sunday of the Year, Life Beyond A Beating Heart, and all homilies from Sts. Clare & Francis can be found at