MISSION STATEMENT of ST. BARTHOLOMEW
PEACE AND JUSTICE MINISTRY
The Peace and Justice Ministry recognizes the Church as the Body of Christ.
  • The goal of Peace and Justice Ministry is to provide leadership to St. Bartholomew parishioners to help them witness the Good News of Jesus Christ.
  • Through education, prayer, reflection and direct communication, it helps parishioners to be effective in communities at local, national, and international levels, thereby enabling them to achieve meaningful and effective social action.
November 2017 Events and Opportunities
November 18 and 19 Fair Trade Sales
  • coffee, tea, chocolate
  • after all four Masses
  • benefits after school tutoring at St. Ann Parish, teacher salaries and snacks.
  • December 16th and 17th next sale
November Giving Tree Begins
  • Packets will be available the weekend of November 18-19 before and after masses in the narthex.
Next Peace & Justice general and team meeting Wednesday December 6
  • 7 PM church lower level Room 2
Sundays Weekly Meal Site 4 - 6 pm, Meal Site Teams
Family Self Sufficiency: Jan Banister coordinator
  • Saturday, December 9 at St. B, volunteers and food donations needed.
Rights and Responsibilities, by Rachel Rice
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is a vital component of our Catholic faith. Every person has a fundamental right to life, which leads to other basic human rights (such as food, clothing, shelter, rest, medical care and social services). Interrelated to the above rights, are responsibilities that every person has – to one another, our families, our children and the larger society.
 
The CST principle of Rights and Responsibilities is one that is evident in our Scripture (“Open your mouth to speak on behalf of those in need” -Proverbs 31:8-9; “Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow” – Isaiah 1:16-17). It is also apparent in our everyday lives when we give thought and action to our Spotlight Ministry this month, The Giving Tree. 
 
The Giving Tree is an opportunity to fulfill our responsibility portion of the Rights and Responsibilities principle. By participating in The Giving Tree, you are helping to provide Christmas to those that are unable to provide it themselves. There are many ways to contribute, you can sponsor a child by purchasing gifts, you can make a monetary contribution that will aid in purchasing gifts for those unsponsored, you can volunteer to help by shopping for the unsponsored or making deliveries of gifts, or help out at the table in the Narthex before and after masses to answer questions. 
 
From St. John XXIII, Peace on Earth {Pacem in Terris], no. 30, “In human society one man’s natural right gives rise to a corresponding duty in other men; the duty, that is, of recognizing and respecting that right. Every basic human right draws its authoritative force from the natural law, which confers it and attaches to it its respective duty. Hence, to claim one’s rights and ignore one’s duties, or only half fulfill them, is like building a house with one hand and tearing it down with the other.”

This month we highlight the important work of The Giving Tree in maintaining these beliefs.
Giving Tree 2017 Ministry Spotlight by Theresa Westerfeld
Even though we often get discouraged about seeing Christmas décor in stores way before fall begins, plans for Giving Tree 2017 have been underway since mid-September. Families in need start to worry about how they are going to provide Christmas for their children. It is through the ministry of the Giving Tree that St. Bartholomew contributes Christmas for over 100 children in our parish and 35 children and grandchildren of inmates residing at Federal Death Row in Terre Haute.  
 
United Way’s 211 Holiday Helpline provides assistance by registering the families through their data base. Registration began October 16 and goes through December 8. After the first week of registration, 25 children’s names from our parish were received. St. Bartholomew also received the names of 11 children of inmates in Terre Haute. Additional names of children will continue to be received each week.
 
HOW CAN YOU HELP?  
  • SPONSOR A CHILD – Packets will be available the weekend of November 18-19 before and after masses in the narthex. Everything you need to know about the child’s needs, likes, sizes, and delivery of packages will be provided in the packet.
  • MONETARY CONTRIBUTION – Contributions can be made at the Giving Tree table before and after masses, in the collection basket (put in envelope with Giving Tree on outside), and through the parish office. All checks made out to St. Bartholomew Parish with Giving Tree specified on memo line.  
  • VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME – Shoppers needed to purchase gifts with contributions for unsponsored children, deliveries of gifts, supervise table before and after mass.
 
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS  – Contact Theresa and Ross Westerfeld at 812-343-9154 or  tjwesterfeld@gmail.com
 
Will this be the year St. Bartholomew Parishioners surpass their goal and help provide Christmas for even more children in need? It will, if you help.
A prayer from the Maryknoll Lay Missioners:

God of Justice, open our eyes to see you in the face of the poor.
Open our ears to hear you in the cries of the exploited.
Open our mouths to defend you in public squares as well as in private deeds.
Remind us that what we do for the least ones, we do to you.
Amen
We Are The Peace & Justice Ministry
  • Chairman David Harpenau
  • Programming Team: Leader to be determined
  • Grants & Finance Team: David Harpenau
  • Communications Team: Jan Banister
  • Blood Drive: Greg Scherschel, coordinator
  • Next drive March 11, 2018
  • Voter Registration: David Harpenau coordinator
  • Next drive fall 2018 dates to be determined
  • Ecumenical Assembly: Patricia Bridgetts, Cathy Rush, liaison
  • Pro-Life: Kelley Snoddy
  • Giving Tree: Therese Westerfeld, coordinator
  • 2017 begins November 18-19
  • Meal Site: Susan Chandler
  • Sundays 4-6 PM
  • Family Self Sufficiency: Jan Banister coordinator
  • Saturday, December 9 at St. B, volunteers and food donations needed.
  • Friends of Haiti: Judy Harpenau, liaison
  • Bread for the World Offering of Letters: Rachel Rice coordinator
  • Completed May 2017, next organizational meeting January 2018.
  • Bread for the World, Marty Peter, Convener
  • Bi-Monthly second Tuesdays 7 PM at First Presbyterian. BFTW Sunday October14-15, 2017
  • Abolition Coalition: Donna Keogh, liaison
  • St. Vincent de Paul: David and Hilary Baker, liaison
  • Women's Jail Ministry: Sevy Badgley, liaison
Peace & Justice Ministry Reports
Friends of Haiti News
Rosemary Hobson, Carolyn Behrman, and Judy Harpenau visited Limonade October 23-28.  They supplied 45 water filters for distribution, 6 laptops for University students, and visited homes of SOIL in-home toilet recipients.
Shoebox information for Holiday gifts is being distributed. The Shoebox program is Elinor Stine's senior project.
October 8th Blood Drive was a resounding success, thanks to your participation. 35 units were drawn; 18 was the goal. Next Blood Drive is the 11th of March, 2018.