February 2022 Upcoming Events and Opportunities |
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Please watch for announcements at this time regarding public meetings. All dates and meetings are currently subject to change. Be safe and be well!
MEETING SCHEDULE AND PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
- Peace and Justice Meetings are the third Wednesday of each month except November/December combined meeting, and as always all are welcome to attend.
- Peace and Justice Newsletter will be published monthly, reflecting ministry news and reports from meetings and presentations.
February 16 Peace & Justice general and team meetings 7 PM
Fair Trade Sales Suspended until further notice
- coffee, tea, chocolate
- after all four Masses
- benefits after-school tutoring at St. Anne Parish, teacher salaries and snacks.
Sundays Weekly Hot Meal Site 4 - 6 pm, Meal Site Teams - meals are grab-and-go, volunteers needed!!
Sundays Women's Jail Ministry visits currently suspended due to COVID-19
Upcoming Events:
- QMIX Love Songs for Love Chapel: Monday February 14 from 6am-6pm, call QMIX and for $10 select a song to dedicate
- Spring Blood Drive: March 12
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Friends of Haiti and Peace & Justice sponsor RCIA Meal: February 24
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Themes of Catholic Social Teaching by The United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops: Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
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In the very clear words of Pope Francis, "God's word teaches that our brothers and sisters are the prolongation of the incarnation for each of us: 'As you did it to one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it to me' (Mt 25:40). The way we treat others has a transcendent dimension: 'The measure you give will be the measure you get' (Mt 7:2). It corresponds to the mercy which God has shown us: 'Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you . . . For the measure you give will be the measure you get back' (Lk 6:36-38). What these passages make clear is the absolute priority of 'going forth from ourselves toward our brothers and sisters' as one of the two great commandments which ground every moral norm and as the clearest sign for discerning spiritual growth in response to God's completely free gift."
As we at St. Bartholomew have the great fortune to have parishioners who regularly visit and create health and nutrition missions to our twin parish in Haiti, we are well aware of the history, challenges and conditions. We receive regular communications from those who are among the people of St. Anne. Many generous sponsors support education, nutrition, and health throughout the year.
True worship is to work for justice and care for the poor and oppressed.
During Lent, we are called upon to recognize God's call to be generous to our brothers and sisters who may be lacking the very basic needs for life, the need for basic nutrition and for health screenings.
How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s good and sees one in need and refuses to help?
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The Lenten Carton fundraiser supports the St. Bartholomew collaboration with Hands Up for Haiti to address malnutrition in the most vulnerable children in the Limonade area, many who are members of St. Anne Parish.
In February 2020, a team from Friends of Haiti met with Hands Up For Haiti team in Cap-Haitien. The plan to collaborate began and was implemented starting in June of 2020. Since then, despite the many hardships facing the team in Haiti, (Covid, political turmoil, fuel shortages, and kidnappings), they have worked tirelessly to save children from malnutrition.
HUFH had worked in Limonade prior to the collaboration but was not aware of the great need in Gede. They immediately began seeing children at the former nutrition center site there, and even hired an additional Community Health Worker (in Haitian Kreyol: Travayè Sante Kominotè - TSK) to seek out children in need of help.
Not only does HUFH address severe malnutrition in children, but they also have a Prenatal Care Program, a Well Baby Program, and hold Mobile Santè Clinics which are pop-up medical clinics.
Here are the statistics of people helped in Limonade and Gede since the beginning of the collaboration:
Malnutrition Program — enrolled from June 2020 through December 2021, ages 6 months - 5 years as per World Health Organization protocols:
Limonade: 150
Gede: 92
Well-Baby Program — November 2020 when first launched through October 2021:
Gede: 51
Limonade: 56
Mobile Santè for both adults and children (which was limited to no more than 25 patients/day because of Covid) - in addition to monthly doctor visits at malnutrition and well-baby:
Gede: 140
Limonade: 129
As you can see, many lives have been saved, but many others continue to be in need of our help. Our continued collaboration depends on the generosity of St. Bartholomew parishioners as well as any other good-hearted people who are willing to support this life saving work. We ask everyone to sacrifice a little more than usual the Lenten season. Young lives depend on it. We thank you for your contributions!
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The work of Hands Up For Haiti |
View this brief video describing the progress in treating malnutrition, and the work yet to be done.
Thank you fro your generosity!
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A Prayer for Generosity for our Twin Parish
Loving Father, we thank you for the blessings that flow from the partnership between
the parishioners of St. Anne Parish, Limonade, Haiti, and St. Bartholomew Parish in Columbus, Indiana.
Let your Holy Spirit guide us in wisdom as we work together to improve the economic well-being of the
faithful people of St. Anne’s.
Bless the parishioners of St. Bartholomew with the spirit of generous compassion. Knowing that our Haitian brothers and sisters pray for us daily, allow us to deepen our own spiritual awareness of the Universal Church.
Father, it is your will that your children be united in the joy of Christ. Please continue to bless our efforts to feed
and educate the children of Haiti, so they may enjoy a more just and equitable future for their community
and for their country.
Amen
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The Holiday Giving Tree: THANK YOU!
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Another successful year due to the generosity of parishioners, and the capable leadership of Theresa ands Ross Westerfeld.
Together a total of 213 children were sponsored: 27 children and grandchildren of death row inmates and 186 children from Bartholomew County.
Thank you for your assistance with this well-loved ministry! The smiles of those served were the greatest reward.
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MISSION STATEMENT of ST. BARTHOLOMEW
PEACE AND JUSTICE MINISTRY
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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 parishionersto be effective in communities at local, national, and international levels, thereby enabling them to achieve meaningful and effective social action.
VISION STATEMENT
Integrate Gospel values into our lives as disciples of Christ through Outreach, Justice, and Spirituality.
Our Challenge and Goal:
Assisting parishioners to align faith with daily life.
To live differently in society as a reflection of our faith.
Responsibilities
Advocacy: Advocate for social mission (Outreach, Justice, and Spirituality) within the Parish.
Volunteerism, Personal Involvement: Be a model of social mission and faith in action within the Parish.
Education: Assist in the development, implementation, and recruitment of program initiatives.
Outreach: Discern and provide leadership for parish involvement in local, national, and global justice outreach.
Financial Support: Assist with determination and allocation of monetary stewardship for parish justice outreach and other initiatives. Along with other members, ensure that funds are being used responsibly and as intended.
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We Are The Peace & Justice Ministry |
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- Chairperson David Harpenau (interim)
- Programming Team: Steve Audretch
- Finance Team: David Harpenau
- Communications Team: Jan Banister
- Blood Drive: Greg Scherschel, coordinator
- Next drive March 12, 2022
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Voter Registration: Steve Audretch coordinator
- Next drive TBD
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Ecumenical Assembly: Shireman Brown
- Pro-Life: Kelley Snoddy
- Giving Tree: Theresa Westerfeld, coordinator
- Meal Site: Susan Chandler,
- Sundays 4-6 PM
- Volunteers always welcome!
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- Friends of Haiti: Judy Harpenau, liaison
- Bread for the World Offering of Letters
- May 2022, Mike Spencer
- Bread for the World, Fr. Marty Peter, Convener
- Second Tuesdays 7 PM at First Presbyterian Church
- Indiana Abolition Coalition: open, liaison
- St. Vincent de Paul: Marilyn and Jim Clerc liaisons
- Women's Jail Ministry: Nancy Audretch, liaison
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St. Bartholomew Hot Meal Site |
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There is a hot meal provided in our community through Ecumenical Assembly each evening. On Sunday evenings the meal site is Saint Bartholomew School cafeteria.
The meal site coordinator for our parish, Susan Chandler, is hopeful that more teams and individuals will consider assisting with meals. Info here:
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Sun 5pm-6pm
- SAINT BARTHOLOMEW CATHOLIC CHURCH
Mon 5pm-6pm
- FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Mon 5pm-6pm
Tues 5pm-6pm
Wed 5pm-6pm
- COLUMBUS FREE METHODIST – 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Wed.
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4th Wed 6-7 PM
Thurs 4:30pm-5pm
Fri 5pm-6pm
- FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
4th Fri 6pm-7pm
Sat 4pm-5pm (excluding the 3rd Sat)
2nd Sat 11:30am-12:30pm
- OGILVILLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
3rd Sat 4pm-5pm
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