"…Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.”

Matthew 25 34:36

Social Justice Ministry

The Social Justice Ministry provides numerous opportunities for parishioners to be active disciples of Jesus, caring for the poor and vulnerable with acts of Christian service and charity.  The ministry works with most agencies in Troy and Rensselaer, including Catholic Charities, CoNSERNS U, St. Paul’s Center, Circles of Mercy, Roarke Center, Joseph House, Unity House, and Family Promise.  This ministry works proactively with these and other organizations to understand root causes of poverty and to improve social structures to lift people out of poverty, help people achieve greater independence, and improve the lives of the poor.

We meet four to six times per year to plan projects and activities for the entire parish, and we collaborate with St Jude's on several projects.   

All are most welcome to join this active ministry!
and...we always need more volunteers!

Some examples of our events and projects are:

• Christmas Giving Tree for families serviced by two local Catholic Charities agencies, Roarke Center and CoNSERNS U
• Personal Care and Hygiene items collections for the Stratton VA Hospital
• Easter Baskets for Rensselaer Children served by Circles of Mercy, an agency of the Sisters of Mercy
• Annual Baby Shower for Moms and Babies served by Community Maternity Services, an agency of Catholic Charities
• Back to School drive for Rensselaer children served by Circles of Mercy and CoNSERNS U
• Beet Hunger!  Parishiones donate excess produce from their home gardens for Roarke Center and CoNSERNS U food pantries
• Panera Bread excess breads, bagels, pastries are donated every weekend and delivered to City Mission in Albany
• Shrubs, flowers and tomatos are planted and maintained at the Troy Nursing Center each Spring and Fall
• Members 'bring back to life' cleaning headstones of Sisters of St Joseph, buried at St Joseph's cemetry in Troy, using the same environmentally safe solutions used by national VA cemeteries. 
• Complete Thanksgiving meals are collected and donated to families of the Carroll Hill School in Griswold Heights, Troy