OFFICE FOR SOCIAL MINISTRY
“Jesus does want us to come at least every Sunday so that he can physically embrace us with his love. But he also wants us to be salt and light once we leave here as well. We do that by sharing our bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and homeless, clothing the naked, and not turning our back on our own.” (Bishop Larry Silva, homily, Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time)
On Holy Thursday, we were asked to turn in our CRS Lenten Rice Bowls as we celebrated the Last Supper when the Eucharist was established, Christ leaving us the Bread of Life, calling us to be bread broken and shared with those in need. During that feast’s “washing of the feet,” we were called to re-commit ourselves to encountering Christ in service with the vulnerable. As Bishop Silva said, there are opportunities every day for being “salt and light” by putting our witnessing to Jesus into action.
For example, on Friday and Saturday, April 28-29, the Faith Summit on Homelessness, organized by the Institute for Human Services and supported by the Catholic diocese’s Office for Social Ministry, will take place on Oahu at the First Assembly of God Church at 3400 Moanalua Road. Similar summits for faith communities were organized on Hawaii Island by HOPE Services Hawaii with the support of the Office for Social Ministry and Catholic Charities Hawaii.
The upcoming Oahu event will address two different audiences — clergy and lay volunteer leaders. Friday is designed to “ignite clergy to collaborate on homeless solutions.” General session topics include: Emerging Homeless Solutions, Discerning Ministries to Homeless Persons, Collaborating Faith Responses and Opportunities, and Turning Faith into Action.
Sister of St. Francis Sister Cheryl Wint, of St. Augustine Parish’s Soup Kitchen and Drop-in Center in Waikiki, will give one of the presentations. Other sessions will feature Scott Morishige, the governor’s Homeless Coordinator; Gary Nakata, the City’s Director of Community Service; Connie Mitchell, executive director of the Institute for Human Services; Christy MacPherson, executive director of Family Promise of Hawaii; and Pastor Klayton Ko from the First Assembly of God shelter.
The sessions will explain the current spectrum of homeless services and initiatives on Oahu and “how members of faith communities can be engaged by using a practical checklist to match your parish’s passions, assets and talents with ministry and action that have true impact on homeless people in your local community.”
Saturday’s workshops will give parish social ministry volunteers the tools to be effective and united. The topics include Navigating Service Systems; Developing Collaborative Services; Faith-Based Outreach Engaging Hearts for Change; Creative and Economical Housing Options and Transforming Lives After Incarceration; Advocating the Legislature on Homelessness and Affordable Housing; and Accompanying Forgotten Homeless Populations such as kupuna and Micronesian community members.
Yolanda Morreira, volunteer coordinator of the Kupuna Kokua Ministry for St. John Apostle and Evangelist Parish, Mililani, and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Wahiawa, will give one of the workshops. Other workshops will show parish social ministers how to help homeless persons navigate their way into housing; helping with the essential tasks of establishing identification, procuring health care coverage and applying for SNAP (food stamp) benefits; and becoming involved in efforts for alternative affordable housing in Hawaii.
The diocesan Office for Social Ministry will cover the cost of all Catholic parish members who want to participate in the summit, to learn how we can indeed be “salt and light,” bread broken and shared. Please identify your parish when registering at the summit. For more information, go to www.officeforsocialministry.org/events/ or contact itamashiro@rcchawaii.org.
Mahalo,
Your Friends at the Office for Social Ministry
