Social Action Ministry has been active at Holy Spirit for 20 plus years and has evolved with the times and those in need. Since 2008 and the change in the economy, Conserns-U, Circles of Mercy and Joseph House have seen the number of clients increase dramatically. Holy Spirit parish has made it possible for them to serve the poor through their continued generosity.
The Social Action Ministry helps the needy in Southern Rensselaer County. It emphasizes assisting the poor, hungry, sick, homeless and elderly, and works closely with CoNSERNS-U, Circles of Mercy, Joseph's House, Catholic Charities and the Community Loan Fund of the Capital District. The ministry focuses on:
- charitable acts dealing with the need for food, clothing and personal hygiene care and shelter;
- social justice, serving in advocacy and activist role to address the root causes of need;
- assist with educating the parish on the works of social action.
Social Action Ministry meets bimonthly. For more information contact Marilyn Fortin at 477-4181 or Kathy Wiech 477-5351.
For more information about Catholic Social Justice:
United States Catholic Conference of Bishops
Catholic disciples on mission are called to put Two Feet of Love in Action! This foundational tool describes two distinct, but complementary, ways we can put the Gospel in action in response to God's love: social justice (addressing systemic, root causes of problems that affect many people) and charitable works (short-term, emergency assistance for individuals).
New York State Catholic Conference:
A Unified Voice for All New York State Catholics
The New York State Catholic Conference represents the Bishops of the state in working with government to shape laws and policies that pursue social justice, respect for life and the common good. We provide a unified voice for the eight dioceses of the state to speak on such issues as education, marriage, health care, poverty, abortion, euthanasia, social services, criminal justice and the environment. We apply the principles of Catholic social teaching to critical issues of the day and encourage citizen involvement in the legislative process.
Learn about Social Justice in 3 minutes
The CRS Fair Trade program helps bring the core values of our faith to the choices we make as consumers.
Catholic Relief Services was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States to serve World War II survivors in Europe. Since then, they have expanded in size to reach more than 85 million people in 101 countries on five continents.
Their mission is to assist impoverished and disadvantaged people overseas, working in the spirit of Catholic social teaching to promote the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the human person. Although the mission is rooted in the Catholic faith, operations serve people based solely on need, regardless of their race, religion or ethnicity. Within the United States, CRS engages Catholics to live their faith in solidarity with the poor and suffering people of the world.