St. John Vianney

Catholic Church

Quarterly Review – Fall 2016 Issue

Welcome to our fifth edition of Salt and Light, the Quarterly Review of St. John Vianney’s Social Service Ministries. In this issue, we turn our attention to what The Church teaches about our fundamental rights and corresponding responsibilities.  The most important of these rights is, of course, the right to life and all those things necessary for survival.  All of the many human rights that the Catholic Church recognizes are a result of our belief in the dignity of the human person recognizing that we are all born in the image and likeness of God.  To explain more about what the Church teaches about “Rights and Responsibilities,” we have included a link to a short video from the USCCB and Catholic Relief Services and another video from Fr. Nathaniel Haslam, as well as an article from Education for Justice, and a reflection from Pat Guzman, one of our talented team of writers and parishioners.

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Interestingly, when we were researching and preparing this issue for publication, we found an abundant amount of resources detailing what the Catholic Church teaches about human rights, but not much about our corresponding responsibilities. So, what do our responsibilities entail? Much of what is written revolves around protecting and defending the rights of others as human beings.  As St. John XXIII wrote in Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth), “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.” Additionally, the USCCB refers to our responsibilities as duties “to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.”  Not only are we called to defend and protect each other, we are called to care for one another, teach one another, and share our faith with one another.  I can think of no better way to convey an example of how a Catholic can respond to this call than parishioner Sarah Kushner’s reflection which we share in this issue, “What a Gift!”  Sarah is co-coordinator of our Gabriel Project Angels, and as such, is actively involved in serving mothers and babies in need on a daily basis.  In her reflection, Sarah shares how her parents, her extended family, her teachers, and fellow parishioners met their responsibilities in caring for, teaching, and passing on their faith to her and how she endeavors to the do the same now for her family, her parish, and those in need.
Please remember that if you like to write and are interested in sharing reflections or reviews related to our Church’s social doctrine or the Works of Mercy, you may contact Vivian. We love our parishioner contributors!
The last few months in our Social Services’ office have been full of activity, and things will only get busier as we head into Thanksgiving and Advent. Please read on to learn more about our accomplishments in the last few months in our Quarterly Report.
As we approach Election Day on November 8th, please don’t forget to pray about the election and prepare your conscience to vote.  We urge you to explore and review the information included on the USCCB’s Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.  The USCCB has included in its website a video as well as a variety of resources to help us to prepare to vote.  Some of the documents are lengthy, so we’ve also included the shorter summary documents on the challenge of forming consciences for faithful citizenship: Our Call as Catholic Citizens and Making Moral Choices and Applying Our Principles. It is our hope that you will find them helpful.  Finally, I’d like to share with you this prayer for Election Day:
O God, so that I may both vote and act for the common good, I ask for your help in forming my conscience according to the Gospel and according to your will.
I ask for the eyes to see all human beings as my brothers and sisters– all equally beloved as sons and daughters of God.
I ask for the courage to stand up for the rights and dignity of all human beings, especially the most vulnerable members of our society, including the poor, the sick, and the unborn.
Above all else, grant me the courage to re-examine my political loyalties and to be first and foremost, a faithful follower of you, Lord Jesus.
Remind me that our only true hope rests in you and that political power can never replace the will of God and the mission of the Church.
Help me to cast my vote in a way that is pleasing to you, Lord. Help me to do it reverently and with a well-formed conscience.
Please bless us, Lord, in these elections with the best leaders possible at all levels of government.
My vote may be small and insignificant in many respects, but it is an important responsibility in my life as a Christian. Help me to both vote and live by the Gospel putting my trust only in you, Lord Jesus Christ. 
Peace and Blessings,
Deborah

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.  You are the light of the world.  A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp-stand, where it gives light to all in the house.  Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father”  ~ Matthew 5: 13-16

In this issue of Salt and Light Quarterly Review:
  1. Rights and Responsibilities
    Catholic Social Teaching 101: Rights and Responsibilities
    A Reflection on Rights and Responsibilities     by Pat Guzman
    Rights, Responsibilities and False “Rights”     by Fr. Nathaniel Haslam
    The Principle of Rights and Responsibilities: the ten second summary
  2. Strengthening Catholic Identity Through the Family
    What a Gift! by Sarah Kushner
    Healthy Families, Healthy Society
  3. Living Faith, Changing Lives, Making a Difference: One Person at a Time
    Quarterly Report from the Social Services Ministry

 

LIVING FAITH, CHANGING LIVES, MAKING A DIFFERENCE:
One Person at a Time

Quarterly Report from Social Service Ministries

The mission of the Social Service Ministries at St. John Vianney Catholic Church is to act on Catholic Social Teaching and our commitment to the Corporal Works of Mercy by providing a compassionate response to those parishioners and families in our community in need of assistance.
Our Social Service Ministries provide an opportunity for our parishioners to get involved and to answer God’s call to grow in faith by sharing their unique gifts and talents while serving and reaching out to those in need. Our ministry is part of the continuous support that St. John Vianney Catholic Church provides to the surrounding community and its parishioners.  Read more.

Quarterly Review – Fall 2015 Issue

WELCOME to the first edition of “Salt & Light,” SJV’s Social Service Ministry’s Quarterly Review. Unlike our weekly e-newsletters which include updates and information about upcoming SJV events, our Quarterly Review is meant to be more educational in nature. We invite you to join us in our Quarterly Reviews as we explore contemporary issues that are relevant to the Catholic Church’s social doctrine and the Corporal Works of Mercy, and to review our Church’s rich history in both words and actions in the arena of social justice. In addition to articles on these topics, we will share with you links to additional resources, prayers, action steps, and upcoming events. At the same time, we will share with you our Quarterly Reports which address the facts and figures of our own social justice efforts and how we are reaching out to and serving the poor and the vulnerable here at SJV.

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It is most unfortunate that the term “social justice” in recent years has become so highly politicized. It is difficult to speak of any issue or concern these days without the fear of being labeled left or right, liberal or conservative, capitalist or socialist, etc. Pope Francis has warned us, though, against this “simplistic reductionism.” In his address to Congress last week, Pope Francis said, “The contemporary world, with its open wounds which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two camps…. Our response must instead be one of hope and healing, of peace and justice.” As Catholics, we must allow ourselves to follow Christ and speak up for the most vulnerable in our world today—the poor, the immigrants, the elderly, the sick, the disabled, and the imprisoned. Although Catholics (and Americans, in general) may disagree about how we should tackle and solve the problems of poverty, violence, migration, etc. that we face in our world today, as Pope Francis instructed us, “We must move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good.” It will, therefore, be instructive and timely to bring a discussion of social justice back into the spotlight and reclaim the rich history and beauty of our Church’s social doctrine.
There is so much to be excited about this week for Catholics all over the U.S. We are still basking in the excitement of Pope Francis’ first visit to the U.S. and attempting to digest all that our Holy Father shared with us in his visit.  Here at SJV, we are also excited in anticipation of Jeff Cavins’ presentation Walking Toward Eternity this coming weekend, and our annual Parish Bazaar benefitting our charities the following weekend. In the midst of all of this excitement, though, we should not forget that October is Respect Life Month. Any discussion about social justice or Catholic social teaching would be impossible without the proper focus on the life and dignity of the human person. This is the foundation Social Justice.  As St. John Paul II famously entreated our nation, “And so America: If you want peace, work for justice. If you want justice, defend life. It you want life, embrace the truth, the truth revealed by God.” When we speak of justice, we cannot forget those who are most vulnerable, the unborn. For more about the sanctity of human life, please visit the Respect Life page on our website, and we hope that you will join us for some of our Respect Life activities this month as outlined there.
As you open this first review (and subsequent reviews), we ask that you open your hearts and minds and prayerfully consider the teachings of our Church. The Catholic Church is neither on the left nor on the right.   Today, our Church, as it always has, transcends issues of politics, nationalism, science, economics, and other interests. In the doctrine of the Catholic Church, we encounter more than two thousand years of wisdom and reflection on the teachings of Christ and His apostles. Now, more than ever, we must work together, relying upon the teachings of our Church, to help us combat the culture of death and its incumbent violence and injustice that exist in our world today. We are called upon to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world now more than ever.
In addition to our Quarterly Report, in this edition of our review, we will share information about Pope Francis’ latest encyclical, “Laudato Si,” and a discussion of the refugee crisis in Europe.  However, first we would like to draw your attention back to the basics.  Please see the presentation that we have created below, and take a moment to review and reflect on what Jesus taught us in the Works of Mercy.  You may also want to refer to the Reflection and Study Guide on the Corporal Works of Mercy created by Maryknoll.
In our next issue we will begin our discussion of the basic themes of Catholic Social Teaching, with a focus on the first theme: “Life and dignity of the human person.”   In the meantime, we hope that you enjoy this first edition, and stay tuned for much more to come!
Peace & Blessings,
Deborah Montez
Director of Social Services

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5: 13-16).


2015 The Corporal Works of Mercy from SJV on Vimeo.

LIVING FAITH, CHANGING LIVES, MAKING A DIFFERENCE:
ONE PERSON AT A TIME

Quarterly Report from the Social Service Ministries

 
SJV’s Social Service Ministries Department, through its Emergency Assistance Ministry, provides food, clothes, financial, and other types of assistance to those in need. Working in conjunction with the Food Pantry, Joseph’s Coat Resale Shop, our Employment Ministry, the Gabriel Project, other ministries within Social Services, and partnering with ministries such as Memorial Assistance Ministries and Catholic Charities, our volunteer interviewers meet with those in our neighborhood who are facing financial crises. These difficulties are often due to unemployment, low income, medical costs, or unforeseen family crises. Acting on their commitment to the Corporal Works of Mercy and through the donations of our very generous parishioners, the volunteers are able to compassionately respond to the needs of our clients and help them overcome the “bumps in the road.”

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Our Location

625 Nottingham Oaks Trail
Houston TX 77079

Phone: 281.497.1500
Email: sjv@stjohnvianney.org

Office Hours: Monday - Friday | 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Mass Times:

Weekday: 9:00am (Mon-Fri) | 7:00pm (Tue & Thur)

Saturday: 5:30pm
Sunday: 8:00am, 9:30am, 11:00am, 12:30pm, 2:00pm (Spanish), 5:30pm