Welcome to the Faith Doing Justice Ministry at St. Mary Student Parish!
Informed by Catholic social teaching and the example of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Faith Doing Justice Ministry at St. Mary Student Parish seeks to provide opportunities for students and parishioners to grow in faith and love through acts of justice and charity. Please join us as we strive to live out the Gospel in our own lives!
The Season of Creation is here! Join St. Mary Student Parish and Christians worldwide as we celebrate God’s creation and reflect on our call to care for our common home. Pope Francis has named this year’s theme “Hope and Act with Creation”. The Season of Creation begins September 1 on the Feast of Creation and World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and ends on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
Special Season of Creation Events at St. Mary Student Parish
- Liturgy for the Season of Creation, September 15 at 5pm
- Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden Eco Workday, October 5 from 1-3pm
To learn more about the Season of Creation, please explore these resources below:
Faith Doing Justice Ministries
Advent Giving Tree
- During the Advent and Christmas seasons, the annual Advent Giving Tree offers parishioners an opportunity to support organizations that serve the poor and most vulnerable among us through gifts and monetary donations. In addition to donations, there are many ways to get involved as an Advent Giving Tree helper by making tags, decorating the Christmas tree, and sorting and delivering gifts. For a list of benefiting organizations, please visit the Advent Giving Tree Information Page.
Alternative Spring Break (ASB)
- The Alternative Spring Break Program (ASB) is a service immersion program for undergraduate students during Spring Break. Through this week-long immersion, students go to the margins to walk with the excluded, learning from those most impacted by injustice, and deepening their understanding of Catholic social teaching and the root causes of complex social issues. Our trips explore a wide range of justice issues, including homelessness, environmental justice, immigration, racism, and restorative justice among others. Through this experience of encounter, solidarity, and mutual giving, students find God in all things, build community with one another, and are challenged to go forth from their trips to live a faith that does justice.
Some words and phrases ASB alumni have used to describe their experience:
- Life-changing
- Unforgettable
- I saw God each and every day
- ASB reinforced what I want to do with my life
- I grew deeper in my faith and relationship with God
- I returned from the trip with a whole new perspective, and full of zeal for my faith
2024 ASB Info Sessions:
- Thursday, September 26, from 7-8pm in Newman Hall
- November Info Session date will be released soon
Anti-Racism Working Group
- The St. Mary Student Parish Anti-Racism Working Group seeks concrete solutions to confront and dismantle racism through education, action, and accompaniment. Together, we hope to help create a Beloved Community in the image of Jesus’s love. Contact: Julia Novotny ([email protected])
Care for Our Common Home
- The Care for Our Common Home Team seeks to implement Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si and the Universal Apostolic Preference of the Society of Jesus of “Caring for Our Common Home” at St. Mary Student Parish. This ministry offers educational, prayer, and action opportunities which aim to help individuals grow in understanding of their role as stewards of God’s creation and inspire ongoing conversion of heart to live in greater harmony with all of creation. Contact: Julia Novotny ([email protected])
Feast Day of Service
- In honor of our patroness and the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the parish community gathers around this special feast for a day of prayer and service. The day begins with liturgy, followed by a community lunch and an afternoon of service. Service sites include local organizations in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Flint. On-site service opportunities are also available for those with young children or time constraints. The Feast Day of Service sign up will be available in November.
Homelessness Ministries:
- Alpha House
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- Alpha House provides temporary shelter, food, and support services to families experiencing homelessness. Local congregations support Alpha House throughout the year by providing meals and children’s activities to guests for a week at a time. St. Mary participates for one week in September and March. This year’s dates are September 23-28, 2024 and March 10-15, 2025.
September 23-28 sign up now available! Please see the Alpha House SignUp Genius to volunteer.
- Daytime Warming Center (DWC)
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- Each winter, in partnership with the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, St. Mary Student Parish hosts a warming shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness. The shelter runs Monday through Friday from 8:30am – 4:00pm in Newman Hall. We strive to provide a welcoming and safe environment where guests can find food, clothing, and companionship. St. Mary’s will host the DWC for four weeks in January 2025, beginning January 6 and ending January 31. Food and clothing donations will be collected throughout the month. Volunteers are also needed to help host, prepare and serve meals, and assist with other projects as needed. The volunteer SignUp Genius will be available in December.
- Men’s Rotating Overnight Shelter
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- Each winter, in partnership with the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, St. Mary Student Parish hosts an overnight shelter for men experiencing homelessness. We strive to provide a warm, welcoming, and safe environment where guests can find rest. This year, the shelter begins the evening of November 11, 2024 and ends the morning of November 18, 2024. Food, clothing, and hygiene donations are collected leading up to and during the shelter. Volunteers are needed to welcome guests, stay overnight, and provide evening and morning snacks. The volunteer SignUp Genius will be available in October.
- Mercy House
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- Mercy House is a house of hospitality located near downtown Ann Arbor. Mercy House provides meals, clothing, laundry, showers, and community for individuals experiencing homelessness. This ongoing ministry needs volunteers to assist with preparing and serving meals, cleaning, and other projects as needed. For more information and to volunteer, please visit the Mercy House Information Page. Contact: Julia Novotny ([email protected])
Immigration
- Immigration support and accompaniment to immigration court and check-ins. The team also offers English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at St. Mary. Contact: Rosa Luz Postigo ([email protected])
- Upcoming Events:
- Strangers No Longer Webinar – Catholic Social Teaching and Our Responsibility as Citizens. Tuesday, September 17th at 7:00 p.m. Click here to Register. The webinar will also be live streamed in Donnelly Hall with discussion to follow.
- Strangers No Longer presentation on September 22 in Newman Hall, following the 10 am and 2pm Masses.
- Strangers No Longer Celebration of Diversity at Detroit’s Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. For more information and to register, please click here. To join a carpool or help drive others, please complete this form. To sign up to transport yourself by bus from St. Francis of Assisi parish to the event, please complete this form.
- Upcoming Events:
LGBTQ Outreach Ministry
- A community of care, support, formation, reconciliation, and witness to justice with and among gay and lesbian persons, parents, family members, and friends. Join for a private and confidential meeting on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. An annual LGBTQ retreat is also organized. Contact: Rodrigo ([email protected]) or Cynthia ([email protected])
Post-grad Service Opportunities
- Faith Doing Justice is in communication with a number of domestic and international Catholic post-grad service programs. If you are interested in a post-grad year of service and would like to learn more, please reach out to Faith Doing Justice Coordinator, Julia Novotny ([email protected])
- Post-grad Service Fair
- St. Mary will host a Post-grad Service Fair on Thursday, September 19, from 7-8:30pm in Donnelly Hall. Speak with recruiters from around the country, compare programs, connect with program alumni and more! You need not be graduating this year to participate. No registration is required. Stay for as long or as little as you like. We hope to see you there!
Pro-Life Ministry
- St. Mary Pro-Life Ministry is dedicated to protecting and promoting the sanctity of life in all stages through education and volunteer opportunities. Contact: David Mutone ([email protected])
Join our mailing list! Click HERE to subscribe to the monthly Faith Doing Justice newsletter featuring upcoming events and opportunities, both at St. Mary and externally.