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Mission Outreach Commission

 

The Mission Outreach Commission coordinates activities that assist our sister parish, Los Santos Martires, in Chimbote, Peru, Fr Mbiche's orphanage in Tanzania and Fr Albert's school in Ghana. Locally they organize St Rita's three volunteer weeks at Hope for the Journey shelter and service opportunities at Listening House.  The commission organizes various fundraising activities, including the Spring Plant Sale to provide monetary support for these efforts. Everyone is welcome to join the commission! 


Our Global Connections

St Rita's shares in celebrating our universal faith with our Catholic brothers and sister around the world.  Learn more about these relationships at our Sister Parish page.

Photo Gallery of experiences with our brothers and sisters in Peru, Ghana and Tanzania


HOPE FOR THE JOURNEY HOME SHELTER

Parishioners from St. Rita's volunteer to staff this shelter for homeless families, which is located at Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Oakdale.  You can find out more information about the shelter here.  If you would like to volunteer to help, call the parish office for more information.  St. Rita's covers volunteer shifts for three weeks each year, please prayerfully consider volunteering. There are now two shifts each day.  

The Dinner Shift  starts between 4:30 and 7:30 pm each day, depending on your schedule.  The shift is great for bringing your young children or grandchildren to help serve 4-7 young families that are struggling with housing and or trying to find a job.  Serving here can be an eye opener for both the young and old.  The dinner shift gives volunteers a chance to converse with families, serve an evening meal, clean up the kitchen, and do light upkeep tasks.  There will be a staff person onsite with you.  The shift ends about 8:15 pm.

The Overnight Shift starts at 8:00 pm each evening.  It is a great shift for married couples or two same gender friends.  There is a staff member orientation and you will stay overnight in a private room. Your responsibilities include bagging some lunches for the families for the next day, making sure the families are in their rooms at 9:00 pm, setting up and serving a light breakfast in the morning as well as cleaning up afterwards, and closing up the shelter when you leave in the morning at no later than 9:15 am.  If you need to leave earlier than 9:15 in the morning, arrangements can be made for another volunteer to come in the morning.

The Archdiocese requires all volunteers to be Essential 3 qualified.  This includes a background check, Virtus training and a signed code of conduct.  We can help you meet these requirements, click here for more info.


 LISTENING HOUSE IN ST PAUL 

Listening House is a sanctuary from the streets where practical assistance, counsel and a friendly ear are offered to people who are homeless, disadvantaged or lonely.  Staff and volunteers aspire to create a sense of community and connection by promoting respect for all.  Members of the outreach serve at Listening House, wash the feet of the homeless and put together weekend meal bags for clients.  To help with the weekend meal kits, you can drop off items like protein bars, beef sticks, fruit cups, granola bars, cracker snacks and ensure in the basket placed in the hallway near the office during the beginning of the month.  Meal bags are packed on the second Friday of the month after daily Mass - all are welcome to help pack!  Click here to read a recent thank you letter we recieved from LH