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St. Andrew the Apostle Friday Flash | November 26th, 2021

Friday Flash

November 26, 2021

ST. ANDREW GLOBAL OUTREACH DURING

THE PANDEMIC

In African Culture and indeed in many cultures, sharing a meal especially during challenging times, signifies an intimate bond and sharing of common values as I pointed out in a previous article. Offering food, no matter how plain and simple, to a stranger or someone in need, is part of basic African hospitality. Meals shared together create and recreate families, friendships, and business relations. Assuring social relationships through food can happen both around the evening fires or dinner table at home. Feasts where those who don’t often eat together can meet up is a great opportunity for strengthening bonds of friendship and for forgiving wrongs and healing broken relationships. They address questions such as: Who’s to be invited? Who sits next to whom? What do the people around the table talk about, and what themes do they avoid? In this way, a shared meal becomes a social event where thoughts, knowledge, experiences, and emotions are shared, and the community strengthened. It also serves as an opportunity for healing both social and physical ills in society.

This is what St. Andrews had in mind when, a few years ago, if you recall, in consultation with my finance council, pastoral council and staff, we created our Global Outreach Ministry to provide much-needed assistance to orphans in both Haiti and in Uganda. Through our two Global Outreach ministries, (Grow Haiti’s Children and E3 Africa,) we were given the opportunity to share what we have with the orphans in these distant countries.

You may recall too, that to do this, we initially decided to raise funds for these two organizations by having them organize a joint fundraiser once a year in our parish under the mantel of their title, St. Andrew Global Outreach Ministry Dinner. In addition, we also dedicated two separate weekends per year for each organization to make a report, express gratitude and raise some fund for their ministry. Some of these activities, like many others, were severely disrupted by the COVID.

However, I am very delighted to report to you that despite this global pandemic with its devastating impact on both lives and the economy, our parish has not disappointed. We continued to stand by and support our children in these two countries through these two separate 501©3 non-profits in different ways. For instance, when the horrible earthquake hit Haiti mid last August, our parish was able to make an emergency collection one weekend for our orphanage in Jeremie, to the tune of close to $8,000.00. Last month, on October 23, we had our Grow Haiti’s Children dinner-cum fundraiser which brought in another $15,000.00. For all your generosity, I am immensely grateful.

Next weekend, December 4/5, E3 Africa will also have the opportunity to come and thank you for your great support to the orphans through its sponsorship program and through the support you are giving to the building of its high school (St. Thomas Aquinas College), for both the orphans and the local communities in Uganda.

Please, come and listen to how your financial support is positively impacting the lives of the children in Uganda. Michael Scalamera, our new executive director, will give you an update at the end of all the Masses that weekend. You will also have the opportunity to make a donation, pick a child to sponsor in a boarding school for just $70.00 per month or make a contribution towards building the high school and to other options. Please, be generous as usual.

Remember, your pastor who founded this organization was once a poor and helpless orphan himself. He was assisted in his education so as to become a priest through the financial help of other generous people like yourselves, who paid for his tuition when he could not afford to do so. Hope to see you all there and God bless you all!

St. Andrew, I love you.

- Fr. Robert

Tuesday, November 30th

for a special Mass at 6:30pm

followed by a small reception in the hall with coffee and dessert.

Please don’t forget to drop off your gift by 12pm on Sunday, December 5^th.

All tags must be securely fastened on the gift. We ask that you drop off your gift in the Parish Office. Thank you!

Have you moved? Changed your phone number?

Please contact Mary at Finance@standrewchandler.com
To update your information

Public Masses are now offered

Monday - Saturday | 8:30am

Wednesday | 6:30pm

Saturday | 5:00pm

Sunday | 7:00am, 10:00am, 2:00pm

Daily Mass on Tuesday and Thursday, as well as Sunday Masses at 10:00am and 2:00pm are also streamed on Facebook

We are in great need of your continued support. Please consider making a gift to support continued ministry at Saint Andrew the Apostle. Please visit Faith Direct: https://membership.faithdirect.net/AZ973 or click the banner above.

Thank you for your Generosity!