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PARISH-BASED
SERVICE MINISTRIES
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Formed in 1979, our chapter
of the St.
Vincent de Paul Society has been a
long-time manifestation of Jesus' command to feed the hungry and care for
the homeless. The mission of this organization is to assist the needy in
our community by providing food, clothing, school supplies, and financial
assistance for families in crisis with their fuel, gas, electric, and rent
expenses. Our Lady of the Chesapeake Parish is extremely proud of the
work done by our chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and strongly
supports its efforts. In the year 2004, our St. Vincent de Paul Society
provided over 450 families with food, clothing, fuel, rent, and utilities
assistance. The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Our Lady of the Chesapeake
also supports Our Daily Bread--a soup kitchen in Baltimore City--by
providing home-cooked casseroles on the fourth Sunday of each month.
Additionally, the St. Vincent de Paul Society helps support two homes run
by Catholic Charities--Sarah's House, a shelter for battered women and
children; and The Gallagher House, a home in the Lake Shore area for
developmentally challenged adults.
Food:
Our chapter supports Our
Daily Bread, a program of Catholic
Charities, by providing home-cooked casseroles to the homeless and
needy on the fourth Sunday of every month. Casserole pans are set out on
the third Sunday of the month after Mass, and are returned the following
Saturday for delivery to Our Daily Bread. The number of casseroles made
varies, but we generally provide 60-95 a month, with extra donations of
bread and hard-boiled eggs. Four to five parish volunteers serve the
casseroles each month and new volunteers are always welcome!
Moreover,
on any day of the week, a wagon can be found in the vestibule of the
church, ready to accept donations of canned goods and non-perishables.
These donations form the basis of a pantry used for emergency food
disbursements, seasonal activities, and are also sent to local shelters
that provide help for the homeless.
Clothing and Shelter:
Our chapter of the St.
Vincent de Paul Society also supports Sarah's
House, another program of Catholic Charities, which provides
emergency shelter, transitional housing, food, child care, parenting
instruction, and substance-abuse counseling. Sarah's House offers
families a temporary haven that works to develop behaviors and attitudes
necessary for its residents to leave and live as functioning and
economically independent family units. As well as donating clothing,
linens, and household good, our chapter also gives a Mother's Day party
for those at Sarah's House each year.
The
Gallagher House, a Catholic Charities-directed home in the
Pasadena area for adults with limited life skills, is also supported
by our chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Our chapter sponsors
two annual celebrations for the residents of The Gallagher House--a
picnic at Down's Park and a Halloween Party, complete with costumes,
games, and activities.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Baltimore also accepts donations of used furniture that can be redistributed to those in need.
Please call 410-276-7600 to arrange for pick-up.
Our chapter also aids families in the immediate Pasadena area who are
facing rent evictions or having difficulties meeting their utility
bills. These families are referred to us through Social Services, NCEON,
and other recognized agencies.
Seasonal Activities:
The School Year--The
chapter adopts families through the Department of Social Services,
buying school supplies for needy children in Anne Arundel County at the
beginning of the school year.
Thanksgiving--Donations
are used to prepare food baskets for the needy, with all the ingredients
for a delicious Thanksgiving Dinner. In the year 2003, 34 families were
provided with Thanksgiving baskets, delivered by parishioners, members
of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and their families.
Winter--The
chapter collects and purchases knit hats, gloves, underwear, flannel
shirts, socks, and toiletry items to be given out to people staying in
five area shelters in Anne Arundel County and Baltimore City. Some
parishioners make wool hats and lap throws which are given to elderly in
need.
Christmas--Our
annual Giving Tree provided 105 children and 40 families (including
elderly) with Christmas gifts. Parishioners choose a tag from the Giving Tree, purchase an appropriate
gift based on the information provided on the tag, and return the
wrapped gift to the Giving Tree. Names for the Giving Tree are provided
to us by the Department of Social Services. Approximately 40 food baskets
were also given
to families for their Christmas Dinner in 2003. Additional gifts (e.g.,
bikes and toys) not from the Giving Tree were distributed to local
shelters.
Easter--Celebration
of the Lord's Resurrection is shared through a variety of baskets for
the needy. Again, with names provided by the Department of Social
Services, in 2003, the chapter provided 4 fruit baskets for the elderly,
70 traditional Easter baskets for children, and 35 food boxes for families.
New members are welcomed to
our chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, but you need not be a
member to share your talents and generosity as we work on various projects
throughout the year. If you are interested in helping, please call the
Pastoral Center (410-255-3677, extension 111) or use our on-line Volunteer
Form. This same phone number may also be used for those who are in
need of assistance from our chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Wellness Ministry
 The
mission of the Wellness Ministry is to provide support to the surrounding
community during times of illness and bereavement as well as to promote
good health habits to everyone. Through the support of volunteers,
the Wellness Ministry visits those who are ill or shut-in and provides
transportation for medical appointments to those who need it.
Support--in the manner of cards, flowers, and food--is also given to those
who have lost a family member. Additionally, on the second weekend
of each month the Wellness Ministry offers blood pressure screening after
each mass. If you would like to avail yourself of the services of the
Wellness Ministry, or to volunteer to help, please call the Pastoral
Office Center at 410-255-3677, or send an email to
Wellness@OLChesapeake.org.
You come to Mass, but do
you hear the message?
We can help! Thanks to a joint effort between the
Music Ministry and the Wellness Ministry, Our Lady of the Chesapeake has
installed a hearing assistance system. If you have trouble hearing
Fr.Raff or any of the other speakers during Mass, please call the
Pastoral Office Center (410-255-3677),
send us an email, or ask one of the ushers for
assistance. We have portable receivers that you wear in your ear and
adjust to whatever volume you need. Now you can enjoy Fr. Raff’s
spirited homilies and our terrific music along with the rest of us!
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From the Wellness Ministry...What is the new Medicare drug benefit?
Medicare's new drug benefit, which begins January 1, 2006, is
outpatient prescription drug coverage available only through
private companies. To get this coverage, you need to choose and
enroll in a private prescription drug plan. Enrollment is
optional. Some people with very low income may be automatically
enrolled in plans and get financial assistance. Anyone who has
Medicare now can enroll in a Medicare drug plan between November
15, 2005 and May 15, 2006.
What does the Medicare drug benefit look like?
Plans vary widely in their benefits.
Each plan will have different costs, a different list of covered
drugs (formulary) and a different network of pharmacies with
which they work.
Cost:
Costs vary by plan and are expected to rise every year. You may
pay a yearly deductible, a monthly premium and a portion of the
cost for each prescription you fill. The national average
premium for 2006 is $32.20. At some point, you may have to pay
100 percent of the cost of your drugs (coverage gap).
A few rules will hold true for all plans. No plan can have a
deductible higher than $250. No matter which plan you choose,
after you spend $3,600 out of pocket on covered drugs at
in-network pharmacies, your costs will go down dramatically
(catastrophic coverage). At that point, you will pay five
percent of the cost of your prescriptions in addition to the
monthly premium.
If your monthly income and assets are low, you may qualify
for Extra Help-a federal program that helps pay most of the
costs of prescription drug coverage (see
question 5).
Covered Drugs:
Each plan will have its own list of covered drugs (called a
"formulary"). Plans must cover at least two drugs in every class
of drugs. Plans must cover all or almost all drugs in six
classes of drugs (antidepressants, anticonvulsants,
antipsychotics, antiretrovirals, immunosuppressants, and
anticancer). Certain classes of drugs are excluded from Medicare
coverage (drugs to treat weight loss and gain, cough and cold
medications, non-prescription over-the-counter drugs,
barbiturates, benzodiazepines, prescription vitamins and
minerals-except prenatal and fluoride-and fertility drugs). Some
Medicare private drug plans can choose to cover these drugs if
they offer "enhanced" coverage.
Pharmacy Network: Each plan will have a network of
pharmacies that it works with. Costs for your drugs may vary
from pharmacy to pharmacy.
Note: If you purchase a drug that is not on your plan's
formulary or that you buy at an out-of-network pharmacy, you
will pay the full cost of your drugs and that payment will not
count towards your out-of-pocket maximum ($3,600 in 2006).
Should I get the Medicare drug benefit?
It depends on whether you already have drug coverage, your
income, and how much you currently spend on drugs.
Note: If you get drug coverage through Medicaid, you will
have to get your drug coverage through Medicare starting January
1, 2006 (see question 7).
o If you have
drug coverage as good as or better than Medicare's basic
benefit ("creditable"), you should probably keep it.
If you want to enroll in the Medicare drug benefit
later, you can do so without penalty.
o If you get
Extra Help the benefit is a good deal because your
out-of-pocket costs will be very low (see
question 4).
o If you have
high drug costs and no other drug coverage, the benefit
will likely help. Look for a plan that covers the
drugs that you take and works with the pharmacies that
you use.
o If you have
low drugs costs, having Medicare drug coverage could
cost you more now, but could protect you from high drug
costs in the future. There may be a Medicare drug plan
in your area with a low monthly premium you can afford.
If you do not enroll when you are first eligible you
will pay a penalty if you enroll later. The penalty may
be small (1% of the average national premium-$32.20 in
2006-for every month you do not enroll). But you will
not be able to enroll until the next enrollment period
(Nov. 15 - Dec. 31 each year), so you will have no
coverage if your drug needs change over the course of a
year. Still, there may be other low-cost ways to get the
drugs you need. To find out, call your State Health
Insurance Assistance Program (call 800-MEDICARE for
phone number).
If you do not enroll
during your Initial Enrollment Period May 15, 2006, you may have
to pay a penalty each month in addition the premium. The premium
penalty will be at least 1 percent of the national average
premium for every month you delay enrollment.
You can enroll late without having to pay a premium penalty if
you have prescription drug coverage at least as good as or
better than Medicare's ("creditable coverage") and you are not
without it for more than 63 days before you enroll in the
Medicare drug benefit.
Can I get Extra Help to help pay for the Medicare drug benefit if my
income is low?
Yes. If you have Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program (an
"MSP" such as QMB, SLMB, or QI-1), or you receive Supplemental
Security Income (SSI), you automatically qualify for Extra
Help-you do not have to apply. Just enroll in a Medicare drug
plan to get your Medicare drug coverage.
If you do not have Medicaid, an MSP or SSI, and your income and
assets are limited you should apply for help through the Social
Security Administration (SSA) using the agency's print or online
application (www.ssa.gov).
When you submit your application through SSA, you can simply
state what your income and assets are; you will not have to
provide proof.
Even if you qualify for the Extra Help paying for your Medicare
drug costs-whether you applied for it or automatically
qualified-you should select and enroll in the Medicare
prescription drug plan that best meets your needs. If you do not
join a plan on your own, you will be automatically enrolled in a
randomly selected plan that may not meet your needs.
| If You Have... |
With Assets... |
You Pay |
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Medicaid1 and
income below 100% FPL
(below $9,5702 a year for singles and $12,830 a year
for couples in 2005) |
Below the limit necessary to
qualify for Medicaid in your state |
· No
monthly premium · No deductible
· $1/generic and $3/brand-name3
(no copay after $5,100 in total annual drug costs) for covered
drugs |
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Medicaid and income above
100% FPL4
(above $9,5702 a year for singles and $12,830 a year
for couples in 2005) |
Below the limit necessary for
qualify for Medicaid in your state |
· No
monthly premium · No deductible
· $2/generic and $5/brand-name
(no copay after $5,100 in total annual drug costs) |
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Income below 135% FPL and do
not have Medicaid
(below $12,919 a year for singles and $17,320 a year for couples
in 2005) |
Below $7,500 for individuals and
$12,000 for couples5 |
· No
monthly premium · No deductible
· $2/generic and $5/brand-name
(no copay after $5,100 in total annual drug costs) |
|
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Income below 150% FPL and do
not have Medicaid
(below $14,355 a year for singles and $19,245 a year for couples
in 2005) |
Below $11,500 for individuals and
$23,000 for couples5 |
·
Sliding scale monthly premium · $50
deductible
· 15% coinsurance ($2/generic and $5/brand-name copay
after $5,100 in total annual drug costs) |
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1Institutionalized
individuals with Medicaid, at all income levels, pay no copay,
deductible or premium.
2Federal poverty levels change every year. They will
be higher in 2006.
3Indexed to Consumer Price Index.
4This includes "Spend Down" or medically needy
individuals, who spend a portion of their income to become
eligible for Medicaid.
5If you answer "no" to the question on the
application that asks if you intend to use any of your assets
for funeral or burial expenses, then your asset limits will be
reduced by $1,500 for singles or $3,000 for couples.
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How do I get the Medicare drug benefit?
There are two kinds of Medicare drug plans you can choose
depending on how you get your Medicare health benefits. If you
have:
1. Original Medicare, you should choose a plan
that only offers drug coverage or a "stand-alone" plan
(PDP).
2. a Medicare private health plan (like an HMO or
PPO), and you want to stay with it, you need to get
drug coverage from the same company as part of your
health benefits package (MAPD). Many HMOs and PPOs are
changing to include Medicare drug coverage. Find out how
your plan is changing in 2006. If you choose to join an
HMO or PPO to get your drug coverage, you will have to
use the doctors and hospitals in that plan's network.
You will have to compare Medicare private drug plans in your
area and sign up for the one that best meets your needs-covers
the drugs you take, works at the pharmacies you use and makes
sense financially. You can compare plans by calling 800-MEDICARE
or visiting
www.medicare.gov.
You can also look at the Medicare and You 2006 handbook or call
the plans directly. Once you choose a plan, you should call the
company offering that plan to enroll.
If you want your coverage to start on January 1, 2006, you have
to enroll in a plan before the end of 2005. In 2006, your
coverage will start the first of the month after you apply.
How does the Medicare drug benefit work?
The Medicare drug benefit (Part D) will cover outpatient
prescription drugs. Drugs currently covered by Medicare Part A
(during overnight stays in a hospital or nursing home) and
Medicare Part B (such as certain oral cancer drugs) will
continue to be covered that way.
The benefit will only be available through private plans, not
through Original Medicare, so your coverage and costs will vary
by plan. Plans provide incentives for you to use generic drugs
by making your copay for generics lower than for brand-name
drugs (cost-tiers). In addition, they may have other limitations
on how you get your drugs such as requiring that you try another
drug before they will cover the one your doctor prescribed (step
therapy), require that you get permission from the plan before
you can fill the prescription (prior authorization) or limiting
how much of a particular drug they will cover (quantity limits).
If a drug is not covered by your plan, or you get it from a
pharmacy outside your plan's network, you will have to pay the
full cost yourself.
Medicare drug plans can stop covering particular drugs or raise
your costs for a certain drug, at any time, as long as
they give notice of the change 60 days before it happens or give
you a 60-day supply of the drug when the change takes place.
However, you will only be able to change drug plans once a year
during the Annual Coordinated Enrollment Period, which will be
from November 15 to December 31 of every year. You will also
have a Special Enrollment Period to change plans under certain
circumstances, such as if you move out of your plan's service
area, your plan goes out of business or you move into a nursing
home. You do not get a special enrollment period just because
your health needs change.
Note: If you have Medicaid, a Medicare Savings Program or
live in a nursing home, you can change your Medicare private
drug plan once a month.
What will happen to prescription drug coverage I have now?
If you have Medicaid ,
you will lose your Medicaid drug coverage on December 31, 2005
and get your drug coverage through Medicare as of January 1,
2006. You will still keep your other Medicaid benefits. You will
automatically get Extra Help paying for your Medicare drug
costs, but you should enroll in the Medicare drug plan that best
meets your needs or you will be automatically enrolled in a
randomly selected plan.
If you have coverage through a state pharmaceutical
assistance program, check with your state to find out if and
how it will work with the Medicare drug benefit. States can
choose to offer coverage as they always have, fill in the gaps
in Medicare drug coverage for people enrolled in the state's
drug assistance plan, or discontinue their drug coverage.
If you have drug coverage from a former or current employer
or any other source, you should have received a notice
letting you know whether your drug coverage is as good as
Medicare's ("creditable"). Call the company if you did not
receive the notice. If your current coverage is at least as good
as Medicare's, you can keep it and not buy Medicare drug
coverage. If you later want to enroll in a Medicare drug plan
you will not have to pay a premium penalty as long as you were
not without creditable coverage for more than 63 days. Note: You
may lose all your employer health benefits (medical and hospital
as well as drug coverage) if you enroll in a Medicare private
drug plan. Check with your employer before making any decision.
If you have a Medicare supplemental insurance policy
(Medigap) with some drug coverage (H, I or J), you are
probably better off with Medicare drug coverage than with the
limited (and often expensive) coverage offered by these plans.
If you enroll in the Medicare drug benefit, you cannot also have
a Medicare supplemental insurance policy (Medigap) that offers
drug coverage. If you enroll in the Medicare drug benefit, you
can keep the Medigap and drop the drug coverage or enroll in
another Medigap plan without drug coverage. The drug coverage
offered by H, I and J is not considered to be as good as
Medicare's ("creditable"). If you keep one of these plans and
decide to enroll in the Medicare benefit later on, you will have
to pay a premium penalty.
Do I have any protections?
Yes. If the drug you need is not covered by your Medicare
drug plan or it is covered at a higher copay than other drugs,
you have the right to ask for an exception to the plan's
formulary (list of covered drugs) when
o you are using
a drug currently covered by your plan, but that drug is
removed from your plan's formulary for reasons other
than safety;
o your doctor
prescribes a drug not on your plan's formulary because
your doctor believes the drugs on the plan's formulary
will not work for you or would be harmful to you;
o you are using
a drug currently covered by your plan, but the plan
raises your copay for that drug;
o your doctor
prescribes a drug on your plan's formulary that requires
a higher copay because your doctor believes the drugs
covered by the plan with a lower copay will not work for
you or would be harmful to you.
Your doctor must submit a letter certifying that the drug
prescribed is medically necessary because other drugs are not as
effective or may be harmful for you. Generally, plans must grant
these requests-called exceptions-when they determine that it is
medically appropriate to do so (except for Medicare excluded
drugs-see
question 6).
Each plan will create its own process for how members can ask
for an exception.
Plans must respond to your request within 72 hours. You can also
ask for an expedited request when your "life, health or ability
to regain maximum function" is in jeopardy. Plans must respond
to expedited requests within 24 hours. If a plan denies your
exception request, you can appeal the plan's decision through
the government.
For More Information
Medicare Rights Center
www.medicarerights.org/newlawframeset.html
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Click here to find the program in
your state
Medicare
800-MEDICARE
www.medicare.gov
Social Security Administration
800-772-1213
www.ssa.gov
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Important Storm Clean-up Resources
Keep these numbers handy in case of
emergency.
Call 911 if there is an urgent storm emergency.
AA County Emergency Operations 410-222-8040
(non-911 emergencies)
AA Roads 410-222-4040 (downed traffic signs,
signals, trees across roads, flooding of county roads)
AA Water and Wastewater 410-222-8400 (water
and wastewater problems)
Red Cross 1-866-438-4636
BGE 1-877-778-2222
AA Storm Debris Management Center 410-222-6100
AA Health Department –Wells 410-222-7189
(inspections for private wells)
Our Lady of the Chesapeake 410-255-3677…The
Wellness Ministry can help you locate ice and water resources if we have
power.
Bereavement
Ministry
In
March, 2003, the
Wellness Ministry formed a "Bereavement Ministry" that is serving
those in our community who may have lost a family member or loved one. The Bereavement
Ministry provides dinners in The Gathering Place
after Funeral Masses/Services to those families who request them.
The meal can be a lunch, a brunch, or simply pastries and coffee.
There is no charge for the meal, but donations are gratefully accepted.
At present, the Bereavement Ministry has nearly 100 volunteers
who prepare, cook, and serve the meal. The
hundred people are divided into four teams. Normally each team is responsible,
on a rotating basis, for a particular funeral unless it is exceptionally
large, when more than one team may be used.
During the time that the Bereavement
Ministry has been in existence, it has served dinners for many
funerals. The appreciation
expressed by those using this ministry has been nothing less than phenomenal.
Although families are sad and overwhelmed with their loss, the Bereavement
Ministry attempts to make manifest the love and comfort that God gives to
his grieving children.
In the fall of 2004, volunteers of the Bereavement
Ministry were celebrated and thanked for their wonderful service with an
evening of Chocolate and Champagne. Additional
volunteers
are always needed to donate a food item and/or help prepare and serve the dinner.
If you are interested in volunteering for this wonderful and compassionate
ministry, would like more information,
or would like to avail yourself of this ministry, please
call the Pastoral Office Center at
410-255-3677, extension 155; or email Kay Janiszewski. Please
leave your name, phone number, and e-mail address.
Elizabeth Ministry
 In
November, 2003, the Elizabeth Ministry of Our Lady of the Chesapeake
was formed.
Following the scriptural example of Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth, the Elizabeth
Ministry reaches out to expectant mothers of the parish and their unborn
children as they deal with issues such as: fertility, pregnancy, birth,
adoption, crisis, or special needs.
The beauty of
Mary's encounter with Elizabeth is that both women realized that there was
someone who understood, and with whom they could share the marvel of what God
was doing for them. As they shared their stories, they helped one another
recognize God's will and the sacredness of their lives.
Likewise,
following the example of Mary and Elizabeth, members of the Elizabeth
Ministry visit women to share, pray, and realize the sacredness of their
own lives.
The Elizabeth Ministry is composed of
women from our parish who commit--to whatever extent their life will allow--to
helping expectant mothers and mothers of newborn children through prayer,
visits, listening, sharing, and assisting in the needs of daily life. If their
schedule permits, they may also prepare Welcoming Bags with knitted or
personal care items.
Some women in the Elizabeth
Ministry simply volunteer to be a Prayer Partner.
During that time, they may send a card or make a phone call to introduce themselves
to the expectant mother. Prayer Partners are provided with a journal that is
filled with reflections to help explore their own hearts as they enter into
this new relationship with the expectant mother and God. By the time the baby
is born, that person may no longer be a stranger and there may develop a
desire to deliver the Welcoming Bag personally. Women who do so are provided
with a Visitation Minister’s handbook that gives simple suggestions for
visiting a new mother.
The Goals of Elizabeth
Ministry are:
To
express the care and love of our faith community for
parents in their role as
co-creators with God.
To
initiate a personal response in the name of the Church during these critical
life moments.
To
join with parents in celebrating the wonders of pregnancy, birth, and the
mystery of new life.
To
offer support and healing at moments of complications, crisis, special needs,
and infant or child loss.
To
share the excitement and joy, as well as the frustrations and pain, of the
adoptive process.
To
assist fathers, siblings, and other family members.
To
enrich the home church of families with young children.
To
symbolize the special presence of God through prayer and ritual blessings.
To
express our belief in the dignity and worth of every child conceived.
In the past, there was an
intimacy that automatically existed among many Church members. Today, because
of our mobile society, this intimacy is often missing. Years ago, women of the
community interacted in most daily events. They gave the support needed during
the joys and crisis of the child-bearing years.
Today, many women feel
isolated from other women in their Church. They often find themselves miles
away from relatives. Sisters, aunts, or their own mothers may see them only on
special occasions. The wisdom of sharing personal stories with other women who
have similar experiences is still needed. Elizabeth Ministry is a new
way to empower women to relate to each other in a spirit of inclusiveness and
sisterhood.
If you are interested in
volunteering for the Elizabeth Ministry, would like more information,
or if you would like to avail yourself of the services of Elizabeth
Ministry, please call the Pastoral Office Center at 410-255-3677, or send
an email by clicking on Elizabeth
Ministry.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholism is an illness, a progressive
illness, which can never be cured but which, like some other diseases, can
be arrested. Many members of Alcoholics Anonymous feel that the
illness represents the combination of a physical sensitivity to alcohol
and a mental obsession with drinking, which, regardless of consequences,
cannot be broken by willpower alone.
Once alcoholism has set in, there is
nothing morally wrong about being ill. At this stage, free will is
not involved, because the sufferer has lost the power of choice over
alcohol. The most important things are to face the facts of one's
illness and to take advantage of the help that is available. There
must also be a desire to get well. Experience shows that the A.A.
program will work for all alcoholics who are sincere in their efforts to
stop drinking; it usually will not work for those not absolutely certain
that they want to stop.
If you feel that you have, or might have,
the illness of alcoholism, you are warmly invited to attend our A.A.
meetings which are held at Our Lady of the Chesapeake every Thursday at
7:30 pm.
Prison Ministry
Prison Ministry is a ministry of
"presence." We, as Church, go to the inmates and manifest
God to them by just being there and offering them the opportunity to
participate in various spiritual activities such as bible study and
Christian fellowship. On a practical level, the Prison Ministry
offers an environment for inmates to experience a change of heart or
conversion from the life style that caused them to walk away from God and
brought them into conflict with the laws of society. So Prison
Ministry is about changing hearts today in much the same way as Jesus
changed the hearts of those he met and touched two thousand years ago.
We believe that Jesus continues to touch people through his Church and
through us, as members of the Body of Christ.
We currently have no one involved in this ministry. If you
should feel called to join this ministry
or merely to assist in some way, please complete the on-line Volunteer
Form or contact the Pastoral Staff at 410-255-3677.
Do You Need Help?
If you or someone you know is in need of
either food, clothing, shelter, or short-term financial aid, please call
the Pastoral Center (410-255-3677, extension 111) and one of our parish
ministries will contact you or, if more appropriate, refer you to community
service assistance.
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