July 31, 2022 - "Catholic Impact in District 19"

We have recently held our Primary Elections.  It may be a few weeks until all the ballots are counted and we learn how all the candidates will be in the General Election to be held in November.  But in this column I want to talk about the Catholic Impact in District 19 where St. Francis of Assisi and five other Catholic parishes are located.  First of all you may wonder what the six parishes in District 19 are.  They are Our Lady of Grace in Silver Spring, Shrine of St. Jude in Rockville, St. Andrew the Apostle in Silver Spring, St. Patrick in Rockville, San Andrés Mission in Silver Spring, and, of course, St. Francis of Assisi in Derwood.  The oldest parish in District 19 is the Shrine of St. Jude in Rockville (founded in 1956).  The most recent parish is probably Our Lady of Grace in Silver Spring (founded in 1983).  There are four Catholic Schools in District 19:  St. Andrew the Apostle Early Learning Center, St. Andrew the Apostle School, St. Jude Regional School, and St. Patrick’s Catholic School.  We are a supporting parish for St. Jude Regional School which was founded in 1956 (the same year as the parish).
 
Victory Housing has 142 rent-assisted apartments for seniors at Grace House and Hampshire Village both located on Norbeck Road in Silver Spring.
 
Catholic Charities provides a range of community resources in District 19.  Here are few of them for your information:
 
Catholic Charities Center, 12247 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring.  Services provided there include case management; crisis intervention; food; clothing; parental and financial education; rent; mortgage and utility assistance; immigration legal services; and services for pregnant women.  Special mention should be made of Immigration Legal Services which provides pro bono legal immigration services for foreign-born individuals and their families and Sanctuaries for Life which is a support program for women facing an unintended pregnancy including prenatal care, labor/delivery, and connections for housing, food, clothing, and education.
 
Rosaria Communities, 15400 Calhoun Drive, Rockville, is an affiliated corporation of the Archdiocese of Washington that builds housing to provide independent living opportunities for people with physical and intellectual disabilities.
 
Additional Catholic Charities programs available to residents in District 19 include:
· Legal Network—Pro bono legal services including issues with debt, employment, family law, landlord-tenant issues, public benefits, will and probate, guardianship and conservatorship.
· Community Companions—After-school programs, in-home support, respite breaks and camps in special needs families when caregivers need to work or to rest.
· Community Options—Day program for adults with severe cognitive or physical disabilities
· Financial Stability Network—Pro bono financial services; including financial coaching, education, and tax assistance for low income families to increase income, build and sustain assets
· Parish Partners Program—Connects Catholic parishes seeking to assist local families with Catholic Charities’ expertise and services; also provides training, networking and support for the development of parish social ministries, and an emergency service guide for the county
· Supported Employment Program—Support for adults with developmental disabilities to enter the workforce
· SHARE Food Network—Discount grocery program that is community-based and open to all, possible through high-volume purchasing and volunteer engagement
· Strong Families Initiative—Provides youth an outlet to discuss hardships they are facing, to be better equipped to face future difficulties
· Welcome Home Reentry Program—Volunteer mentoring to men and women returning to their communities after incarceration.
 
Finally here is a snapshot of the Catholic impact in District 19:
· 6 Catholic parishes
· 142 affordable senior housing units
· 3 Catholic health or dental care centers
· 865 students in three Catholic schools and one early learning center
· $14.6 million in tax dollars saved by three Catholic schools and one early learning center.
 
For more information about the Catholic impact, feel free to contact the Maryland Catholic Conference: 410-269-1155; @mdcatholic; www.mdcatholic.org.
 
Until next week……..Fr. John