From OT Prophecy to Gospel of Christ to Catholic Social Justice

The Christian tradition of caring for those in the community who are voiceless or in need has a proud heritage: straight from the pages of the Bible.

"You shall not oppress a resident alien...any widow or orphan. If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me, I will surely listen to their cry." (Ex 22:21-22)

Interior: St. Ann's Avon

So when I heard that "St. Ann's Cares"--a group of St. Ann's parishioners in Avon, CT that often includes students and grads of the Biblical School--were helping out a Hartford school in need, I was not one bit surprised.

Maria Zone, Director of the Archdiocesan Office of Communications, writes this:

When “St. Ann’s Cares,” a branch of the Social Justice Committee of St. Ann Church in Avon, heard that St. Augustine School in Hartford needed help, they sprang into action. On Saturday, May 7, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., they spent the entire day at the school making much needed improvements to the physical plant.

Dozens of skilled and unskilled volunteers from “St. Ann’s Cares” painted classrooms, a basement floor, a wall in the gymnasium, and made improvements to a playground.

Dr. Paula deSilva, a Biblical School student and member of “St. Ann’s Cares,” says
the group, comprised of people of all ages, ...is excited to help.

“Not everyone can write a check, but we all can pick up a paint brush or a rake or a broom and transform something old into something beautiful,” she said.

St. Augustine Catholic School

St. Augustine Principal Cynthia Niedbala said that about a dozen eighth graders from St. Augustine School and nearly fifty parishioners from St. Augustine Church also joined “St. Ann’s Cares” to help.