MY PERSONAL REALIZATIONS & FEELINGS UPON RENDERING SERVICE TO MY PARISH
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| Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish |
The Youth Group I volunteer for is very diverse – both economically and racially. However, the young teens in the group have similar needs – they need consistent and attentive adults in their lives. Interacting with them and being present for them gives me an opportunity to check in and listen to how things are going for them. Being able to be there for them, and doing even simple things like giving the teens a ride home or talking about their experiences at school can help them deal with their struggles.
Being around other people who are struggling and don’t have easy answers can change one in a profound way – and that has been my experience with the community service I rendered. Working as a volunteer has taught me to be more present and is an important reminder that everyone has unique set of struggles in life and their own ways to cope. At times, volunteering does seem a bit constraining; as volunteer, I cannot take on interventions in families as a social worker can. My role is not to intervene but just to be there for the youth and help them shape their reality in some ways. It is a very humbling experience, as well as a role that is both nourishing and make me feel a part of the community. As a volunteer my goal is to create a supportive and friendly environment – the urge to be a social worker and a responsible adult and to try to fix of the situation is always there but we have to look at solutions in which we are empowering the teenagers while being active listeners.
MY PARISH SHOW ME WHAT A TRUE CHURCH IS
My Parish exemplifies what a true church is by showing love to our local area and community.
They participate in community events as a congregation, especially in service and clean-up projects. They are also beginning to host Emergency preparedness days for the local community, combining with other congregations as well as local fire, police, and charity organizations.
My parish collects money and food to be given to those less fortunate. There are many groups active within the church and the wider community that visit and help those in need - both our own parishoners and those who are not necessary catholic but could do with a helping hand.
My parish has a great youth program, that seriously provided a home for the less fortunates. They hold a soup kitchen every month which appearantly brings in close to a 100 needy people in Putatan. Also they have clothing and food drives. A blood drive every once in a while. They operate a catholic school (Our Lady of the Abandoned Catholic School). It is a great church and I hope this becomes better after few more years.
SUGGESTIONS & COMMENTS ON WHAT I CAN DO TO IMPROVE MY PARISH AS A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS
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| Our Lady of the Abandoned Catholic School |
I would talk to our Parish Priest and make some suggestions, I would suggest to get people involved from all levels and from all aspects of commitment. I will try to address ways on how I can reach youth, young adults, families and the elderly or seniors. It may take a targeted approach to each as they have different desires and needs at different times in their lives.
Next, I will try to reach everyone on two different levels of committment. Some people may have free time to commit an hour or more a week or even a committment to daily Mass or some weekday volunteer opportunity. On another level, I need to have something available where someone could attend or participate infrequently or even just through some donation or prayer on their own schedule. This sort of thing could be a prayer chain or membership in a society for adoration.
Setting up adoration weekly or around the clock 24/7 can be great to inspire a renewed vigor and spirituality in my church. It really depends on the realities of my parish. A country parish where most live twenty plus miles away might be difficult to pull off and coordinate. An inner city parish with a lot of members is perfect for this sort of thing in many cases.
