Photos by Andy Nguyen
On November 17, 2019, World Day of the Poor, some 30 parishioners and clergy gathered to hear Msgr. Alfred LoPinto, president & CEO of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens (CCBQ), talk about poverty in our neighborhoods and the Catholic Charities response. CCBQ addresses the needs of the very young to the very old with 160 programs and services. When asked “What can we do,” he suggested we follow Pope Francis’s example and get engaged. We can contact our elected officials. We can volunteer with one or more of CCBQ’s programs. We can donate to CCBQ and other causes to help their efforts especially in the face of Medicaid cuts and other government reductions. The second collection on Christmas Day is for Catholic Charities. If you or someone you know is in need of Catholic Charities’ services or wants to volunteer or donate, call them at 718-722-6001 or go to their website, www.ccbq.org.
We extend our thanks to the Sunday morning Bible study group and the parish Social Action Committee for providing hospitality for this event.
