Peace & Justice Ministry
WHO WE ARE
The St. Cletus Peace & Justice Ministry was formed in 2005 to teach and promote Catholic Social Teaching strive to bring about social justice in our society wherever we can make a difference, and perform works of charity. We do this to serve our parish, our community and beyond while providing experiences to help our parishioners "See Christ in the Face of Others" and become His hands and feet for justice. MISSION STATEMENT P - Prayer: To promote continuous prayer E - Education: To foster learning and education A - Action: To take peaceful action to right wrongs C - Compassion: To empathize with and seek to relieve others’ suffering E - Enlightenment: To open minds to social justice needs OUR STRATEGIC FOCUS Advocacy for Social Justice We actively advocate on several political and moral issues that affect the dignity of all humans, their ill-treatment, or their ability to function as full members of society. Examples include: actively opposing the death penalty, promoting a fair minimum wage, allowing equal access to healthcare, and promoting adequate food supplies for the poor and underserved. For the last 15 years, we have supported the Bridge Bread Bakery program in St. Louis by selling their products at church every month. Bridge Bread trains and employs former homeless persons as bakers and prepares them for long-term employment. Care For Creation We work with the parish and the school to implement "green" modifications, such as converting light and HVAC systems to more energy-efficiect models, modifying food packaging to reduce waste, and encouraging recycling/composting options. We regularly publish suggestions on environmental care in the parish bulletin and social media platforms. One of our members serves on the Archbishop's Laudato Si Commission. Involve Our Youth We assist St. Cletus Grade School to support the teaching of social justice and tolerance, and develop teaching tools and games that may be useful in conveying the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching. We work with our parish Life Teen ministry to engage them in community action projects, such as those benefitting the homeless. We also support teens and young adults wishing to participate in annual mission trips to El Salvador. Racial Equality and Justice We join others in the struggle for equality and justice for all BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and work closely with the Archdiocesan Office of Racial Harmony. We sponsor book discussions, videos, invited speakers, and help the parish celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as Black Catholic and Black History Months, November and February respectively. We are members of the Archdiocesan-wide Catholic Racial Justice Collaborative. We are honored to announce that Archbishop Rozanski chose St. Cletus to host the Archbishop's Mass for Racial Unity in February 2025. LGBTQ+ Welcoming and Outreach In an effort to follow Christ's admonition to welcome, respect, and accompany all those on society's margins, we work to inspire St. Cletus Parish to be a inclusive community to LGBTQ+ Catholics--both current and former--and their families. We hold educational book and panel discussions and collaborate with other similarly-minded faith groups. We have also established a support ministry with regular monthly meetings, "All Are Welcome." |
JOIN US!Peace & Justice Ministry meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at St. Cletus Parish at 6:30 pm.
Contact: Bill Weisrock [email protected] Communication and Education
In addition to highlighting important social justice issues, St. Cletus' Peace and Justice Ministry publishes a quarterly newsletter, The Channel, for parishioners and other interested readers. Circulating since 2020, The Channel showcases our the ministry's activities and offers articles and viewpoints on today's issues. Prior issues can be accessed by clicking on the links below. Currently, the publication is on hiatus as we search for a new editor, Please fill out the form below to subscribe. 
THE CHANNEL NEWSLETTERS
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