Young adults serve as hands, feet of Christ in Houston
April 23, 2019
Some of the young adults that participated in the Archdiocesan Young Adult Day of Service on April 13 visited Casa Juan Diego where they sorted donations on behalf of immigrant residents. Photo courtesy of the Office for Young Adult and Campus Ministry.
HOUSTON — More than 200 young adults between the ages of 18 to 39 participated in the Archdiocesan Young Adult Day of Service, volunteering on Saturday, April 13.
The day began at 8:30 a.m. with a bilingual Mass at St. Dominic Chancery, celebrated by Father Ray Cook, OMI, chaplain from Rice University Catholic Center. From there, teams headed out across the city to visit 10 different services sites, including serving meals to the homeless at the Magnificat House-Loaves and Fishes program and the Serviam program at the Beacon.
At other sites, groups of young adults sorted food and distributed bags of groceries to low-income families, including at St. Charles Food Pantry, Catholic Charities Guadalupe Center, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Pantry and Cypress Assistance Ministries.
Matt Lane, a parishioner from Christ the Redeemer and young adult leader, regularly takes young adults to serve at Cypress Assistance Ministries to pack groceries for the elderly.
“This year’s Day of Service fell on the same day that we usually volunteer so we combined efforts. It’s good for young adults to give back to the community, especially to those in our own back yard,” Lane said.
Another group visited Casa Juan Diego where they sorted donations on behalf of immigrant residents. One of the groups focused on the pro-life movement led by Julie Fritsch, director of the Office of Pro-Life Activities. These young adults wrote letters and sorted items for Project Gabriel before proceeding peacefully to pray outside an abortion clinic.
Another group focused on Prison Ministry led by Deacon Alvin Lovelady from the Archdiocese’s Correctional Ministry. The group began with a discussion about prison ministry before departing to pray outside a nearby prison.
The Day of Service is sponsored by the Young Adult and Campus Ministry of the Archdiocese.
“This event is a way for young adults to spend a day serving those in need and also meeting new people from around the Archdiocese,” said Angie Pometto, associate director.
“Pope Francis and the recent Synod on young people have focused on the importance of encounter, especially with the poor. This day is an opportunity to live out that call,” Pometto said.
Components of the activities were offered in both English and Spanish. The Young Adult Day of Service is an annual event.
For more information or to join the event next year, contact the Office for Young Adult and Campus Ministry at 713-741-8778 or yacm@archgh.org.