The committee meets bi-monthly following the 9:00 Sunday Mass.  It sponsors a Lenten series of speakers representing groups who minister to those in need both locally and in mission areas.  In addition, the MSJC sponsors a monthly "loose change collection" on the first Sunday of each month for the poor, for victims of natural disasters, for orphanages, and many other ministries who address those in need.  Many donations are made through Catholic Relief Services.

All parishioners are encouraged to get involved.  We invite you to attend our meetings and/or be a member of e-Link an electronic newsletter from the Diocesan Office of Social Ministry that lists monthly information of events in the parishes of San Diego.    www.osmelink.org

We also welcome suggestions of ways to address needs in our community.

Social Justice's role in promoting Fair Trade

Learn about Fair Trade

What is St. Martin doing?
Anne Pacheco participated in a radio show
on April 20 and her part is 8 minutes long.

Or you can listen to the whole show on Fair Trade (1 hour and a 52MB download).

Hogar Infantil

Hogar Infantil La Gloria is an orphanage located about 13 miles from the U.S./Mexican border. It is home to about 50 children, who are under the custody of the Mexican social services agency (DIF) and is operated by the Augustinian priests. The children attend a local school, but spend the rest of their time at the orphanage. Hogar Infantil La Gloria receives no monetary assistance from the Mexican Government.   www.hogar-infantil.org

Responsibility
A preschool located on the Tijuana dumpsite

The main emphasis at Responsibility is education for the children living in the dirt-floored shacks around the Tijuana municipal dump. This is where David Lynch operates a preschool/kindergarten, a computer lab for kindergarten and elementary school children, art classes and a place for tutoring.   www.responsibilityonline.org

Casa de los Pobres Urban
Relief Center - Tijuana
This center, sponsored by "Friends of the Poor" service organization, offers food, medical care, clothing, and educational aid. Casa serves more than 300,000 hot meals per year, and distributes 27,000 bags of groceries. Nearly 20,000 people annually receive needed medical attention. Casa also serves those who cannot make the trip to central Tijuana by taking staple foods, clothing, tarps. and other necessities directly to poor families in the distant colonias.
www.friendsofthepoor.us

St. Vincent de Paul Village, Inc

St. Vincent de Paul Village, Inc., a mission-style campus located in the heart of San Diego, houses 900 families, single men and single women every night and serves more than 3,000 meals each day. Programs include children's activities, family literacy classes, and after school services; job skills workshops, career counseling, motivational classes, medical and dental care. Joan Kroc Center, Bishop Maher Center, Paul Mirabile Center, Village Place and Villa Harvey Mandel are all part of the downtown Village. www.svdpv.org

Other events Sponsored by Social Ministry

Alternative Gift Fair
The Social Justice Committee sponsors an annual
Alternative Gift Fair in the Fall featuring beautiful Fair Trade items
from around the world. In addition to the Fair Trade certified gift
items, several nonprofit organizations bring handmade items from
developing countries for sale.

During five of the Fridays of Lent, guest speakers are invited to
explain the services their respective ministries provide.

Some of the ministries represented include:

The Lenten series is preceded with a fish taco dinner in Barry Hall.