tvc.dsj.org | March 19, 2019
COMMUNITY
7
Social Ministry Joins Catholic Charities at John XXIII
After 36 years serving the most
vulnerable in our community, the
collaboration between Saint Joseph
Cathedral and the Office of Social
Ministry is now at Catholic Charities
and recently moved its service delivery
to John XXIII Multi-Service Center in
downtown San Jose.
The Office of Social Ministry is
dedicated to serving those who are
homeless, those released from incar-
ceration, and other vulnerable residents
of San Jose. Two-hundred individuals
are served daily by volunteers and 11
staff members.
“We help to improve the quality of
their lives, integrating health and social
services with the belief that every hu-
man being is blessed with God-given
dignity,” according to Sharon Miller,
who previously worked as a registered
nurse and has served as director of the
program since 1988. Beginning as a
volunteer, she worked with the pastor
to establish advocacy and services to
this vulnerable population since 1983.
Social Ministry’s services are deliv-
ered through three programs. Bridges
of Hope “is a faith based resource cen-
ter, which focuses on the provision of
Social Ministry staff and volunteers pictured by The Window mail area: (l–r) Jesse Aguirre,
Case Manager, Bridges of Hope; Bryan Knapp, Community Worker, The Window and
Bridges of Hope; Sharon L. Miller, Director, Social Ministry; Yaritza Cordova, Community
Worker, The Window and Bridges of Hope; Chris Andes Cook, Case Manager, Bridges of
Hope; and Kiana Martin, Presentation High School Student Volunteer.
reentry services and case-management
to individuals and families healing
from the eff ects of incarceration in local
jail or state prison. A drop-in Health
Care Clinic provides free primary
healthcare to those who are homeless,
migrant workers, and those with no
health insurance. Social Ministries con-
tinues to be an advocate in our county
regarding homelessness, unraveling
the tangled strands of cause, eff ect, and
need for supportive aff ordable housing.
Catholic Cemeteries Upcoming Workshops
Planning a Catholic Funeral
April 3, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Saint Anthony Parish
20101 McKean Rd. San Jose
Presenters: Father Christopher Bennett,
Lima-Campagna-Alameda Mission
Chapel and Catholic Cemeteries
The Vigil, Funeral Mass and Committal
(graveside services) each have distinct
purposes in the journey toward healing
and wholeness. Come learn about the
Church’s Catholic rituals and prayers
and the services and options off ered
through a funeral home and Catholic
Cemeteries. Give yourself and your
loved ones the gift of peace of mind by
having your end-of-life plans in place.
Death Café
March 20, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. (3rd Wed.
each month), 890 Benton Street, Santa
Clara (corner of Lafayette)
Facilitator: Candee Lucas, M.A. Pastoral
Ministries
Want a safe place to talk about death
and dying and what it means? How
do we participate or incorporate dy-
ing into our lives as we come upon
that experience? Space provided by
Santa Clara University Graduate Pro-
gram in Pastoral Ministries. For more
information: deathcafe.com/deathcafe
Endorsed by Catholic Cemeteries
SOLACE – Soul + Grief
Monthly Drop-In Grief Support Group
Grounded in spirituality and faith
March 27, 7 – 9 p.m.
O’Connor Hospital Chapel, Main
Entrance, 2105 Forest Ave., San Jose.
Parking in the back lot
Facilitator: Candee Lucas, M.A. Pastoral
Ministries. We hope to create a sacred
space for you to share your grieving.
No RSVP necessary. Free. Sponsored
by Catholic Cemeteries and O’Connor
Hospital.
New Paths for Healing – Travelling
through Lent with personal grief
April 6, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Saint Mary’s Parish – Hofmann Center
219 Bean Ave. Los Gatos
Join us for a day of refl ection encoun-
tering the presence of God in your
daily life in the midst of grieving. The
day will include prayer, reflection,
opportunities to share and hands-on
activities to explore the ways in which
grief and God color our lives. $15. RSVP
required by April 2, (408) 342-1517 or
[email protected].
For more information or to schedule
a free workshop in your parish, contact
Catholic Cemeteries (650) 428-3730 or
[email protected].
Perhaps the most visible of their
services is “The Window,” named by
the clients who access it. It provides
“walk-up” services including free sand-
wiches, referrals to service providers,
toiletries, and a post offi
ce. An offi
cial
branch of the Postal Service, it is a safe
place where the homeless and those
released from incarceration can receive
mail while they are in transition and
rebuilding their lives. “The Window” is
central to a large population in need of
services by creating linkages and refer-
ral to shelter, recovery homes, immigra-
tion resources, mental health providers,
substance abuse counseling, employ-
ment, county benefi ts, Social Security,
Veteran’s Administration, PG&E, legal
aid connections, and healthcare.
With its relocation in February, the
Social Ministry program joins other
Catholic Charities initiatives at John
XXIII critical to social integration and
strengthening our community. These
include a lunch program providing nu-
tritious meals for seniors; daily recre-
ational activities for seniors; English as
a Second Language (ESL) and U.S. Citi-
zenship Classes; and the Responsible
Landlord Engagement Initiative (RLEI),
a community initiative that helps com-
munities stay safe and vibrant.
“This is an exciting transition for
this program,” Sharon said. “We antici-
pate it will lead to greater integration
of services to our clients, as well as
future sustainability with the potential
to expand our program to more people
who need our help.”
To learn more about the Social
Mi n ist r y Prog ram, please email
[email protected].