December 6, 2024— Meeting Increasing Need
This past year, Claretian-led missions across the United States and Canada welcomed new leaders to their communities, as they do every six years. The new assignments bring fresh energy and vision to their vital mission and ministries, breathing new life into initiatives that span from New Jersey to Chicago to California —and reach as far as Canada.
The programs and projects within Claretian service communities include a focus on community development, health and wellness, education, and support for migrants forced to leave their homes, delivering a mission fosters hope and positive change. The Claretians, committed to social justice work, established the St. Jude League as a nonprofit organization committed to the National Shrine of St. Jude ministry and supporting core Claretian programs and projects through St. Jude League Community Development. Here are just a few ways the core ministries have grown with your help this year:
Education and Youth Programs – Our Lady of Guadalupe School is not only an elementary school supported the SJLCD, its also one of the initiatives that is benefiting from the new Hope Fund. We support schools like OLG because the most efficient and empowering strategy to solve social justice issues is to provide access to high-quality education. Young people availed educational opportunity will be better equipped to solve problems, have more job options, earn more money, and give back to their communities. Claretians such as Fr. Mark Brummel, honored by the Hope Fund, strengthen the faith commitment of the communities they serve. They foster Catholic educational programs in their communities in New Jersey, California, Illinois, and Quebec.
Mental, Spiritual Health and Wellness – SJLCD’s focus on healthcare is not as a provider but rather as a resource provider that helps people and their families become healthier and happier. You’ll find Claretians on the frontlines of spiritual and physical wellness, encouraging and helping those who volunteer for, donate to and are served by food pantries in our communities. We’ll be excited to share developments from our newest community in Vancouver as the community is settled in the coming months. Our mission improves the lives of those who are unable to decide whether to eat healthily or pay their bills, in addition to addressing food insecurity in areas that are overlooked. As it is the season of giving, we look forward to bringing more hope and healthy meals to those in need.
Community Development – The Villa Guadalupe Senior Community is only one of Claretian Associates‘ many pioneering projects and initiatives. Also a beneficiary of the Hope Fund, Villa provides for the safety, happiness, and well-being of roughly sixty people by serving as both a home and a community center. The goal of other Claretian Associates projects is the same: to protect the safety, happiness, and well-being of people living in an urban community with high rates of economic disparity, food insecurity, and other multi-generational issues. Claretians lead community development programs within challenged urban communities in California, Illinois, New Jersey, Texas, and Canada.
Migrant and Humanitarian Aid – As a cornerstone of Claretian social justice, several initiatives assisting migrants in the US and Canada deliver aid to improve marginalized families. Forced migration is a profound injustice that disrupts lives, families, and communities. It often stems from conflict, persecution, climate change, or economic instability, leaving individuals with no choice but to abandon their homes and communities for safety and survival. SJLCD supports migrant and humanitarian aid programs that help with access to basic resources and opportunities for resettlement. Two newer programs, Claret House in Hyde Park, IL, St. Edmunds and St. Edmund Center in Oak Park, IL (recently visited and featured in a Story of Hope) observed an emotional and true day of Thanksgiving with Claretians.
Media and Publishing – Last but not least, SJLCD spreads the word and example of “hope in action” by supporting media ministries that are dedicated to bringing faith and hope to global audiences. Through print and online publications as well as radio and podcast platforms and media education opportunities like U.S. Catholic readers and listeners explore their relationship with life and faith.
We are deeply grateful for our faithful and engaged supporters like you who make our work possible. Your generosity helps us expand our outreach and sustain vital programs that bring hope and change to countless lives. Your spirit of kindness fuels initiatives that feed the hungry, educate the next generation, and provide safe havens for vulnerable communities. It supports programs that address urgent needs while fostering long-term growth and stability. Thanks to you, the Claretians can continue their mission of building stronger, healthier, and more hopeful communities across the U.S., Canada, and beyond. Together, we bring light and hope where the need is greatest, to those most in need. And during the holidays, when those we serve feel the need more greatly than others, your support and generosity count more than ever.
We’re excited that through the Giampoli Family Foundation, all gifts directed to the Fr. Mark Brummel Legacy of Hope Fund, will double your impact! We’re thrilled the Foundation has extended the Matching Gift Challenge through the end of the year, amplifying the good we can do together. Let’s finish this year with a renewed commitment to fostering hope and transforming lives.
