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BELOIT — At a time when many activities and efforts have slowed to a crawl, fervent hands and minds are still at work on the stateline in Rock County.
Five area Catholic parishes – Our Lady of the Assumption, St. Thomas, and St. Jude in Beloit; St. Stephen in Clinton; and St. Peter in South Beloit, Ill. – have formed a dedicated planning committee to establish the Stateline Mission Outreach.
The service will provide a day center where those suffering from homelessness can do laundry, take a shower, and share a simple meal together with the volunteers.
The mission hopes to alleviate some of the temporal and corporal needs of our brothers and sisters in the state line area.
Answering the call
These parishes, in partnership with local Catholic organizations, are answering our Lord Jesus Christ’s call to “Go, therefore, and make disciples” through Corporal Works of Mercy such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and sheltering the homeless.
The outreach volunteers invite each individual to an encounter with Christ, reflecting His love and also caring for each individuals’ spiritual needs.
“Creating a place for encounter, in a small setting, we hope to establish relationships of trust where people can feel free to share their stories and goals. We hope to pray for them and with them.
“We seek to grow in the art of asking questions of others so they might hear the still small voice of God within. Finally, we want to bless them by calling them to the Supper of the Lamb,” shared Laura Warzecha from Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Beloit.
Grant for Corporal Works of Mercy
The Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation (CDMF) is excited to award this year’s grant from the McDonald Family Matthew 25:31-46 Endowment to Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Beloit for the Stateline Mission Outreach.
The CDMF distributed $1,650 to assist with the purchase of a washer and dryer and help remodel the identified facility.
The McDonald Endowment provides assistance to parishes in Rock County for Corporal Works of Mercy as referenced in the verses of Matthew 25: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.”
Learn more about how you can contribute toward next year’s grant for works of mercy in Rock County by visiting https://www.diocesemadisonfoundation.org/mcdonaldmatthew or contact the CDMF office at 608-821-3049.
To donate, checks can be mailed to McDonald Family Matthew 25:31-46 Endowment, c/o Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation, 702 S. High Point Rd., Ste. 223, Madison, WI 53719.
Nikki Sena is the development impact manager for the Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation.