News - May 2020

The 4th Annual Catholic Immigration Summit, originally scheduled for this weekend, is moving online! Visit Seattle U’s Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture’s website for resources to help our community learn more about the challenges facing immigrant communities.  Explore topics such as advocacy, DACA, spiritual practice & resilience, mental health, legal assistance and more.  Co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Seattle and St. James Immigrant Assistance. Click above for more details.

Catholic Community Services is in urgent need of thousands of masks for their front line workers.  They are also trying to equip farm workers with masks as the harvesting seasons begin. OLG's Immigrant Ministry is supporting this drive. Please drop off homemade or store-bought masks at the OLG Pastoral Center. Help the essential workers who labor to provide shelter and food for our community. Click above for sewing instructions and a tutorial.

The Youth Migrant Project summer mission trip for teens is moving ahead! We will be accepting applications and preparing for a week of service in the Skagit Valley from August 10-14. Applications are due by Sunday, May 31. Click above for more information.

Thanks to generous gifts from the parish community and beyond, our St. Vincent de Paul Conference was able to deliver approximately $23,000 in Goods and Services to 320 individuals in April alone – a new Conference high by far!  Our Conference is seeing twice as many calls as usual during these difficult times and many are requesting assistance with large rent payments.  Thank you for your generosity.  Please continue to support our Vincentians in their good work as you are able. Click above for more information.

Contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to urge the ethical development of a COVID-19 vaccine that is not tied to abortion. Some researchers use cell lines developed from the cells of aborted babies for vaccine research.  This is not necessary. Click above for more information and to take action.

Migration has always been difficult. But today’s migrants are increasingly pushed toward more hazardous journeys. In West Africa it is not uncommon for a family to go into debt trying to support a migrant’s journey, only to have the journey end in tragedy. People are migrating at great peril because they believe they’ve run out of options.  Learn more about their stories and how you can help through CRS.

The Supreme Court will soon make a ruling on the fate of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). If the decision to terminate the program is upheld, more than 700,000 DACA recipients–and their families -will be impacted.  This situation is tremendously stressful for everyone it affects.  DACA recipients are members of our parishes, members of our priest pool, members of our neighborhoods, and more. Click above to learn more.

Right now, Members of Congress are considering a fourth package of COVID-19-related legislation. While we are grateful for measures Congress has taken to address the crisis, there remain unique challenges that refugees and immigrants face. It is imperative that Members of Congress hear that their constituents want to see meaningful solutions that support all our neighbors, including immigrant and refugee community members. Contact Your Senators and Representatives today! Click above for more details.