The first annual Mercy in Action Service Day, organized by CCSEM, is taking place on Saturday, October 1 throughout metro Detroit through which individuals and organizations will perform works of service in their neighborhoods and communities. In cooperation with Catholic parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit, more than 200 service projects are planned. Most activities are taking place between 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, beginning with prayer and breakfast for volunteers at sponsoring locations and ending with a luncheon for volunteers.
In this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis encourages all to serve people who need help. Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan (CCSEM) is collaborating with parishes, schools, and others to coordinate a regional Day of Service on October 1 to help those in need through a multitude of local service projects.
“It is absolutely essential for the Church and for the credibility of her message that she herself live and testify to mercy.” Mercy is “the beating heart of the Gospel” (Misericordiae Vultus). To live mercy, we must rediscover both the spiritual works of mercy (counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish sinners, comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear patiently those who do us ill, and pray for the living and the dead), and the corporal works of mercy (feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead).”
– Pope Francis
Highlighted Service Projects:
Wayne County
- St. Charles Lwanga Parish in Detroit is sponsoring a Prayer Rally and March for Peace starting at St. Leo Church and proceeding down Grand River to Livernois for community fellowship and a hotdog lunch.
- Sacred Heart Parish in Dearborn is volunteering at the Capuchin Services Center in Detroit.
- Sacred Heart Parish in Dearborn is also volunteering to cleanup historic Mt. Kelly Cemetery.
- Our Lady of Victory Parish in Northville will send volunteers to the Miracle League of Plymouth baseball game for special needs children at Bilkie Family Park at 357 Theodore Street in Plymouth.
Oakland County
- St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Redford is volunteering to cleanup Handy Park.
- St. Robert Bellarmine is also having a blood drive in its parish hall from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
- St. Mary Parish in downtown Royal Oak is hosting a blood drive in its school from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
- St. Gerald Parish in Farmington is hosting a fleece blanket “sew-a-thon” for the homeless.
- St. Fabian Parish in Farmington Hills will cleanup five cemeteries in the area.
Macomb Country
- St. Peter Parish in Mt. Clemens will host a luncheon for homeless veterans at the Vets Returning Home Center in Roseville.
- St. Michael Parish in Sterling Heights will cleanup and do repair work at a local mobile home park.
- St. Ephrem Parish in Sterling Heights will cleanup Edgerton Cemetery.
- The Boy and Girl Scouts from Polish parishes in Sterling Heights will cleanup Sterling Groves Cemetery.
- St. Jane Frances de Chantal Parish in Sterling Heights will prepare gift boxes for active military.
- The Polish folk dance group Dunajec and Polish language students will visit Oakmont Nursing Home.
- St. Ephrem parish in Sterling Heights will deliver cookies to local police and fire fighters.
- St. Louis Parish in Clinton Township is collecting donations for the Macomb Humane Society and hosting a pet blessing.
- St. Mary Queen of Creation Parish in New Baltimore will host a fleece blanket “sew-a-thon” for the homeless.
- St. Augustine Parish in Richmond and Holy Family Parish in Memphis will collect stuffed animals for kids in crisis to be delivered to local police and fire fighters.
Participating parishes will provide spiritual support before and during these service activities.
Highlighted Spiritual Events:
- Royal Oak: Rosary and Eucharistic Adoration at St. Mary Parish
- Monroe: Anointing of the Sick at St. Michael Parish after 5:00 pm Mass
To learn more about these and other service projects and events, call Kelly Luttinen at 248-548-4044 ext. 3621 or email: luttinenk@ccsem.org.
To volunteer for these and other service activities, call Joyce Hyttinen at 248-537-3304 or email: hyttinenj@ccsem.org
