RALEIGH, N.C. — St. Francis of Assisi Church’s outreach and advocacy efforts to its immigrant community here were featured on the front page of The News & Observer on Feb. 8.
The article, originally scheduled as a short December story about St. Francis’ Christmas food and gift drive, grew into a larger article about the parish’s outreach efforts to immigrants.
In researching the story, reporter Yonat Shimron quickly learned that the ministry of the church’s Franciscan Coalition went well beyond the Christmas season.
Five years ago, St. Francis parishioners began providing transportation and food for seasonal migrant workers to Sunday Mass at area churches. Over the years, that has continued to grow, and now includes a vibrant sister parish relationship with Our Lady of the Rosary, a small rural parish approximately 30 miles from Raleigh.
The story, under the headline, “Churches find charity trumps immigration issue,” can be viewed here.
Megan Nerz, director of the parish’s Franciscan Coalition for Justice and Peace, said, “We try not to be political about our efforts and really just talk about what our faith teaches us about how we treat other people.”
These outreach efforts are just one of the ways The Franciscan Coalition for Justice and Peace works for justice and peace in society. It recently held a two-day conference on the hunger crisis. Details will be provided in the next issue of HNP Today.
— Marc Kielty is coordinator of communications at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Raleigh, N.C.