Christianity Under Assault In many parts of the world today to - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Christianity Under Assault In many parts of the world today – to proclaim one’s faith in Jesus is to invite derision, persecuAon and in some recent cases even death. In our own country, faith is being pushed farther and farther out of the public square. It is vital that we support each person’s right to religious freedom. The world gets smaller and more unstable every day and we are all affected by it. Truly – the world needs the message and presence of Jesus. Our parish extends our hearts and hands to the suffering refugees in the Middle East.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body … Now you are Christ’s Body” 1Cor 12:13; 27 Our parish extends our hearts and hands to the suffering refugees in the Middle East.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry How Did This All Start? ² In April of 2016, Pope Francis invited three Muslim refugee families from Syria to live at the VaAcan. A number of OLMC parishioners and friends from other parishes were traveling in Greece following the footsteps of St. Paul at the Ame and moved by this act of mercy.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry How Did This All Start? ² Upon the return from our trip, OLMC began exploring how our parish might extend our hearts and hands to the suffering refugees in the Middle East. ² AVer a period of prayer, research, and discussion, the Mid-East Family Ties Ministry Team was formed. ² With the help of St. Anthony ’ s Parish in Ambler, the team decided to reach out to the LaAn Patriarchate of Jerusalem to ask how our parish might enter a relaAonship with a parish in the Middle East and got a very posiAve response.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry The Proposal for a New Ministry ² Deacon Jim got unanimous approval from Monsignor Hagan and Parish Council to proceed with this new Mid-East Family Ties Ministry ² Our contact with St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Ambler has been very supporAve in advice to get started. ² St. Anthony Parish currently has a relaAonship with the Immaculate ConcepAon Parish in Houson, north Jordon, close to the Syrian border.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry What is the Need? ² ChrisAans in Jordan are only 4% of the populaAon in a land predominantly Muslim. ² As Arab Catholic ChrisAans, they are working hard to maintain the face of Christ in the Holy Land by opening their hearts, schools, and social services to all refugees both ChrisAan and Muslim. ² The LaAn Patriarch idenAfied Our Lady of Mt Carmel in Amman Jordan as a parish veryhappy to partner with Our Lady of Mt Carmel in Doylestown.

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OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry What are the OpportuniAes for Assistance? ² Deacon Jim and Barbara Anne Fowkes have established iniAal contact with Father Farah Bader, pastor of Our Lady of Mt Carmel in the suburb of Jamal Hashimi in Amman Jordan.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry What are the OpportuniAes for Assistance? ² The parish was established in 1950, followed by foundaAon of the school. The first students numbered 75 with two teachers. ² Over the years the school has conAnued to expand as the number of ChrisAan children in the area grew to 35 staff with 1200 students.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry What are the OpportuniAes for Assistance? ² St. Anthony representaAves have regular contact with their partner parish via email, Skype and have sponsored trips to Jordon for members and trips for Jordanian parishioners to travel to the US. ² Yes, there is fundraising but more importantly the development of a prayerful and supporAve relaAonship with ChrisAans who are making a difference to those in need in the Middle East.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry What are the OpportuniAes for Assistance? ² Regular communicaAon with our partner parish to join with them in prayer and idenAfy areas where we can provide assistance.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry What are the OpportuniAes for Assistance? ² A key area of interacAon – CoordinaAng with the school’s principal of each parish • IdenAfying areas of need and collaboraAon

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry What are the OpportuniAes for Assistance? ² An OLMC core team has been established ² IniAal Plans: – IdenAfy key contact person at partner parish namely the pastor or the principal of the school – Establish support sub teams at OLMC • Finance • CommunicaAon • Website Development • Special Projects • EducaAon • Health Needs • Youth • Refugees • Prayer Services

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry Vision Statement Helping ChrisAan families keep the face of Christ alive in the Middle East.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry Mission Statement ² To build a relaAonship between parishioners of Our lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Doylestown, PA and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Hashimi Jordan; ² To develop understanding and cooperaAon between our parishes and reinforce ChrisAan Faith within parish community with prayer, dialog and outreach; ² To serve our Mid East brothers and sisters in Jordan and beyond by promoAng and responding to needs of youth educaAon, refugee assistance, teaching support, material resources and scholarship; ² To breakdown geographical and cultural barriers by raising awareness and understanding or our mutual dependence on God’s given grace.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry Charter: ² Construct and operate a parishioner-based cooperaAve program establishing Inter-funcAonal working teams to determine the needs of the church and school faciliAes at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Hashimi Jordan ² InvesAgate manners of meeAng outstanding needs of its ChrisAan community ² Inquire of present operaAng resources and needs and pursue soluAons that might build the potenAal for stronger faith-based growth and educaAonal formaAon through teaching program assistance, resources for school and parish faciliAes, youth group and scout acAviAes, as well as refugee housing, aid.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry Values: ² We respect the faith and dedicaAon of the parishioners and staff of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Hashimi Jordan, both ChrisAan and Muslim; Their culture is understood, respected, valued and celebrated. ² We recognize that families and staff at OLMC Hashimi are knowledgeable of their strengths and needs and maintain a role in their future plans. ² They are best served by a team approach that is driven by them as acAve members.

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry Values: ² We wish to perform our support as one system, being transparent in all our plans and dealings, providing highest quality with posiAve outcome. ² We chose to be responsible, accountable and fair with ourselves and those we serve. ² We will treat each individual with dignity, consideraAon understanding they must be heard and contribute to the soluAon of defined problems. ² We chose to recruit volunteers that are competent, ethical, and spirited in our Lord

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry QUESTIONS??? Check out the OLMC website! hjp://www.ourladymtcarmel.org PLEASE JOIN US! Contact: jbfowkes@aol.com Sign up for our mailing list

OLMC Mid-East Family Ties Ministry