Global Solidarity Ministry

On September 16, Anita Hassell with Catholic Charities Jacksonville, spoke with us about a new initiative by the Diocese to train up lay Catholics to become Global Solidarity Ministers - a program born out of Catholic Relief Services - within their parishes. What does this mean? First, let us briefly explain how Catholic Charities and Catholic Relief Services work together.

Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities are the official efforts of the Church in the United States focused on meeting the needs of people in the Unites States and throughout the world. Through the efforts of the Global Solidarity Ministry, these two organizations intersect.

Through Global Solidarity Ministry, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is offering to work with us toward a “leadership and faith-development experience that will increase the capacity of our diocese to respond to Christ’s call to global solidarity and increase the number and quality of leaders in a parish.”

The goal is to engage our Catholic family to live their faith in solidarity with our vulnerable brothers and sisters around the world.

Many lay Catholics are already supporting this initiative through the Rice Bowl Program every Lent. Trained Global Solidarity Ministers will help parishes open their eyes, ears and hearts to how these programs, such as Rice Bowl Collections, are supporting millions of vulnerable brothers and sisters throughout the world through the work of Catholic Relief Services and their projects to bring clean water, food and supplies into many global communities.

Anita Hassell shared photos from a recent trip that she and those from her Catholic Charities office took to the village of Chelenko in Ethiopia, where Rice Bowl donations have made a significant impact.