“It is better to give alms than to store up gold, for almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life.” Tobit 12:8-9 During Lent, as we purge and renew our hearts, the parish has several projects for us to join together in our almsgiving and so better benefit our neighbors in need.
“St. Joseph’s Table” / Non-perishable Food Collection March 11-19: There is an old custom in the Church on the Solemnity of St. Joseph of bringing food to the parish church, of blessing it after Holy Mass, and distributing it to people in need. This year, St. Cyril’s is going to renew this custom as one of the parish’s Lenten projects. You can drop off donations of non-perishable foods during the week before the feast day, from March 12-19. Leave your donation in one of the large boxes in the vestibule and gallery. Then on March 19, the Solemnity of St. Joseph, attend the 9:00AM Mass and blessing of food. After the blessing, the food will be delivered to St. Christine Christian Service (SCCS) which operates a soup kitchen and a food pantry in northwest Detroit. SCCS appreciates all donated foods; but the items most needed at this time include: Hearty canned soups; Salad dressings; Jelly; Spaghetti sauce; salt and pepper; Cooking oil and Cooking spray; Cereal (especially sugary cereals); Oatmeal; Pancake mix and Syrup; Toilet paper, Paper towels, Tissues; Canned stew and chili; Cookies (chocolate chip or Oreos). No glass jars, please.
Note: Food donations are being collected from March 12 until 10:00AM on March 19 ONLY. Please leave your food donations ONLY in the designated boxes and ONLY on these days.
RTL/Lifespan Baby Shower March 26 & 27: Once again the parish will be participating in RTL/Lifespan’s Annual Baby Shower. We will be “showering” the mothers assisted by Lifespan’s Wee Care program with clothing and baby care items. Help struggling mothers who have chosen LIFE care for their babies by bringing new clothing or new baby care items when you come to Saturday evening or Sunday Mass on March 26 or 27 and leave it on one of the specially marked carts in the gathering space. During Fellowship following the Sunday 9:30AM Holy Mass on March 27, RTL/Lifespan representatives will be at an information table in the Fr. Mikus Hall. Gift suggestions include: Sleepers, onesies, socks, diapers (sizes 1-4), receiving blankets, crib sheets, baby wipes, wash cloths, pacifiers, bottles, bibs, baby personal hygiene items and gift cards.
Easter Food Baskets for Families in Need: Would you like to prepare a basket of food for Easter dinner for a family in need? St. Dominic’s Outreach Center provides each of the 150 families they assist with a basket of food filled with everything they need to enjoy a special Easter dinner. Baskets should include non-perishable food items and a Meijer gift card to purchase a ham or turkey and other perishable foods. For complete details and to sign up to provide a food basket for a family, please contact the Parish Office or Erin Rybicki at (586) 826-9787 or at christianservice@saintcyrils.church
School and Church Construction in Kahama Diocese, Tanzania/Bishop Minde: Enrollment is steadily growing at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Primary School, which was built with financial assistance from our parish. The school opened its doors for the first kindergarten class in 2012 and grew to include primary grades in 2017. As the school continues to grow, construction of additional classrooms, offices and a student dining hall are underway. Additional funds are necessary to complete this project. A second building project in Kahama, the construction of Ss. Simon and Jude Thaddeus church, is in the roofing phase; funds are needed to complete this project as well. To help the children who will learn in these classrooms and the community of Ss. Simon and Jude Thaddeus that will worship together in the new church, place your monetary gift in a blue Lenten Offering envelope and place it in the Sunday collection basket; or make your donation online using PushPay by Easter Sunday, April 17. Please make checks out to Ss. Cyril and Methodius and include Tanzania on the memo line.
Note: per the IRS, donations to international projects are not tax-deductible.
Christian Service Fund/Monetary Projects Donations made to the parish Christian Service Fund during Lent will be distributed to three local projects. You can donate to this fund online using PushPay or by placing cash or a check made out to Ss. Cyril and Methodius in a white Lenten Offering envelope and putting it in the Sunday collection basket by Easter Sunday, April 17.
· Lifespan Wee Care Some of Wee Care’s most dire needs are for cribs, car seats and strollers. Because of legal concerns, used items cannot be given out by pregnancy help centers; these items must be new. To help them purchase these expensive necessities for the families they serve, a portion of the donations made to the Christian Service fund during lent will be given to Wee Care for this purpose. To donate directly to Wee Care, place a check made out to: Lifespan Wee Care in a white Lenten Offering envelope.
· St. Christine Christian Services (SCCS) While the majority of the food served by the soup kitchen or distributed by the food bank is non-perishable, many perishable items, such as meat, vegetables and fruit, and dairy products must be purchased. To complement the St. Joseph’s Table food collection, a portion of the Christian Service fund donations will be given to St. Christine’s for this purpose. To donate directly to SCCS, place a check made out to: St. Christine Christian Services in a white Lenten Offering envelope.
· Camp Ozanam/St. Vincent DePaul Summer Camp Scholarship Fund A week at summer camp can be the highlight of the summer and a source of treasured memories, especially for children whose families are struggling. This summer, for the 99th year, St. Vincent de Paul Detroit will be offering five weeklong overnight camp sessions for boys and girls ages 8 to 14 at its Camp Ozanam, on Lake Huron. Daily mass, prayer and catechesis are built in to the program along with swimming, crafts, sports and other outdoor fun. The campers all live in southeast Michigan, and the majority are from families in financial need. Some are in foster care, or have experienced emotional hardship such as the loss of a parent. All campers attend camp at no cost to their families. Their fees for camp are paid entirely by donations. A portion of donations made to the parish Christian Service Fund during lent will help provide scholarships for local children to attend Camp Ozanam. To donate directly to the scholarship fund, place a check made out to: St. Vincent de Paul Detroit, include Camp on the memo line and put it in a white Lenten Offering envelope.
~ Thank you for your consideration and sacrifices for our needy brothers and sisters this Lent ~