This weekend’s front cover of our bulletin was given to us by our Knights. Rightly so, as St. Clare Council # 12479 celebrates its 15 year anniversary. It is with great pride that we honor these men of our parish who dedicate their time, skills, and resources in the service of the Church, our country, and beyond

The Christian Service Commission will be hosting our annual Capuchin Signature Drive the weekend of August 23-24 to support their local Soup Kitchens. Envelopes will be on the church tables beginning August 2 if you would like to turn in a $20 donation and a signature early, otherwise, we hope you will consider making a donation after Masses in late August. Tables will be set up next to the carport, weather permitting.

One of the women our SVdP conference has assisted will soon be bicycling to her job—thanks to a generous parishioner who answered our recent request for a ladies bike. In spite of good intentions to get active, after a year or two, this bicycle was still in its shipping box in the donor’s garage, so she decided to offer it to our neighbor-in-need. The staff at Bikes Blades and Boards put the bike together at a discounted charge and made all the appropriate adjustments to guarantee reliable transportation for the new owner, and our conference—through your financial support—purchased a good lock and basket.

Thank you for your generous donations throughout the year. With your help, we are able to provide a 4-5 day supply of non-perishable food to most families we visit in our ministry work. This gift allows a family to address other needs or helps to stretch a very limited food budget. Volunteers help sort and pre-package food parcels so SVDP members can have quick access before home visits. The rectory/office also uses the pantry for emergency food needs discovered through their ministries.

The SVdP Conference at St. Clare has enrolled 12 children in our community for a week at Camp Ozanam. This experience comes at no cost to the family. There are still a few openings for campers aged 8 through 12 toward the end of the summer. If you are aware of a child who needs and deserves an opportunity for summer camp, please call the parish SVDP assistance line at 313-647-5062 and leave a message or email Barb at Barbarakoster@comcast.net.