For many in the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as parts of Asia, the aftermath of 70 years of Soviet rule is still felt in the form of poverty, infrequent pastoral care, and lack of buildings in which the faithful can worship.

As we move into the heart of winter with cold temps and lots of snow, it is a good time to remind people about the Energy Assistance Program (EAP). St. Vincent de Paul-Detroit has been granted $3 million dollars in THAW (The Heat and Warmth) Funds to disperse to income-eligible persons and families in our community. Our conference has been collaborating with our neighboring Vincentians to process grants for those having difficulty meeting their energy expenses.

Last Sunday we kicked off our annual Bonanza Raffle. Tickets were distributed to our 11 Team Captains who will, in turn, distribute them to their sellers. As you know, Bonanza is our only Parish fundraiser. This year, with your help, we plan to sell all 1500 tickets. Perhaps you would like to help St. Clare with this fundraiser, and at the same time, have a chance to win a prize for just selling Bonanza tickets. That’s right, if you sell a winning ticket you will receive a check for 10% of the amount of the winning prize (over and above the winner’s prize). To qualify as a Bonanza Seller, we ask only that you try to sell a minimum of 5 tickets.