JustFaith, offered @ St. Patrick’s Parish, is a 30-week program designed to familiarize people with Catholic social teachings and justice issues. In addition to its educational component, JustFaith offers opportunities to develop a "spirituality of justice and compassion," such as its bi-annual retreats and periodic, local service opportunities. St. Patrick’s will be offering JustFaith on Monday nights starting September 28th. Space is limited, so please inquire soon. Contacts for JustFaith at St. Pat’s are Matthew Halbach (Adult Faith Coordinator) at 301-924-2284, 76halbach@cua.edu; and Joe Raia at glimmerglassinc@aol.com. There is a materials fee for the program, but if it proves too burdensome, St. Pat’s is offering scholarships to subsidize the cost.

Engaging Spirituality, offered @ St. Peter’s Parish, is the newest JustFaith program, invites faithful adults to break open their lives, penetrate the realities of our times, and explore the intersection between Christian spirituality and Gospel justice. In addition to spiritual reading, dialogue and immersion experiences, Engaging Spirituality groups will have access to the grounded wisdom of 24 contemporary spiritual pathfinders. Each week groups reflect on a letter from a spiritual teacher, contemplative or activist. These contributions, commissioned specifically for Engaging Spirituality are called BEARINGS, since the authors bear witness to their personal, practical struggle to live an authentic Christian life amid the complexities of our world. Please call St. Peter’s at 301-774-0162 for more information.

JustMatters, offered @ St. Francis of Asisi Parish, is a new and expanding series of formation materials from JustFaith Ministries that focuses on a particular social justice topic. The format of JustMatters is the same as JustFaith, but it is considerably shorter—8 weeks as opposed to 30. St. Francis will offer a JustMatters module entitled Engaging Our Conflicts: An Exploration of Nonviolent Peacemaking, Thursday nights, 7:30-9:30 pm, starting September 17th and going through to November 5th in the Youth Room. This module explores the power and potential of nonviolent peacemaking in our lives and in the world. Participants will learn about nonviolence and how to apply it in real issues that they are interested in taking action on. To register or for more information, call or email Charles McCarthy at 301-840-1407 or cmccarthy@sfadw.org.

All parishioners are welcome at all of these programs!

	HAITI MISSION
	Rebuilding Together
	Hearts and Hands, Inc.
	Are you interested in starting up an Alternative Christmas program at your parish or school? Click here to download a power point presentation by Pat O'Conner.
	Are you interested in learning more about the Catholic Church's social justice teaching while growing spiritually? St. Francis, St. Peter’s and St. Patrick’s are teaming up to provide three great opportunities to do this. Click here for more information..

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SOCIAL CONCERNS PRAYER
Lord, Open Our Eyes
Lord, open our eyes,
That we may see you in
our brothers and sisters.
Lord, open our ears,
That we may hear the cries
of the hungry, the cold,
the frightened, the oppressed.
Lord, open our hearts,
That we may love each other
as you love us.
Renew in us your spirit
Lord, free us and make us one.

--Mother Theresa