Education: The Social Concerns Committee strives to inform its members and Holy Cross parishioners about the riches found in Catholic Social Teaching. The Committee sponsors educational opportunities and workshops for the parish community, e.g., on Catholic Social Teaching in 2014 and on Care and Help at the End of Life in 2015. A presentation on supporting immigran refugees was help in 2017.
Advocacy: “Social justice concerns the social, political and economic aspects and, above all, the structural dimension of problems and their respective solutions.” — Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, no. 201
Holy Cross is a partner parish of the Archdiocesan Justice and Advocacy Council of Montgomery County. Parish representatives on the council work together to address local issues and advocate for public policy to help the poor and vulnerable in Montgomery County. The Justice and Advocacy Council provides testimony before the County Council and Rockville City Council, meets with the county executive and members of the county council, hosts issue forums, and conducts letter-writing and email campaigns The Justice and Advocacy Council meets every fourth Wednesday of the month at Holy Redeemer Church, 9705 Summit Avenue, Kensington, MD, at 7:00pm.
Parishioners also advocate for the poor and marginalized on the state and national levels through the resources of the Maryland Catholic Conference and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Care for Creation/Environmental Stewardship: The Social Concerns Committee includes an environmental initiative to increase parishioners’ awareness and promote recycling, reducing greenhouse gas pollution, and implementing sustainable practices within our parish, school, home, and community environments to honor and respect God’s creation. Resources:
The encyclical of Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, is applied to our lives: Laudato Si’.
The use of renewable energy is encouraged: Interfaith Power and Light.
For further information about these programs, please contact [email protected].