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A Community Conversation at St. Catherine of Siena – St. Lucy

July 13, 2023

On Thursday, July 13, 2023, our parish community was invited to attend an afternoon conversation with Fr. Greg Boyle SJ, Rev. Marshall Hatch, Jr. (from the MAAFA Redemption Project in West Garfield Park), and Patricia Banks (Director of Sister House, the residential treatment center located on the St. Catherine-St. Lucy campus), which was organized by Jack Crowe. The theme focused on the power of forgiveness and love that transforms hearts and lives.

Maguire Hall (the gym) on the St. Catherine of Siena – St. Lucy campus was filled with 300 folks. At the end of the talk, Fr. Boyle reminded all of us that we are called to be the tender glance of God’s love and mercy. Our faith communities are doing this in some very specific ways right now with our Housing Forward shelter, our shower program for migrants and helping other migrants with apartments as they settle into a new way of life. As we go through the next phase of Building a New Reality, BNR, let’s remember to be that glance of God’s love and mercy in how we treat each other. We are all in this together.

Using encouraging words and keeping a positive attitude can help us set a tone that moves us in the best direction to create a new and stronger Catholic community. We were left with a call, what can we do differently? Good question as we face the challenges and opportunities before us.