• Faith in Action Team (F.I.A.T.)
  • Small Things Count
• Green Team
• Lay Pastor Ministry
• Layette Program
• Ministry to the Homebound
• Prayer Blanket Ministry
• Respect Life Committee
• St. Vincent de Paul Society
• Stephen Ministers

Faith In Action   >   Faith in Action Team (F.I.A.T.)

Be part of Holy Family's Faith in Action Team (FIAT)!  You can do this in any number of small or large ways:

• Get in the habit of checking this webpage, the parish online calendar, and the Sunday bulletin for activities you can participate in that help advance our Catholic social teachings.  Sometimes it means simply praying for God's guidance for lawmakers considering a particular issue or for a project a Holy Family group is undertaking to make life more just for God's family on earth.  Other times it means writing a letter or email or going to a specific website to learn about an issue.  Or attending a workshop, listening to a speaker, or passing on information to people who need it.
• Follow through on the activities that relate to an issue you believe important.  You can't do everything, but you can do something, especially about an issue that touches your family and friends.
• Look at the "Easy Ways to Make a Difference" and "Faith in Action Opportunity" sections below.  These will be activities anyone can easily participate in.  Suggestions will change periodically, so check back often.
• Read the informative articles provided to you on this page.  Go to the right of this page and choose one.
• Find ways to help with the year's FIAT project.  This year, parishioners voted to make that HOMELESSNESS.  Watch for announcements of what you can do through our Holy Family program.  Be aware of the problem itself.  Open your heart and mind to the homeless.
• Attend any of the monthly FIAT meetings (first Saturday of the month, 9:30 AM in the Living Room).   You'll find the agenda for that meeting a week prior to the meeting date by clicking on Agenda, then looking for it under "Forms." Bring your ideas and opinions, because we're interested in what you think.
• Learn about what FIAT is doing at Holy Family by reading the minutes of the previous Faith in Action meeting (click on Minutes, then look under "Forms").
• Become a formal team member.  You'd help plan and guide activities, support related groups and committees at Holy Family, maybe be part of developing new committees that foster the Catholic Social Teachings.  For more information, contact Susan Olsen at 265-331.
• Click on one of the LINKS at the bottom of this page to learn more about how you can practice your faith by working toward a more peaceful, just world.

EASY WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

1. Write a letter to the editor regarding an issue you feel strongly about: prison reform, poverty, education, child or elder abuse, homelessness, immigration reform, racism, workers' rights, the environment, respect life issues, or any other injustice you see around you. Send it to the Editor at San Jose Mercury-News, 750 Ridder Park Dr., San Jose , CA 95190. Or email your letter to letters@mercurynews.com, or fax it to (408)271-3792. Just do it!

2. Continue to bring a single item of non-perishable food every Sunday and put it into the FISH boxes in the vestibule for distribution to hungry people in our community.

3. Go often (once a day is the limit but it's easy to do) to www.thebreastcancersite.com and click on any or all of the 6 tabs identifying causes. Each click costs you nothing but means a contribution to that cause made by advertisers on that website. The choices are Hunger, Breast Cancer, Child Health, Literacy, Rain Forest, and Animal Rescue.

4. Go to www.kiva.org and give a microloan (which you will get back) to allow a person or group in a developing nation start a program or business that will pull him or her (and the family) up out of poverty.

FAITH IN ACTION--OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THE HOMELESS:  On the 5th Sunday of each month, bring items to the vestibule to include in Survival Sacks to help people get along until they can find homes.  For dates and specific items to bring, click on "Survival Sacks" in the Forms section to the right of this page.


WHO ARE THOSE HOMELESS PEOPLE AROUND US, ANYWAY?  WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?  WHY ARE THEY LIVING ON THE STREETS?  TO GET AN IDEA OF WHO THEY ARE, CLICK ON "WHO ARE THE HOMELESS IN OUR VALLEY?" IN THE FORMS SECTION ON THIS PAGE.

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Sun, October 31	Survival Sack Weekend Help the homeless survive while they rebuild their lives.