St Rene Christian Service

BIRTHDAY GIFT PROGRAM
The parishioners of St. Rene support some residential institutions that care for children by providing birthday gifts for them, like the St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center and Christ Child. Parishioners take part by offering to buy and wrap a gift for a birthday child during the year.

BLOOD DRIVE
Twice a year St. Rene hosts the American Red Cross in their attempt to collect blood for patients in need. There is always a shortage of blood and our support is very important. We encourage any person in the community who is in good health, at least 17 years of age and above the minimum weight of 110 pounds, who wishes to donate their blood, to call the New American Red Cross Donor Center at 13260 Eleven Mile Road in Warren, 586-756-7600 or 1-800-Give-Life for a location near you. Local hospitals need blood all year long to treat victims of accidents or surgery and for patients undergoing cancer treatments.

CHILD CARE CO-OP
This group of moms with young children organize and share babysitting among themselves. They also meet periodically to share ideas and fellowship.

CHRISTMAS CARDS/GIVING TREE
Every year, St. Rene supports many inner city parishes and school in Detroit and Pontiac and also in our neighborhood by providing Christmas gifts for those less fortunate among us. We put up "Giving Tree" with tags suggesting items needed. Parishioner are invited to remember the needy while they shop at Christmastime. We also get names of seniors who live in the Cass Corridor fro St. Patrick's Church in Detroit and ask for Christmas cards to be mailed to them.

COMMUNION TO THE SICK/HOMEBOUND
St. Rene provides communion to the homebound. Please contact the parish office, 586-939-7500, to make arrangements.

DISABILITY CONCERNS
St. Rene wants to be aware of those with special needs. There has to be parish accessibility for those in wheelchairs. There is an ongoing attempt to identify needs and concerns of all people including those who are frail, and/or hearing or vision impaired. As those needs are identified, they will be addressed.

FUNERAL LUNCHEON
A luncheon is provided for our deceased active parishioners and their families who have lost a loved one. This service is most appreciated. It provides comfort and support at a very difficult time in one's life. There are two groups of volunteers who donate food items and come in on the day of the funeral to prepare the meal. St. Rene provides the meat, pasta and bread.

JUSTICE AND PEACE ISSUES
"Movements like yours are precious . . . They help to develop conscience so that justice can prevail." This is Pope John Paul II speaking in 1995 about Pax Christi. Pax Christi USA has among its members 14,000 individuals, 550 religious communities, 140 bishops, 450 parish sponsors and 230 local groups. It has been an urgent voice for the cessation of the use of violence or the threat of violence. Pax Christi relentlessly devotes its energies to remind us of the fundamental truth of Christianity that war and violence are forbidden by the teachings of Christ. As Fr. Robert F. Drinan, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center says, "If the mission and mandage of Pax Christi were to take hold America's 62 million Catholics, the entire nation could be transformed." www.paxchristiusa.org.

EXPLORE THE PLACE OF GOD IN A WORLD OF VIOLENCE
Join the St. Rene Peace and Justice Group. Discover the root causes of violence in our society. Through prayer, a study of scripture and the church's social teachings, we hope to become more sensitive to the injustices that surround us. We believe that God has given us a blueprint for building a just society. If you are concerned about the increased violence in our society, homes, schools, neighborhoods, local and national government, foreign relations or the war in Iraq, join us in prayer and study one evening a month.

LIFE ISSUES
The issues of abortion, euthanasia and the death penalty have received special attention in Pope John Paul's encyclical on the Gospel of Life. The Archdiocese of Detroit began to provide a help line for anyone who is personally struggling with the moral dilemmas surrounding the beginning or end of life. Help others who feel alone with these decisions to embrace the Gospel of Life. Call Project Life anytime at 1-800-281-2102.

MCREST
Once a year, St. Rene hosts the homeless in our church. St. Rene supports the Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team by housing and feeding the homeless. It is a most rewarding endeavor as the entire parish supports the program wholeheartedly. We have over 700 eager volunteers. It is truly a wonderful and rewarding experience for all who take part in this week, usually the first week of February.

MEALS ON WHEELS
Meals on Wheels in part of Macomb County Community Services Agency. It is a program that provides hot meals once a day to homebound seniors. It promotes better health among the older population and also aims at reducing social isolation. Volunteers are needed.

SOCK DRIVE
Once a year, St. Rene conducts a sock drive. We have a very good response to the request for socks for agencies and churches that help the needy and homeless.

SOUP KITCHEN
A group of St. Rene parishioners go on a weekly basis (every Monday morning) to St. Leo's Soup Kitchen in Detroit. The group meets at 9:15 am and carpools to St. Leo's to help prepare a meal, serve and clean up. The benefits and friendships formed far outweigh the "work" done.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
This group meets twice a month and helps those in need in our area. They help not only with grocery items but also with utility bills (except phone bills) and also with rent if needed. On the first weekend of each month, there is a food collection drive at the liturgies.