Outreach and Social Action Groups

We have many ministries to help those in need. Which one is right for you?

Homebound Ministers
These ministers bring Communion to the homebound, sick, and disabled who are not able to get to church.  This service is provided by arrangement. For those wanting to experience Mass, the Mass is live-streamed at 4:30 pm on Saturday and 10:30 am on Sunday on our YouTube Channel, Facebook page, and website: www.npchttp://npcatholic.orgatholic.org.  The Mass is also recorded for delayed broadcast on Bevcomm Channel 6.

Please note because of privacy laws, nursing homes, and hospitals do not call us if a parishioner has been admitted or if a person’s condition has worsened. That means we rely on family members and neighbors to keep us informed. 
 
Long-term Care/Assisted Living Ministry of Prayer
People who are in residence at area long-term care/assisted living facilities continue their connection to the parish when they gather for a Word and Communion service led by staff and volunteers every Sunday and Thursday, as well as holidays, at the Mala Strana Healthcare Campus. Masses are offered weekly when priests are available.  Every Saturday/Sunday, Word and Communion services are held at Millpond Apartments, Philipp Square, Praha Village, and Queen's Court.

St. Paul Opportunity Center (formerly Dorothy Day Center)
Our parish is responsible for providing a meal every second Saturday of the month at the St. Paul Opportunity Center for the poor and homeless in downtown St. Paul.  The group takes ingredients for a main dish and vegetables as well as donated desserts and prepares and serves the meal. It takes a 4-1/2 hour commitment. The ministry is funded by an annual soup supper that serves three kinds of homemade soup, bread, and desserts typically on the Monday of Presidents Day.  Many volunteers make these ministries possible.
 
 
Adopt-a-Family
Parishioners receive information from Le Sueur County Social Services before Christmas about needy children in the county. Parishioners then choose a family list and buy Christmas gifts for the families, whose identity remains confidential.  The requests are for clothing, often winter outerwear. People may also donate money and volunteers will shop for gifts. Families also are offered toys through Santa Anonymous.
 
Habitat for Humanity
Volunteers build a home from the ground up for a family in need of affordable housing.  This is a community effort that involves people from many churches with varied or no experience in homebuilding.  Families are chosen after an application process and must put in 200 hours of sweat equity. They receive an interest-free mortgage when the home is complete. Parishioners help with building, meals for the builders, and financial support.
 
Thanksgiving Emergency Relief Fund
The collection taken on Thanksgiving Day helps our faith community reach out to those in need who come to our church seeking assistance.

Peace Center
A community food shelf run by Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital to serve people in the area in need. Volunteers help sort and distribute food.  Food and cash donations are always welcome. Walk-ins are welcome at the Peace Center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon and Thursday evenings from 4:30 to 6 p.m.  
                
Respect Life
We encourage and provide education on life issues. We pray, promote, and work for legal and cultural respect for human life from creation to natural death.

Care for Creation
Our parish has a commitment to caring for the earth, our common home. Our school and faith formation communities are attentive to care for creation as a part of our commitment to Catholic Social Teachings and we strive to make our parish members aware of actions that can make a difference. Our parking lot has a rain garden to treat runoff, we recycle at our parish festival, and we look for ways to reduce our energy usage.

Plarn Mats for those experiencing homelessness to sleep on
This ministry collects grocery bags to make into plarn (plastic yarn) to crochet into plastic mats for those experiencing homelessness to sleep on. There are two blue barrels for grocery bag donations located inside the west doors of the church, down the stairs to the right in the area marked Martha's Corner.  Volunteers are needed to flatten the bags, cut the bags into strips, loop the strips together to make plarn and crochet the mats.  If you would like to participate in any of the steps of this ministry, please come down to the church basement in the Blessed Mother Gathering Space on Wednesday afternoons between 1:00 and 2:00.  Training is provided.  If you have any questions, please contact MaryCarol Wolf at 952-758-3225 or email [email protected].