Social Justice/Christian
Service
Environmental Ministry
The parish community has made the decision to deepen its commitment to a preferential option for the poor. A concern for the environment is an integral part of this commitment. From elevated asthma levels in American inner cities to the possibility of unimaginable devastation caused by rising sea levels in Bangladesh, the poor are the first victims of environmental degradation and have the fewest resources for combating its effects. The Environmental Ministry works to provide members of OLQP with information, insights and inspiration for acting upon the growing concern over the kind of Earth their children and grandchildren will inherit. Participation with this ministry is encouraged. Contact Parish Office, 703-979-5580, office@ourladyqueenofpeace.org
Cancer Support Group
We are a small group of cancer survivors and others that can support parishioners who are coping with cancer or who have loved ones who are coping with cancer. We are here to listen, pray with you, help you with practical needs, and connect you with other resources you may need. We meet every 6 weeks at the parish. We have Spanish and French speaking members too. We need volunteers who would be willing to lend a hand for things like picking up groceries, preparing food, and getting people to and from doctor visits.
Contact Karen Cavanaugh: 703-521-3711, cavanaughkinez@yahoo.com
Feed The Hungry
Carpenter’s Shelter – Each third Thursday of the month Queen of Peace volunteers provide a nutritious dinner at Alexandria’s Carpenter’s Shelter. There are sign-up sheets in the back of church each month.
Contact Tom Amshey: 703-553-8031
Parish Food Pantry – Each Sunday, donations of canned goods and non-perishable items are collected during Mass, stocking our parish food pantry, which provides over 250 bags of food each year to our neighbors in need. We also share parishioners’ generosity with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center and the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC). Contents of our food bags include canned vegetables, soup, meat or fish, pasta, ragú or tomato products, peanut butter or jelly, rice, beans (bulk bags of both stretch our resources) and dessert.
Contact Fred Cain: 703-979-5580, fcain@ourladyqueenofpeace.org
Thanksgiving Food Baskets – Queen of Peace provides Thanksgiving food ‘baskets,’ complete with a 10-15 pound turkey, to up to 130 needy families each year. Much of the parish participates in this Queen of Peace tradition.
Contact Fred Cain: 703-979-5580, fcain@ourladyqueenofpeace.org
Gay, Lesbian, Friends & Family
Ministry
We work to build an affirming parish community where all people experience God’s promise and love. We host educational and awareness-raising activities, provide support to the GLBT community, their friends and families, and provide advocacy on social justice issues.
Contact Vicki Strimel: 571-257-7376, vickistrimel@gmail.com
Haiti
Committee
This group is committed to facilitating and supporting a linkage of our parish with our sister parish, St. Joseph’s in Medor, Haiti. This linkage strengthens our long standing commitment to social justice in a personal way by creating lasting relationships with people from another culture. The goal is to broaden our view and understanding of the global Church. Since our beginning in 1997, we have welcomed small delegations from Medor and have also sent delegations of OLQP parishioners to visit Medor. These visitations help us to listen to the needs of the people and enable us to aid them in the way they wish. The people of OLQP have contributed to building a church, a new primary and secondary school in Medor, and continue to support the expense of school and clinic related staff members. OLQP is supporting a clean water and sanitation initiative in the Medor area. OLQPalso assists the priest in administering to the 12 chapels connected with the parish. Our main thrust is helping the people of Medor to raise their own economic standard of living. We continue to explore ways in which we can deepen the personal and spiritual relationship between the people of OLQP and the people of Medor. Volunteers who would like to help with strengthening this global partnership are welcomed.
Contact Sue Carlson: 703-525-9131, msceye@aol.com
View Pictures from our Recent Trip 2006
Pictures taken 2007
Hispanic Community Issues Committee
Knowing that “We are the Church,” and recognizing that language is often a barrier for the Spanish speaking community, a group of bilingual parishioners of the 1:00 PM community come together to provide orientation and information about specific social, legal and educational issues for the Spanish speaking community. The group focuses on immigration issues, human rights for immigrants, citizenship issues, visiting and comforting our ill, raising funds for emergency situations within the community, activities for teenagers and children, etc. The committee strives to live the mission statement of OLQP in all its activities, and encourages all to work together to plan and implement goals and objectives.
Contact Teresa Saavedra: 703-379-1217, teresa@iris.edu
Just$
Just$ is Our Lady Queen of Peace’s program to raise funds for social justice activities. Currently funds are dedicated to two programs, both focused on children: OLQP’s Early Learning Center and the Orphans of AIDS in Africa ministry. Money is generated from the sale of Giant grocery gift cards (5%) and Shoppers Food Warehouse grocery certificates (5%). Additionally, registering your grocery club card with the Just$ program allows Just$ to generate rebate funds through the eScrip program.
Contact Fred Cain: 703-979-5580, fcain@ourladyqueenofpeace.org
Contact Frances Michalkewicz, 703-461-8870, fmichalkewicz@comcast.net
Respect Life Ministry
The goal of the Respect Life Ministry is threefold: 1) to raise awareness of the humanity of the unborn by praying and giving public witness for them and their mothers and fathers; 2) to educate the community and influence legislation about life issues, including abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment and embryonic stem cell research, and; 3) to support as a parish women in distress pregnancies, both before and after birth. We acknowledge the seamless garment of life. All are welcome.
Contact Thea Rossi Barron: 703-354-0580, theabarron@aol.com
Contact Shari Zamarra: 703-323-9367, sharizamarra@yahoo.com
Matthew 25 Bazaar
The Matt 25 Bazaar is a thrift shop located in the Ministry Center. It provides an outlet for the distribution of emergency clothing within the community. The Matt 25 is run entirely by volunteers. Additional volunteers are needed to help sort donations and operate the facility, open Sundays and Wednesdays from 9 am to 12 Noon. We are especially in need of bi-lingual (English/Spanish) volunteers.
Contact Fred Cain: 703-979-5580, fcain@ourladyqueenofpeace.org
OLQP Book Club
The Book Club gathers once a month on the evening of the third Thursday for an informal discussion of a book, which is chosen by group consensus. If you enjoy group discussions, we welcome you. Contact Chuck Moran: 703-892-4154, chuckmoran@verizon.net
The Orphans of AIDS in Africa
The Orphans of AIDS in Africa project promotes awareness of the impact of HIV/AIDS on African families, lends moral and financial support and solidarity to African Catholic organizations serving the affected families, and encourages personal contact via community members who visit or temporarily live in African communities. Funds raised through Just$ are being used to help a community project in Mweiga, Kenya .
Contact Frances Michalkewicz: 703-461-8870, fmichalkewicz@comcast.net
Social Justice Committee
The Social Justice Committee focuses on meaningful advocacy, education and service on local, state, national, and international matters of basic human rights and dignity. Over the years, most of our activities focused on supporting low income housing efforts, helping low-income workers through the Living Wage initiative, and state-wide through participation in SALT and the Virginia Interfaith Council to help pass legislation in the Virginia General Assembly. We also lobbied for action to stop genocide in Darfur and worked to help AIDS orphans in Africa. The SJ Committee typically meets the first Thursday night of each month. All parishioners are invited to attend and participate.
Contact Chair John Shanley, 703-486-0421, John.Shanley@hud.gov
Contact Co-chair Shari Zamarra, 703-323-9367, sharizamarra@yahoo.com
SJ Ministry Listing and Analysis
Social Justice at OLQP
Transportation Committee
This group provides transportation for the handicapped and elderly. We are in particular need of people who can transport others to Mass on a bi-weekly or monthly basis and occasionally to parish events. If you are willing to give a few hours a month seeing to it that someone gets to and from church, we could really use you on our team.
Contact the Parish Office: 703-979-5580, office@ourladyqueenofpeace.org
Ujamaa Committee
The name “Ujamaa” means “familyhood”; thus, mutual cooperation. Ujamaa responds to the pastoral vision of the universal Church and reflects the special commitment of our parish to remember, reverence and celebrate the faith and gifts of our founders. The committee seeks to bring forth the cultural richness, gifts and skills of Black Catholics and to respond sensitively and forcefully to the needs of African Americans. In addition to cultural and educational events, activities are developed for the whole parish in liturgy, religious training, social justice ministry and leadership training. It is hoped that all members of our multi-cultural parish will contribute and benefit. Contact Veronica Dabney: 703-698-8290, vdabney@cox.net
Visitation Ministry
The Visitation Ministry includes Communion Ministers and visitation volunteers who visit the homebound, elderly and hospitalized parishioners and community members. There is always a need for more volunteers to commit to regular or occasional visits. We are also looking for referrals of homebound, elderly and hospitalized people who would be interested in a visit or would like the Eucharist brought to their home or hospital bed. If you have a referral, or would like a visit yourself, please feel free to contact us!
Contact Fr. Tuozzolo, 703-979-5580, leonardtuz@aol.com
Warree Green Scholarship Committee
This committee oversees the Catholic high school scholarship process.
Contact Wilfred Braveboy: 703-979-1699, jisaac6@verizon.net |
