…a couple of notes on the ties that bind, “small” apostolates that fly under the radar but are, in fact, the kind of life and service that mark the Catholic life around the world:

• At Atonement Online, Fr. Phillips, pastor of that Anglican Use Catholic parish in San Antonio, writes of the support his parish and parish school gives to a school of the Latin Patriarchate in Palestine:  

For the past several years our parish school has had a sister-relationship with the Latin Patriarchate school in Ain Arik, Palestine. We’ve shared letters and pictures. Our students have been able to raise funds during Advent and Lent to send to the school there. It’s been an eye-opener for our children, as they’ve gained a little better idea of just how difficult it is for the students there, living as they do with road-blocks, security walls, little water, poverty.

• Sherry at Intentional Disciples writes of A Simple House , a community in Washington dc-

The Mission of a Simple House is to:
* wonderfully and radically fall upon the cross of Christ for grace and support;
* serve the poor, volunteers, and sponsors by proclaiming the gospel through acts of faith, love, and charity;
* sanctify volunteers through friendship with the Lord, observance of poverty, and obedience to the Holy Catholic Church.
A Summary of Our Philosophy
Friendship evangelization is the method we use to spread the Gospel. This evangelization is performed through words, actions, and relationships. We meet each individual on a personal level addressing their unique needs.
We also believe in complete Christian almsgiving which encompasses sacrifice, building a relationship, and meeting a need. Encouraging a spirit of sacrifice and friendship between donors, volunteers, and the poor is fundamental to our ministry.
Our motto is to ‘wonderfully and radically fall upon the cross of Christ for grace and support.’ This fall must include an obvious reliance upon God’s providence. We rely on providence by practicing personal and corporate poverty.
Volunteers do not financially profit from their work, and the organization has renounced endowments and savings accounts. As a general rule, A Simple House tries to have no more than three months operating expenses at any one time.”
A couple of the Simple House volunteers told of befriending a homeless, unemployed mother of eight, who is now fully employed, has gone through quite a conversion and has been received into the Church with all her children.