Christ was anointed to bring good news to the poor … Our efforts, which are His, reach out to the afflicted and in a preferential way to the poor and the oppressed. We come not just as servants but as their neighbors, to be with them and of them.
—Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross, 2:13
The mission of Holy Cross “sends us across borders of every sort.” This means we provide direct service to the poor and disenfranchised in all the communities that we are present, internationally and here at home in the United States.
St. Andre Bessette Parish-Downtown Chapel in Portland, Oregon is one of our great parishes which also provides community advocacy services to the homeless.
Recently, St. Andre Bessette Parish-Downtown Chapel was recognized by Street Roots, a Portland social justice media outlet that creates income opportunities for people experiencing homelessness and poverty. The parish’s innovative “Vial of Life” program was highlighted in a recent article. The program helps provide the homeless with a means to keep their personal medical records with them at all times.
We hope you will enjoy reading more about St. Andre Bessette Parish-Downtown Chapel’s mission and how they carry out the Gospel every day.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome, lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.”
—Matthew 25:35-36
