Parish Charities & SOCIAL JUSTICE
“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Mt 25:40
“The Church’s love for the poor... is a part of her constant tradition. This love is inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes, of the poverty of Jesus, and of his concern for the poor. Love for the poor is even one of the motives for the duty of working so as to be able to give to those in need." Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2444
St. Charles Parish shows love for our needy neighbors through a variety of corporal works of mercy, and through advocacy for peace and social justice through a variety of activities. See below for opportunities to serve.
Looking to start a new ministry? Contact Fr. Don at pastor@stcharleschurch.org
Local Outreach
St. Charles Parish shows love for our needy neighbors through a variety of corporal works of mercy and through advocacy for peace and social justice through a variety of activities.
Dinner for All
Dinner for All is a monthly lunch where the dignity of all is honored through physical and spiritual nourishment. It is designed to bring together parish and community members - our guests - from various social and economic backgrounds.
2nd Saturday, 12:30-2:00 pm
Benedict Hall, St. Charles Catholic Church
Monthly lunch where the dignity of all is honored through physical and spiritual nourishment
Volunteer Roles
- Food preparation (2nd Friday, 5:45-8:30 pm)
- Sitting with and talking with guests, greeting, serving, children’s activities, and cooking (2nd Saturday, 11:30 am-2:30 pm)
Coffee Hour
Saturdays, 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Room 103, St. Charles Catholic Church
Supplements Dinner for All on the off weeks, and is an opportunity to build relationships with those we serve.
Volunteer Roles
- pick up pastries
- set-up
- spend time with guests
Food Pantry
Groceries are provided to those who are homeless or live on limited incomes.
Food Pantry Donations Needed
Currently, we are in need of the following items:
canned fruit
vegetables
cereal
pasta sauce
Please see our latest bulletin for an up to date list of non-perishable items that we need. Please drop these in the bin at the chapel entrance, 6am-9pm, or during our food pantry hours, Tuesday, 10am-12pm.
Volunteer Roles
Stocking shelves, shopping, handing out family bags, food delivery, data entry.
Tuesdays, 10:00 am-12:00
Parish Center, St. Charles Catholic Church
You can also donate financially online through PushPay or by check made out to St. Charles Church (memo: Parish Charities) that can be mailed or dropped off at the Parish Office.
For more information and general inquiries, please contact Teresa Reyes in the parish office by phone at 703-527-5500 or by email at treyes@stcharleschurch.org.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving meals will be prepared Nov 24 - 27 and delivered to pre-registered families on November 27th and 28th.
To volunteer to cook or deliver meals sign up here.
Monetary donations for Thanksgiving Dinners and all Parish Charities can by made here.
Food donations are accepted at the regular food donation bins at the chapel entrances or in the Parish Center on Thursday nights from 6 - 8pm. Items needed include:
Sweet Potatoes/ Yams (canned)
Cranberry Sauce (canned)
Turkey Gravy
Chicken Stock
Bread cubes
To register for meal, contact Teresa Reyes via email or at 703-527-5500 x123
English Second Language (ESL)
Sundays, 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
Classes for individuals learning English as a second language
Volunteer Roles
- Program Coordinator
- Teachers
Fill out this interest form to learn more.
Homebound Outreach& Senior ministry
various times
Growing ministry to serve the needs of seniors and homebound in our parish
Volunteer Roles
visiting
bringing Holy Communion (training required)
assisting with quarterly senior luncheons
exploring additional programs
Fill our this interest form to learn more
Jail Ministry
various times
Outreach to the Arlington County Detention Center
Volunteer Roles
- assisting with Liturgical Services (training required)
- leading Bible studies
- visiting with inmates
Christmas Giving Tree
Annual gift program for low income families
In 2023 we continued our Giving Tree program and were able to provide gifts to over 300 children in need. Many parishioners and members of the community bought gifts and made donations, and over 45 parishioners volunteered their time and effort to make the program a success. Donations to the program and other parish charities can be made quickly and securely online through PushPay.
Various volunteer opportunities are available throughout the season including intake interviews, creating tags for the tree, sorting gifts, and more.
The schedule for the 2024 season is:
Nov 3, 10, and 17 at 1pm intake and gift request
Nov 4, 11, and 18 make coordinate data to make gift tags
Nov 24/25 Gift tags available to the parish / public
Nov 30 - Dec 8 Gift tags are replenished as needed for shoppers
Dec 2 - 8 Gift collection and organizing
Dec 8 gifts to be returned and sorted
Dec 14 Final sorting and last minute shopping
Dec 15 Gift distribution
Sign ups to help with the tasks above are available here. Check your email to confirm your sign up. Check back often for new serving opportunities.
Overseas Charities
HAITI COMMITTEE
Our relationship with the St. Charles’ sister parishes located in greater Cavaillon, Haiti is going strong after some 30 years! Just as Jesus educated, fed, and healed those He encountered in and around Galilee, so do we at St. Charles—through the generosity of parishioners, family and friends—work to help educate, feed, and foster good health for the families in greater Cavaillon. Learn more by visiting the Haiti Committee page.
Please contact us at haiticommittee@stcharleschurch.org to learn more about joining the Haiti Committee or helping provide financial support.
Mar Moussa Monastery & Town
St. Charles parish is happy to support the agricultural projects of the Maronite (Lebanese Rite) Catholic Mar Moussa Monastery and town in the mountains of Lebanon. Their projects provide financial security to the monks and to the families of the town in the context of a dire economic situation. Learn more by visiting the Mar Moussa page.
Advocacy for Justice and Peace
“The Church calls for a different kind of political engagement: one shaped by the moral convictions of well-formed consciences and focused on the dignity of every human being, the pursuit of the common good, and the protection of the weak and the vulnerable.” Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States, November 2015
To learn more about current issues and legislation facing our nation and state and our call to responsible political engagement, click on the following links:
To advocate for national and local polices that reflect Catholic teachings, sign up for the following action alerts:
Respect Life Committee
monthly
Building a culture of life in Arlington through prayer, education, service, and advocacy
Volunteer and Leadership Roles are available!
lead / attend committee meetings
coordinate / assist with various activities throughout the year
Fill out an interest form here.
Get involved and help support the annual March for Life in DC in January.
We have also supported the Virginia March For Life in Richmond in the past.
This year we are involving a Care for Creation Committee within our Respect Life Committee.
For more information and general inquiries, including to help coordinate prayer vigils or attendance at the march, please email the Respect Life Committee at stcharlesrespectlife@gmail.com or call the parish office at 703-527-5500.
WE'LL WALK WITH YOU.
Learn what we’re doing across the Diocese of Arlington.
We walk with mothers in need, women in crisis pregnancies, their children, and families.
We offer healing to women who have experienced abortion.
We pray, fast, and advocate for laws that protect every human life, from conception until natural death.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington (CCDA) does great work with the needy in Northern Virginia.
For general information about CCDA, check out their website: ccda.net
To sign up for their newsletter, click here
To check out their many volunteer opportunities, click here.
For more information and general inquiries about the outreach and charitable works at St. Charles, please contact the parish office by phone at 703-527-5500 or by email at parishsecretary@stcharleschurch.org