St. Thomas the Apostle
Mass Schedule
Mon. - Sat. 8 AM
Saturday 5 PM
Sunday 8 & 11 AM
Holyday Masses
Day Before 5:30 PM
Holyday 8 AM
Confessions
Sat. 3:30 - 4:30 PM
Adoration Chapel
Mon. - Fri.
9 AM - 11 PM
Blessing of expectant mothers and families after Mass on the 1st Sunday of each month.
Irondequoit Catholic Community
Celebrating 100 years
Irondequoit Catholic Community Web Site
Clustered Worship Sites:
Individual Worship Sites:
One of the most active and controversial areas of Catholic doctrine is the concept of social ministry. Like any broad concept, this aspect of Catholic teaching is probably more often discussed than understood. The basis of social ministry doctrine is the belief that the church has a duty to promote basic truths about human dignity and value by teaching, witnessing and action.
Social doctrine can be divided into two equal parts The first and more accepted is the idea of charity. The second and most controversial is social justice. Charity is easy to understand and to support while the concept of social justice is more difficult and much more controversial. No one would argue against charitable works but there are many who are at least suspicious, and at the most, hostile to social justice advocacy.
The notion of social justice is based on four assumptions. First the equality of all people regardless of race, creed, gender, national origin or social class. Next that the goods of the earth are meant to be shared by all; each person has a right to a level of resources which allows a certain minimum standard of living. Third, the church assumes a "preferential option for the poor." It is our first duty to act as advocate for those who have Been denied their fair share. Finally, the church recognizes that the institutions of society are easily manipulated to the advantage of those in power and the determent of those without power.
These underlying assumptions are rooted in the life of Jesus. Jesus' life was one of humility and service. He performed the ultimate service of sacrificing himself on the cross for the good of all. During his life on earth, he not only healed the spiritual and physical ailments of others, he spoke out against the unjust social structures of his times. He often pointed out the hypocrisy of religious as well as civil law. He was quick to condemn the notion, prevalent in his time, that some groups were inherently better than others. The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), for example, is more than a sweetly sentimental tale about helping one's neighbor. It is, rather, an indictment of hypocrisy of religious leaders who would refuse to help someone in need because to do so would mean violating religious laws. It is also a scathing indictment of the prevailing opinion that Samaritans were inherently inferior to Jews. The Jews looked upon the Samaritan the way our society looks upon poor people of color and white trash. Likewise Jesus' meeting with the woman at the well (John 4:5-42) was a daring and even shocking story which affirmed the dignity of women in a society based upon the principle of male superiority. To put this story in perspective, it was as shocking for Jesus to publicly share a drink with a Samaritan woman as it would be today for a well known church leader to stand at a street corner in the inner city drinking wine out of a paper bag with street people, winos, prostitutes and muggers.
Jesus assumed and sacramentalized the role of a lowly servant to witness to his love and respect for all people. The judgment day story of the sheep and the goats (Matthwe 25:31-46) leaves no doubt as to the critical importance of serving the poor. He showed by example how we should live. At the last supper he put on the uniform of the most humble servant and washed the feet of his friends (John 13:2-17). Then he told them -- and us -- to do the same.
In the last 100 years, Catholic teaching on social ministry has been one of the brightest spots in our history. From the encyclical of Pope Leo XIII in 1891 to the Puebla Conference documents of Pope John Paul II, the church has forthrightly, courageously and unequivocally affirmed the sanctify of human life and our Christian duty to nurture that life.
Some of the Social Committee's activities are:
