Our Advent Giving Trees, complete with the donation envelopes, are once again benefiting the Knights of Malta Mobile House of Care and our parish’s Neighbors in Need Fund.

 

The Malta House of Care provides free healthcare including diagnosis, treatments, and long-term medicines for those in need in greater Hartford. Neonatal care and mammograms, physicals, diabetic A1C tests and insulin; and other tests, medicines, and exams as well as referrals to specialists, the Malta House of Care brings medical care right into the neighborhoods where people live as many of the patients they serve are without transportation or assistance.

• The Malta medical professionals provide healthcare within the context of the Catholic faith, respecting the dignity of the human person, as medical treatments are offered via compassionate and respectful care.
• In addition to the mobile medical vans that go into the neighborhoods of the needy, beginning this year the Knights of Malta have a permanent site as the Archdiocese of Hartford has provided real estate behind the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, which comprises medical examination rooms, doctor’s offices, medical supply rooms, waiting rooms and an attached food shelter to help families with necessary nutritional support.
• Since we began our parish’s support of the Knights of Malta, our parish has raised $431,413.00 through our Advent Giving Tree program, and are part of a collaborative team that has provided medical care to more than 70,000 patients. Bravo!

Neighbors in Need is a parish fund that provides support to those in need in the greater Farmington Valley. Whether the need is food, assistance with oil, electricity or other household bills, or with auto repairs so that one may hold on to their jobs, the generosity of our parishioners have helped so many families, elderly residents and single parents in need.

• While we live in the Farmington Valley and comfort seemingly abounds, there are many folks who are in need of daily necessities. With our current economic difficulties increasing, people have asked for help with electricity bills, food insuffiencies, prescription co-pays and more—and thanks to the generosity of our parish we are able to be Christ to those in need. Vetting individual requests requires some investigating and cooperation with the town of Simsbury, so we do our best to help those truly in need on an emergency basis.

It is my sincere hope that God’s abundant blessings may be upon us all, and that His Love may inspire us all to consider our own blessings and how we might be able to help those in need, without judgment—but simply with the heart of Christ and generosity. Peace and joy this Advent Season and in the coming Christmastime.