By Eileen Connelly, OSU and David Eck

ARCHDIOCESE — There’s nothing quite as meaningful as helping others in need to bring a faith community together. That’s exactly what happened at St. Ann Parish in Groesbeck when parishioners raised funds for the Heifer Project during Lent.

Founded in 1944, Heifer International is a humanitarian organization that works to end world hunger. Through livestock, training and "passing on the gift," Heifer has helped more than eight and a half million families in 125 countries improve their quality of life and move toward greater self-reliance. Heifer helps build strong communities because each project participant agrees to pass on the gift of animal offspring, training or skills to another family in need.

HEIFER INTERNATIONAL/DARCY KIEFEL

"Passing on the gift" is a Heifer International cornerstone. Participants give offspring of their Heifer provided livestock to others, in an ever-widening circle of hope. Here, a woman in Nepal passes on a goat in a ceremonial setting.

The parish set a goal of raising $5,000 as part of Heifer International’s "Fill the Ark" program. Enthusiasm for the project was generated through announcements at Mass, notices in the bulletin and a "Fill the Ark" poster drawn by the children.

Parishioner response was overwhelming, Ferrier said. "It had to have been the Holy Spirit at work. I stood in the gathering space as people left church and some would just hand me $100 bills. Sometimes it was just a dollar, or the kids with their pennies and nickels, but every little bit helps. We raised $6,200. It was just phenomenal."

In addition, some families used ark banks provided by the organization. As they filled their ark-shaped bank with coins, they met the animals in Heifer’s Ark: an alpaca, bee, camel, chicken, cow, donkey, duck, fish, goose, guinea pig, horse, llama, pig, rabbit, sheep, water buffalo and yak. They learned how these animals help families through wool, honey and milk and in other ways. They also learned more about the environmental benefits of using animals wisely on a small farm.

After sending their check to Heifer International, the parish received a beautiful wood-framed plaque. It will be hung in the gathering space as a testament of how the project brought the parish together.

In Dayton, an emphasis on fair trade at some parishes has helped promote solidarity with developing countries.

A few years ago, Cathy Magness, a parishioner at Ascension Parish in Kettering, was looking for a project to undertake as part of her studies in the archdiocesan Lay Pastoral Ministry Program (LPMP).

She took on a monthly fair trade sale, something that had been identified in a parish mission. The fair trade program guarantees producers of food and other goods a fair wage for their work. In addition to the monthly sale, fair trade products are available regularly through the parish.

"My goal was to not only sell the fair trade products but to continue to educate the parishioners," she said. "We’re doing it as part of Catholic social teaching."

Typical fair trade products at Ascension include coffee, tea and chocolate. The quality of the items is high, and fair trade promotes support of small farm cooperatives and ensures a fair wage.

"The money that’s paying for the product goes directly to farmers in Third World developing countries to help support their families, build schools, increase their production," Magness said, "instead of the money going directly to large corporations."

The archdiocesan Catholic Social Action office, along with Catholic Relief Services, helps parishes get involved in fair trade. The program is not charity but simply a channel for a fair exchange.

CNS PHOTO BY GREG TARCZYNSKI

Fair trade coffee helps to ensure that farmers in developing countries receive a fair price for their labor.

At Ascension, parishioners appreciate the quality of the products and the fact that they are helping developing countries, Magness said. The parish sells about $300-350 worth of goods in a typical month.

In addition, teachers at Ascension have incorporated fair trade into their lesson plans.

"Sales are increasing regularly and people come up and tell me about fair trade," Magness said. "I know that they’re more aware of it."

A larger fair trade sale, which involves people from multiple parishes, is held the second Saturday of each December at Bergamo Center in Dayton. That sale features everything from unique gifts to gourmet food.

Several hundred people attend the one-day sale, which is managed by 80-100 volunteers. Last year’s sale, the fourth annual, generated about $30,000 in sales, said Cheryl Griffin, a parishioner at St. Albert the Great in Kettering and a committee member of the fair trade sale.

"Its not just a sale, but it’s a place where people can come and hear about what social justice is," Griffin said. "We would have . . . an educational focus for the shoppers."

Inserts about the cooperatives are made available and buyers hear stories about the artisans and farmers who created the goods. The event builds solidarity.

"It educates the buyers," Griffin said. "It really does make people feel more connected to the people who produce the items."

Her involvement in fair trade grew out her participation in a Just Faith group at the parish.

"It’s really nice stuff. You have really a unique shopping experience," she said. "Really, there aren’t any losers."