As the season of Thanksgiving is upon us, I am grateful for two important events that happened quietly and with little fanfare.

First, recall with me that the emergency overnight shelter begun in partnership with Housing Forward, opened in January 2023 in the then unused rectory at our Saint Catherine of Siena-Saint Lucy Church site. There was a need, and we were asked to help by opening that space for 20 individuals who would need a warm place to sleep. We responded and 1,025 nights of serving the homeless happened in a most unlikely place. An unused rectory with five bedrooms and bathrooms was a sanctuary of care and hope for those most in need. What a great achievement to have people served in such a way because of the goodwill of others. This happened alongside both SisterHouse, in the repurposed convent, and Saint Catherine-Saint Lucy School next door, all with little incident. I am grateful to our parish communities’ members who supported this effort as well as to the steadfast staff and leadership of Housing Forward.

The building is now being used as offices for Housing Forward, The Bridge Center and Faith and Fellowship Ministry and the guests have been relocated to a larger better equipped facility to house those in need, also found in Oak Park at Humphrey Avenue and South Boulevard.

There was a need, we responded!

When we responded to the need to help our migrant brothers and sisters coming to the Austin area, that ministry also began at the underutilized rectory at Saint Catherine-Saint Lucy but then moved to the closed Saint Edmund School building. This ministry grew, expanded, and served so many with meals, clothing, ESL lessons, and legal services. Most importantly, those who came were served with dignity, compassion and were given a sense of hope and welcome. As you know, the ministry is pivoting as the immigration climate and situation is changing. There has been much good publicity about how our Oak Park Catholic Communities and our Neighbors, working together, Catholics, Jews, Protestants, and non- religious stood side-by-side to create such a wonderful space and ministry.


I want to share that on November 5, Dominican University, at their 2025 Caritas Veritas Symposium: Embodied Work: Justice and Innovation, gave our Migrant Ministry the Bradford O’Neil Medallion for Social Justice. I was honored to have been at the ceremony with Celine and Don Woznica alongside some of the ministry leadership team and volunteers. Their work has embodied justice and innovation in responding to a great need at the time. Congratulations to all!

Thank you to all of our parish communities for stepping up in such generous and faith-filled ways, supporting Housing Forward, The Neighborhood Bridge, and our Migrant Ministry. Together we have responded to real human needs with compassion. Uniting our parishes has had its challenges yet look at the strength that has emerged when we worked together. In our shared mission, we are truly living the Gospel and shining the light of Christ for others to see. And, at this time of uncertainty in our country and the world, we need the light of Christ to shine.

Have a great week.

With you a Christian. For you, a priest.

Fr. Carl Morello
Pastor
Ascension and St. Edmund Parish
St. Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy and St. Giles Parish