Sylva — In the spirit of their parish patroness who unreservedly gave her yes to God, the members of St. Mary, Mother of God Parish have dedicated themselves to those in need this year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Charlotte.
As part of their multi-pronged approach, the parish held blood drives for the American Red Cross, fed the hungry, chopped wood for those in need, collected school supplies for children at area schools, raised money for a pregnancy care center, created cards for senior citizens, provided English as a Second Language (ESL) and computer-skills classes, and beautified their Marian grotto.
Parishioner Susan Szarek, who coordinated blood drives at the parish in June and December, said they collected a total of 44 pints of blood, which has the potential to save 132 lives. Szarek reflected on why she gives back in this way.
“I always appreciate the grace to donate blood,” she said. “One pint can save up to three people’s lives! Just the thought of Jesus shedding His Blood for me, always makes me feel good about potentially helping someone else.”
From Mother’s Day to Father’s Day, the parish held a Baby Bottle Campaign to raise money for the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center.
In September, the parish collected school supplies for school-aged children in Jackson County and coordinated with their local Catholic Charities office to donate the items to local children in need.
In November, the local Knights of Columbus Council 9722 delivered hams and turkeys to The Community Table in Sylva, an organization that serves Jackson County residents dinner four nights a week.
St. Mary Mother of God Parish also has started ESL classes for parishioners that are focused on the parish’s Hispanic members but are also open to the community. They meet weekly to learn and practice English. They also began offering computer classes for those wanting to learn to navigate websites for employment and assistance providers.
Students from the parish and surrounding areas also got involved. The kindergarten faith formation class spruced up the parish’s Marian grotto. On Nov. 9, five kindergarteners and first graders in the parish faith formation program made Thanksgiving cards for Skyland Rehabilitation Facility in Sylva. The children decorated the cards and wrote notes in them with wishes for a blessed Thanksgiving.
In addition, several students from Western Carolina University’s Catholic Campus Ministry chopped wood for residents who may only have wood-burning stoves or heaters in their homes. Residents are allowed to come and take as much chopped wood as they need to get through the winter. The service is deeply appreciated, especially during the cold temperatures this season.
— Annie Ferguson
