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Thursday, June 30, 2016

Luncheon and Memorial Rosary in Memory of Servants of the Father of Mercy Lay Sister and Missionary, Alicia Padilla!






When:  Sunday, July 3, 2016
Where:  Servants of the Father of Mercy Warehouse Chapel
Address:  1544 Morse Avenue, Ventura, CA 93003...
Time:  2pm to 4pm


Alicia Padilla made her profession as a lay sister of the third order serving the 80,000 + homeless of the Servants of the Father of Mercy in 2013. She volunteered often making one-quart hygiene/sock kits for the homeless as well as baking cookies and hosting bake sale fundraisers. She is loved and will be missed by all the Servants of the Father of Mercy. Alicia died in her house trailer this past weekend and was found by her son and Servants of the Father of Mercy neighbor, Maggie Cervantes. Alicia was 83 years-old.

You and your family are invited. Please RSVP in the comments below . . .

Serve Orange County Homeless!



Servants of the Father of Mercy in Orange County is introducing a monthly team meeting at 2 pm on the last Sunday of each month, at Coco's or Denny's, the exact location TBA. It will be about a 60 minute planning meeting to increase supplies and grow the team with kind and compassionate servants of the homeless. There will be a 30 minute lunch - we all can pay our own way. Next OC meeting is Sunday, July 31st, 2pm.

Table discussion planned:
1. What to do about getting storage for our snacks and water donations.
2. Your ideas?


We have a new group member that joined from Facebook (the Servants of the Father have been sharing online our 15th Anniversary StreetReach from last Saturday in downtown Los Angeles) The new guy is Nick.

Remember, because of the summertime Archdiocese of Los Angeles Mission Sundays and their many speaking engagements we do not have Skid Row StreetReach in Los Angeles at the end of July. The next one is Saturday, August 27th meeting at St. Peter's Church in Chinatown at 11am.

For more information contact or message on Facebook Bro. Mark Burke the team leader for Orange County and founder of our chapter of the Servants of the Father of Mercy in the Anaheim/Costa Mesa area. You can email Bro. Mark Burke at markburke10@gmail.com

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

We Deliver!


(Photo) Servants of the Father of Mercy, (Locations in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange Counties) delivery truck getting ready to drop off badly needy supplies of water, food, shoes, socks, clothing, blankets, rosaries and more to 1,000s of Southern California homeless people in danger of dehydration, malnutrition and even death - Saturday, June 25, 2016.  Servants of the Father of Mercy - 15th Anniversary Year - 2001 - 2016 . . .  "Live Love!"  Join the volunteer team right from your own home - anywhere in the world, call us at 310-595-4175.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

"A homeless person without a bottle of water is a dead homeless person." Bro. Gary Joseph, s.F.m. +


"A homeless person without a bottle of water is a dead homeless person." Bro. Gary Joseph, s.F.m. +

Monday, June 27, 2016

EACH HOMELESS PERSON HAS A STORY!















Compassion tells us that each person is unique and certainly no one chooses to be homeless. Their stories are intricate, combining threads woven into tapestry of mental illness, self-medication, rejection, war, post-traumatic stress, physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, secrets and shame.

Enjoy the pictures from Servants of the Father of Mercy StreetReach, Saturday, June 25, 2016. Look at their faces and imagine the many stories that lie hidden under a few smiles and yet many miles of physical and emotional pain.

Servants of the Father of Mercy, "Live Love!" Join the volunteer team that delivers food, water, clothing, shoes, socks, hygiene kits and more to the 80,000 + homeless in Southern California and beyond. Call Bro. Joseph today and become a volunteer . . . (310) 595-4175 Locations in Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. www.servantsofthefather.org

Celebrate with us in photos the Servants of the Father of Mercy 15th Anniversary - 2001 - 2016 - Delivering food, water clothes, shoes, hygiene kits and more to 80,000 + homeless in Southern California and beyond!













THREE HOURS OF PEACE AND MUSIC - "THAT 70S CONCERT!"

Pictures from last Friday night. Celebrate with us in photos the Servants of the Father of Mercy 15th Anniversary - 2001 - 2016 - Delivering food, water clothes, shoes, hygiene kits and more to 80,000 + homeless in Southern California and beyond!

May God Bless and Thanks to . . .

1.  El Asadero - Taco Truck Catering
2.  Manuel Estrada and Oscar Estrada - Lighting and Sound
3.  Moon Jump Party Rentals - Bounce House, Tables/Chairs
4.  Kevin Klier - Host
5.  Ventura Star - Advertising
6.  Roberto Garcia Mortuary - Advertising Support
7.  Nimfa Schmitz - Keyboard and Vocals
8.  Mark Arellano - Bass, Flute, Vocals
9.  Patty Verdugo - Vocals
10. Tracy Smith - Vocals

Servants of the Father of Mercy, "Live Love!" Join the volunteer team that delivers food, water, clothing, shoes, socks, hygiene kits and more to the 80,000 + homeless in Southern California and beyond. Call Bro. Joseph today . . . (310) 595-4175 Locations in Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. www.servantsofthefather.org

Sunday, June 26, 2016

On the Streets of Los Angeles Celebrating Our 15th Anniversary with the Homeless


Pope Francis says Christians should apologize to gay people . . .


Aboard the Papal Plane, Sun. Jun. 26, 2016 (CNN) — Pope Francis said Sunday that Christians owe apologies to gays and others who have been offended or exploited by the church, remarks that some Catholics hailed as a breakthrough in the church's tone toward homosexuality.

"I repeat what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: that they must not be discriminated against, that they must be respected and accompanied pastorally," Francis said at a press conference aboard the papal plane returning from Armenia.

"The Church must ask forgiveness for not behaving many times -- when I say the Church, I mean Christians! The Church is holy, we are sinners!"

"I believe that the church not only should apologize to the person who is gay whom it has offended," he added, "but has to apologize to the poor, to exploited women, to children exploited for labor; it has to ask forgiveness for having blessed many weapons."

The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor at large of America magazine, called the Pope's apology to gays and lesbians "a groundbreaking moment."

The Pope's comments came in response to a question about a German Cardinal who said the Catholic Church should apologize for being "very negative" about gays. The Pope was also asked, by the same journalist, whether Christians bear some blame for hatred toward the LGBT community, as horrifically demonstrated in the Orlando massacre at a gay night club that killed 49 people on June 12.

Francis first uttered that rhetorical question -- Who am I to judge gay people? -- in 2013, also during a news conference on the papal plane. His comments were hailed as a breakthrough for a church that has historically condemned homosexuality, often in harsh terms. Francis has not changed church doctrine that calls homosexual acts sinful, but he has shown a more merciful approach to people on the margins, including gays and lesbians.

Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, a Catholic gay rights group, called the Pope's remarks "an immense blessing of healing."

"No pope has said more welcoming words to LGBT people than when Pope Francis today offered his recommendation that the Church -- indeed all Christians -- should apologize for the harm religious traditions have caused to LGBT people. The pope's statement was simple, yet powerful, and it fell from his lips so easily."

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Servants of the Father of Mercy, "Live Love!"  Join the volunteer team that delivers food, water, clothing, shoes, socks, hygiene kits and more to the 80,000 + homeless in Southern California and beyond.  Call Bro. Joseph today . . . (310) 595-4175  Locations in Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.  www.servantsofthefather.org 

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Feelin' Groovy?



"THAT 70S CONCERT"

LIVE!

FEELIN' GROOVY?

THE SERVANTS . . . 15TH ANNIVERSARY - 2001 - 2016

FREE CELEBRATION! . . .

Servants of the Father of Mercy, THIS Friday, June 24th, 6pm to 9pm, FREE concert, picnic, taco truck, bounce house and games for children. As announced in the The Ventura Star, VCReporter, The Breeze and the Santa Paula Times. 1544 Morse Avenue, Suite A, Ventura, CA 93003

Hey Mister Tambourine Man, Join us! RSVP in the comments below!

A love offering fundraiser for the homeless will be taken up during the concert!

Monday, June 13, 2016

PRAY FOR THE ORLANDO VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES . . .


"Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:1-5

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Servants of the Father of Mercy Now Famous Retreat Cookies



Okay everyone, here is the recipe for Servants of the Father of Mercy, now famous retreat cookies!  Quaker Oats, 75% less - reduced sugar . . .

Low-calorie "Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies"

INGREDIENTS
1 Stick cold butter plus
6 Tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup Splenda Blend Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Truvia Blend Sugar for Baking
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon salt
3 Cups Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
1 Cup Raisins
3/4 Cup walnuts or pecans lightly chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
2. In an electric mixer cream butter, Splenda brown sugar and Truvia Baking Sugar one minute on low. Beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add eggs and vanilla and cream together on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
4. Add mixture of flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda and mix at low speed for about 1 - 2 minutes.
5. Add oats, nuts and raisins on low speed and mix for about 1 - 2 minutes.
6. For bite-size cookies, drop by heaping teaspoon onto cookie sheets that are lightly sprayed with Pam about 1.5 inches apart. Bake in the middle of the oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cool cookie trays 10 minutes in the freezer before removing from the pans each cookie with a spatula. Place on a wire rack. Cool completely before storing in Tupperware. Makes about 8 dozen small cookies or 4 dozen medium-size cookies. (For medium size cookies drop by tablespoon onto cookie sheets.)

Feeling creative?  Substitute the raisins with chocolate, white chocolate or butterscotch chips or dried cranberries. 




Servants of the Father of Mercy is an IRS 501 ( c ) 3 tax exempt, nonprofit California corporation Association of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles - delivering to 80,000 + homeless food, water, clothing, hygiene kits, rosaries, prayer cards and more . . . It can't be done without you. Join us Sundays at 2pm for free lunch and volunteers' team meeting. Be a part of the team. Live love! Servants of the Father of Mercy HQ - 1544 Morse Avenue, Ventura, CA 93003 - cell - 310-595-4175.


Saturday, June 4, 2016

SHE'S 90 BUT STILL KICKIN' AND GIVIN'!

90-year-old Alice Maes stays young and on the road to heaven as she rode shotgun today, Saturday, June 4, 2016 on the Servants of the Father of Mercy, Toyota, Tundra delivery truck to Los Angeles' skid row.  After meeting at our supplies warehouse at 10am, Mrs. Maes began her journey packin' cases of water, boxes of clothing and snacks for the homeless like any trucker.  In fact, much like riding a horse, she got the show on the road by kicking up, reaching up and jumping in the cab like any cowboy, or should we say cowgirl?

Alice made the front page of many hearts today by handing out bottles of water in the baking heat of the cement jungle.  She followed up each encounter with folksy wisdom, savvy advice and motherly love and hugs.  Her only hope is that you, your family and friends might set time aside to meet our 80,000 + homeless family here in Southern California - to see them, care, laugh, love, hug, pray and give.  Become a Servants of the Father of Mercy volunteer by calling us on our cell at 310-595-4175 with locations in Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange County.  Or email, Info@servantsofthefather.org.  Enjoy the pictures!