Christians in Action

Our Mission:
Believing that we cannot proclaim a gospel we do not live, we dedicate our activities to promoting the welfare of those in need of comfort, shelter and food and, through education and action, to working for justice and peace.


CIA Prayer:
Dear Lord, you are the light that brings us together. We thank you for the gifts that you have given each of us to do your work. Help us to remember our blessings and to recognize the needs of your people. Grant that our minds and hearts are open to your will and give us the wisdom to know how we can serve you. In the spirit of St. Clare, may we respond with charity and love. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.


Meetings:
CIA members (below) invite you to join us as we meet the second Tuesday of each month, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Contact Gordon at 832-580-8006 for information.



General Information:
CIA is accepting calls for emergency outreach financial assistance and is working with Interfaith Caring Ministries to assist those in need. If you know of anyone in local zip codes 77058, 77059, 77062, 77546, 77565, 77573, 77586, and 77598 who needs short-term, critical help with rent or utilities, please have them call 713-530-7452, from Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-noon. Volunteers will answer calls and offer help as available.

CIA members and other parishioners continue to feed the local homeless in partnership with local charity The Mercy Tree. Though we can no longer serve lunches, church volunteers are able to bring prepared food to TMT workers, who then box lunches for recipients. For information on St. Clare’s participation, contact Nancy at 281-286-4548.


Projects/Events: July-September
The annual School Supplies Drive, which helps children of low-income families, began in mid- July, as CIA members handed out lists of needed items in the Narthex after Masses. Donations may be brought to specially marked bins in the hallway to the Conference Center, through Aug. 7.  Your gifts help ensure that needy children who attend Our Lady of Fatima (Texas City) and Our Lady of Lourdes (Hitchcock) Catholic schools have a good start to their education year. For information, call Kathye at 281-782-8825. Thanks for your participation.

On Aug. 13, CIA will sponsor a Desserts for Donations fund raiser at the Knights of Columbus BBQ dinner. Donations help fund CIA’s many outreach efforts. We hope to see you for dinner and dessert in the Parish Hall.  

Recent Efforts:
During May, the month of Armed Forces Day and Veterans Day, parishioners supported the Hospitalized Veterans Project, donating 26 boxes of useful items for our military men and women who receive treatment at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.  Thank you for your support.   

In addition to helping client families with emergency outreach financial assistance, the donations from parishioners and others, and recent fund-raising efforts allowed CIA to give financial support to charities that offer help throughout our community, for services including food banks, pregnancy aid, senior services, help for the homeless and refugees, and aid to battered women and children.  Thank you for your caring concern.

Thank You So Much:
St Clare’s Christians In Action members gratefully thank all parishioners for your support of our outreach efforts last year. After an extended period of reduced activities due to the pandemic, CIA restarted to a near-normal level of  activity in August 2021. Your caring and generous response to these activities ensured that St. Clare parishioners assisted some of the most needy in our community. Below are some of the ways you helped others during 2021.

• Provided lunch for homeless clients of The Mercy Tree six times during the year
• Gave emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities to nearly 170 clients, for a total of almost $75,000
• Donated 3,500 pounds of food to the local hungry served by Galveston County Food Bank, in the Thanksgiving Food Drive
• Shared Christmas blessings and gifts with numerous clients of Houston shelter Casa Juan Diego and many at-risk CCISD students, in the Spirit of Christmas Project
• Offered nearly 2,000 free greeting cards for the use of inmates at the nearby Carol S. Young Prison
• Provided weekly food donations to the Clear Lake Food Pantry, and recycled used eyeglasses and postage stamps, to assist non-profit groups.

 Ongoing Support:
Because parishioner contributions to CIA’s monthly envelope pay for nearly all of CIA’s financial outreach assistance to the needy, we humbly request your continued support. To donate, please use your monthly envelope entitled CIA Aid to the Poor and Needy. It is collected the fourth weekend of each month. If you don’t have an envelope, just note “for CIA” at lower left on your check. Thank you for making a difference to those in need.

Link your Kroger Plus Card to KM540 and St. Clare’s Christians In Action will earn money to help clients who need emergency outreach assistance. You need to link your card only once, either at a store customer desk or at www.Kroger.com.


Prayer During Coronavirus Pandemic:
O clement, O loving, O sweet Mother Mary, we, your children of every nation, turn to you in this pandemic. Our troubles are numerous; our fears are great. Grant that we might deposit them at your feet, take refuge in your Immaculate Heart, and obtain peace, healing, rescue, and timely help in all our needs. You are our Mother. Pray for us to your Son. Amen.


If you have questions, please call Gale at 713-254-0305.