ALOYSIA CONFERENCE: THE JOURNEY WR HAVE TAKEN OVER THE PAST YEAR, 2017-2018
The 31 members of the Aloysia Conference meet in person at Caritas Christi three times per year. Through discernment focused on the vision statements of the 2014 and 2016 chapters. Aloysia Conference decided to act in four areas in response to our wounded world:
1. CONTMEPLATIVE DIALOGUE: We engage in contemplative dialogue at each conference gathering, hoping to gain experience with it and become comfortable using it before the 2019 chapter. Four members of the conference engage in contemplative dialogue more frequently, plan contemplative dialogue at our conference sessions, and facilitate the process for small groups when we meet.
2. HOMELESS VETERANS: We reach out the homeless veterans in Westmoreland County in collaboration with the Homeless Veterans Program, an arm of Family Services of Western Pennsylvania. We have provided and delivered meals for several homeless veteras on special occasions of the year. We created 50 snack packs that were given to homeless vets who were hungry when they sought services through the program. Funding for the program came through a similar program in Allegheny County, until that program decided to pull funding for programs serving outlying counties in an effort to centralize organization of the services. Expansion into helping in other ways has been interrupted by this decision.
The Sunrise Center for Homeless Veterans is going to be located on the grounds of the closed state correctional institution at Greensburg. This holds much promise for future collaboration.
3. ENCOURAGE EFFORTS TO MAKE GOOD THINGS HAPPEN: We reach out with notes of thanks to individuals and groups whom we identify as making good things happen. We do this to encourage others in their efforts to reach out to others in need.
4. ATTRACT MORE LAITY TO OUR SPACE: We affirmed interest in increasing the attraction of laity to using our space. Thoughts run along the line of environmental education. This idea is still in the forming stage.
SHU FOOD LOCKER: The Aloysia Conference has begun supporting the Food Locker at Seton Hill University. This is a way to respond to a hunger problem among students. The Food Locker is well used and seems to be an effective way to help students succeed with the college careers.
EDUCATION ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY: There is also interest in the Conference in providing an educational opportunity for sisters in the area of sustainable energy. This idea is also in the forming stage.