St. James Mission Circle

St. Leo & Catholic Charities Food Distribution program is still going strong, thanks to the work of Jannet Diaz, new coordinators Raphael and Alicia Rodmel, and all their volunteers. Food donations are always welcome to help the 70 families in the program, and can be dropped off at St. Leo from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please donate: * dried pinto beans * white rice * pasta... * fresh fruit and vegetables * milk * eggs (no canned food, please) Any questions? Contact Alicia and Raphael at [email protected] or 858-688-1102.

Please donate travel-size toiletries in the St. James office during business hours. The prisoners in the Tijuana jail and the homeless will greatly appreciate them.

Volunteer drivers are needed to help deliver desserts to the Safe Parking Program every Monday and Friday. For more information, please call Kathy Faller, 858-254-2008.

It takes a lot of peanut butter and jelly to make 1,000 sandwiches each week to feed the prisoners and homeless in Tijuana. Please leave your jars of creamy PB & any flavor jelly in the office of St. James during business hours. Thank you! Contact: Stephanie Kowack, [email protected].

More than 200 people are living in their cars overnight in local parking lots in the Safe Parking Program. Through coordination of services, we are helping to provide desserts Mondays and Fridays. Please wrap desserts individually, mark desserts containing nuts, and deliver to Kathy Faller before 4 PM on Mondays and Fridays, 604 Santa Helena, Solana Beach. Simply leave desserts on the bench near the front door. Thank you! Questions? Call Kathy, 858-254-2008.

A letter from Mission Circle's President: Greetings Mission Circle Supporters, As fall arrives we again pray that this letter finds you safe, healthy, and physically distanced. Mission Circle is restarting some activities, and we are grateful for your support. ...Continue reading

A Note From Deacon Peter: It's an honor to be asked by Fr. Gerard to help relaunch Mission Circle. It's also humbling - this incredible organization has been around for over 40 years and has seen many amazing successes in that time. So what's the plan? As Fr. Gerard advises me, move as slowly and as quickly as possible! (I'm sure it sounds better in French...) I'm currently gathering candidate names for the new Board and am happy to tell you that people are very excited by ...the opportunity. I will be providing these names to Fr. Gerard soon, and we'll be making some calls and selections. I've also received some suggestions for new initiatives - all welcome. Two criteria apply to all new ideas: First, does the idea qualify as a project to help others? And second, is it likely to attract the interest of our parishioners to help out? Mission Circle is all about engagement, and not simply about fundraising. Keep the ideas coming! In the meantime, take a look at https://missioncircle.com/missioncircle/ for all of the activities that are happening now (yes, during a pandemic!). See more

Mission Circle is embarking on an exciting new chapter. Please read this letter from Fr. Gerard: To All Parishioners and Supporters of Mission Circle from Fr. Gerard LeComte, CJM: For over 40 years, Mission Circle has been a key part of the St. James St. Leo Catholic Community. Under Fr. John Howard’s leadership, the intent of Mission Circle has always been to provide parishioners the opportunity to become missionaries for a day. Initially, this was focused on a needy h...ome for girls in Tijuana called Casa Eudes, and over the years, other projects have arisen that have expanded the reach of Mission Circle volunteers. These include the Food Packaging events, the peanut butter and jelly ministry, the shoe program, tutoring kids at the St. Leo Mission, cookies for Kairos, and other similar opportunities. As Pastor, my dream has been to integrate the spirit of Mission Circle into our faith community in a much more dynamic, inclusive way, touching all of our ministries. This is a challenging vision, but I’m excited to move it forward in a direct way today. I’ve asked Deacon Peter Hodsdon to take the lead as Administrator of Mission Circle, effective immediately, reporting to me. His immediate duty is to propose a new Board that represents all facets of the Parish, from the Academy to St. Leo to the Youth to Catechetical Ministry, and to revisit all of the programs under the Mission Circle umbrella. I am particularly interested in how to coordinate Mission Circle with our Social Justice committees so that we balance charity and justice in purpose and practice. I want to emphasize that this new direction is in no way a criticism of the current Board and leadership. They have recognized the need for new blood and new initiatives to me on several occasions and share my desire to see Mission Circle thrive and expand. Our parish owes a significant debt of gratitude to these dedicated volunteers. I have no doubt that they will continue to help us in the months ahead. Please join with me in realizing Mission Circle’s guiding principal people helping people in need.

Don't forget to donate school supplies for St. James and St. Leo, the St. Leo Tutoring Program, and St. James Academy for the coming year. Donations of brand-new items are due by Aug. 28 at the Parish Office (open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday) or at St. Leo Sunday Mass. Find the complete list of items needed here: https://missioncircle.com///01/lets-stuff-those-backpacks/ . For more information, contact Shirley Giese at [email protected].

In 2020, Kathy Faller's Casas de Luz program was set to build 30 houses for the working poor of Mexico. COVID-19 changed those plans, but Faller and her Mission Circle co-chair Jeanne Hansen pivoted and found ways to help our San Diego County neighbors instead. Learn more about their work in our August newsletter: http://missioncircle.com/missioncircle/newsletter/ . Make sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter to be delivered to your inbox!

St. Leo and Catholic Charities continue their food distribution program for anyone in need. Donations of fresh produce, sandwich bread/baguettes, dried pinto beans, uncooked white rice, and pasta are greatly appreciated. Donations can be dropped off at St. Leo from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. If you have questions or want help registering for the program, contact Jannet Diaz at [email protected].

Are you interested in taking a more active role in Mission Circle, either on an individual project or helping us to plan and carry out our activities? We are always glad to hear from people with energy and ideas. Get in touch with Mission Circle President Kevin O'Connor via the Contact Us link on our website: http://missioncircle.com/missioncircle/contact-us/ .

We may not be able to go back to Casa Eudes yet, but we can let you know the girls normally living there are back with their families for now, and the Sisters and psychologists still communicate with them weekly via Zoom and WhatsApp. A food drive for families is ongoing, and the young women in our Futures Program, in which we fund their college education, will still get to take classes online. You can still contribute to Casa Eudes, and all Mission Circle programs, by donating online at our website: https://missioncircle.com/missioncircle/donate/