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.
 
 
 
 
General Information Update:
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, CIA members have had to change the ways in which we fulfill our mission. Please know that the people of St. Clare Parish and School, the state of Texas and the world are in our prayers. The following is effective until further notice:
 
CIA is accepting calls for emergency outreach assistance, and is working with Interfaith Caring Ministries to assist those in need. If you know of anyone who needs emergency help with rent or utilities, please have them call 713-530-7453.
 
CIA members and other parishioners continue to feed the local homeless, in partnership with local charity The Mercy Tree. Though we can no longer participate in serving the 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 Debbie at 832-284-4920. Information on The Mercy Tree and their mission to feed the hungry and homeless of Clear Lake can be found at www.themercytree.org.
 
Please keep saving your cancelled stamps, used eyeglasses, and manufacturer coupon circulars.  CIA members put these “recycled” items to good use at several charities. When the church reopens fully, we will ask that you deposit collected items in the wooden cabinet near the food basket in the hallway to the Conference Center. Items will be sent for charitable purposes to Franciscan Ministries (stamps,) the Lions Club (glasses,) and our adopted military base in Guam (clipped coupons.)
 
St. Clare’s CIA food basket currently is not open for donations. Below are opportunities to help at the two local organizations typically supported by our food basket. You can bring food donations to Clear Lake Food Pantry at Clear Lake Baptist Church, 15700 Space Center Blvd. Donations can be dropped off Sundays and Wednesdays, 3-4 p.m. If you need food assistance or have questions please call 281-702-0203. St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Nassau Bay is looking for volunteers to help at their weekly food fairs. Each Saturday, 30-35 volunteers aged 18+ work with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to distribute two truckloads of food to neighbors in need. Volunteers wear masks and gloves, observe social distancing and are screened before work for health concerns. For more information about volunteering, or to receive assistance at a food fair, go to https://www.stpaulcatholic.org/society-of-st-vincent-de-paul-1
 
 
More Ways to Help:
The best way you can be a Christian in action at home is through prayer. St. Clare has wonderful resources at the main online webpage. Other opportunities: The Catholic Company offers a free, online Morning Offering delivered to your email inbox. It has prayers, information on the saint of the day and links to daily scripture. Currently, it also features a Spiritual Communion and a prayer for healing during the pandemic. To sign up, visit this webpage: www.morningoffering.com. Bishop Robert Barron offers a brief, daily gospel reflection delivered to your email. Sign up at www.dailycatholicgospel.com. Catholic Online offers information on saints and prayers at www.catholic.org.
 
A lot of activity in CIA centers on personal interaction with those in the community. But not all of it has to. There are creative ways each of us can be a Christian in action while we honor a community stay-at-home order. The Greater Good is a 20-year-old organization that raises funds for a myriad of efforts, among them giving food to hungry people and pets, funding mammograms for poor women, and supporting research on diabetes and Alzheimer’s. You can help with a simple click of your computer mouse. Go to the online site greatergood.com. Move to the second dropdown menu, “Get Involved,” and select the first choice, “Click to Give—FREE.” After you click on the first giving “button,” a table of other click options will appear. For every button you click, the organization gets a donation. It’s effective and so easy for you to help others without leaving home. You can sign up for a daily email reminder to go to the site.
 
Blood supplies in the Houston area are critically low, due to the pandemic. The care of some medical patients is being affected. St. Clare recently held an on-site blood drive to help alleviate the crisis. Thanks to those who participated. If you missed it and would like to donate, visit www.mdandersonbloodbank.org or call 713-792-7777 for M. D. Anderson blood donations, or visit www.giveblood.org or call 281-447-0053 for the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center.
 
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 support. To donate to this effort, 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. You can mail or deliver your donation with your regular St. Clare contribution. 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 by visiting Kroger.com. Questions? Contact Yvette at 281-480-1330.
 
 
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 Brigid at 281-488-5957.