Our Mission
To support people in need to live with dignity in the community
Inspired by the Spirit of Christ, St. John’s family seeks to serve persons who struggle with mental health issues, addictions, homelessness, and poverty in the City of Newark. We seek to provide support for this community through addressing the developmental requirements of individuals in need.
Through personal encounter, we serve them and seek to overcome the marginalization they experience that obstructs the realization of their human dignity.
“The Church is likewise conscious of the responsibility which all of us have for our world, for the whole of creation, which we must love and protect. There is much that we can do to benefit the poor, the needy and those who suffer, and to favor justice, promote reconciliation and build peace.”
-Pope Francis, March 20, 2013 (Audience with Representatives of the Churches and Ecclesial Communities and of the Different Religions)
Our Vision
To Include and share God’s compassion
As members of the Body of Christ, we recognize that all God’s Children without exception are equally loved by Him and receive their human dignity from Him as part of His creation. We envision a community that respects and includes all human beings as we strive to share with them the Compassion of our loving God.
The members of this community see themselves as cooperators in God’s act of creation and thereby obliged to treat His creation with love, gentleness, kindness, and care.
We trust in the generous spirit of our volunteers, donors, and all those who become part of our family, sharing their talents and gifts in order to serve those who are most vulnerable among us.
STORY
We want to give a special thank you
The Soup Kitchen at St. John’s Church was started by Msgr. John P. Hourihan (“Father John” as he was affectionally known) early in the time he served as pastor of St. John’s Church, from 1972 to 2008. Fr. John dedicated his life to helping the poor, the disabled and those in need, with great love and energy, and with the support of many people. He was able to keep the important work done at St. John’s alive through the free-will offerings of “doers & donors” as he liked to call the hundreds of volunteers and benefactors who supported his work. Fr. John’s particular ministry to the deaf community is the basis for Masses at which sign language interpreters serve, to allow the deaf to fully participate in the Mass.
We can be sure that Fr. John, who passed away in 2008 would be proud to see the work done today at St. John’s Church as we have been expanding our services not only feeding the hungry but services as Health Clinic and Women’s Center. “St. John’s has been able to inspire people with hope”, Fr. John often said, as this was key to all of its good work.
For additional information about Fr. John, and the Foundation he established in 1997 to support the poor and disabled, please visit www.thefatherjohnfoundation.org.