Grade 12 students Hannah Sergent and Bianka Kliman were so inspired by a film shown in their social justice class that they launched a fundraiser for refugees that collected $771 and raised awareness of the plight of refugees.

The students at Archbishop Carney Regional Secondary School in Port Coquitlam watched a group of Sudanese children become orphans and refugees during civil war in The Good Lie. It opened their eyes to the plight of refugees and led them to organize a Jean Day at school Oct. 30, where students could skip wearing uniforms for the day in exchange for a toonie.

The students present a cheque to pastor Father Maciej Wos.

The students raised $771 for the refugee resettlement program at St. Clare of Assisi Parish.

“Hannah and Bianka were excited to bring community awareness to the needs of refugees,” said mother Debbie Sergent. “Thanks to their teacher Sister Mary Martha Hetzler for opening their world to social injustices and showing them that everyone can make a difference.”

In White Rock, a group of people is caring for vulnerable populations closer to home.

A crew of sewers, measurers, and volunteers at Star of the Sea Parish called Helpers of St. Anne are busy sewing winter coats that convert into sleeping bags to donate to the homeless this winter.

Volunteers with the Helpers of St. Anne sew coats that can be converted into sleeping bags.

Organizer Carolyn Wharton said it is the group’s 19th year creating these “comfort coats,” and due to COVID-19 regulations the group has faced many challenges to keep the project going. Volunteers have had to space out in the parish gymnasium in lower numbers and wear masks as they sew and knit on Monday nights. Others prepare fabrics at their own homes.

“Garments go only to the most needy homeless persons in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland and will be distributed in December or January when the temperature drops to concerning levels.”

This spring, with the help of coordinators Margaret Gregson, Arnalda Benetti, and Ana Castrillon, the group also sewed 2,500 face masks and distributed them to senior and care homes in the South Surrey and White Rock areas.

Meanwhile, as churches were closed to public worship, some parishes found novel ways to bring the Eucharist to the faithful.

Drive-up Communion at St. Matthew’s. (Facebook)
St. Matthew’s in Surrey and St. Joseph’s in Mission are inviting parishioner to watch livestreamed Mass in their car, after which Communion is distributed to passengers.


The Communion line at St. Joseph’s, Mission. (Facebook)


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