Phone Email YouTube

Social Concerns Ministries

- As Catholics we are called to be Christ's hands and feet in serving and ministering to others in need. Please consider the many ways St. Patrick's strives to reach out to those in need, and consider how you might be called to share your time and talents to support these efforts.
Respect Life Ministry
- MISSION STATEMENT
  St. Patrick's upholds the Gospel message of respecting all life from conception to natural death. In response to the Gospel of Life, St. Patrick's commits to prayer, education, and action in defense of life. It is our mission to foster in our parish community awareness of the dignity and sanctity of all human life, from conception to natural death. We are dedicated to observing and promoting the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church on all life issues, including abortion, euthanasia, infanticide, assisted suicide, and stem cell research.
  
  VOTE PRO-LIFE!
  
  Maryland Right to Life - follow legislation and voting records.
  
  Voter Guide - Vote Pro-Life!
  
  Say No to Taxpayer Funding of Abortion! Join your voice with other Catholics HERE in opposing taxpayer funding of abortion.
  
  "ANGEL FRIENDS"
  
  Angel Friend Teams are church volunteers who accompany women to thrive through pregnancy and beyond. They bring the love of their whole church to bear to help you and your family grow.
  
  Are you interested in becoming an "Angel Friend" to a mom in crisis. Training is available. If interested, please contact: [email protected].
  
  PUBLICATIONS
  
  Abortion is NOT Healthcare - USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities
  
  Respect Life Ministry overview - Newsletter
  
  EDUCATION
  
  speaking events - go to https://stpatricksmd.org/social-concerns-speaking-events-1
  
  movies nights
  
  CATECHISM
  
  2270. “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life."
  
  2271. “Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law: You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish. God the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.”
Charitable Giving & St. Brigid of Ireland Ministry
- Poor Box Ministries
  
  St. Brigid of Ireland Ministry - Parish ministry for the poor. See here for more information.
Community Outreach
- “All men are called to the same end: God himself. There is a certain resemblance between the unity of the divine persons and the fraternity that men are to establish among themselves in truth and love. Love of neighbor is inseparable from love for God.”
  
  - The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1878
  
  Emergency Financial Assistance - see St. Brigid of Ireland Ministry
  
  Food Collections every 3rd Sunday! - St. Patrick's collects non-perishable food items every 3rd Sunday in the church parking lot betwen 8am-12:00pm. The food donations go to St. Martin's Food Pantry in Olney and St. Jude's St. Stephen's Pantry in Rockville.. There is no storage space so please bring your donations to Masses and they will be collected in the parking lot.
Faithful Citizenship
- Bring Your Faith to the Voting Booth
  
  USCCB Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship
  
  Human Life
  
  64. Our 1998 statement, Living the Gospel of Life, declares, "Abortion and euthanasia have become preeminent threats to human life and dignity because they directly attack life itself, the most fundamental good and the condition for all others" (no. 5). Abortion, the deliberate killing of a human being before birth, is never morally acceptable and must always be opposed. Cloning and destruction of human embryos for research or even for potential cures are always wrong. The purposeful taking of human life by assisted suicide and euthanasia is not an act of mercy, but an unjustifiable assault on human life. Genocide, torture, and the direct and intentional targeting of noncombatants in war or terrorist attacks are always wrong.
  
  Marriage and Family Life
  
  70. The family founded upon marriage is the basic cell of human society. The role, responsibilities, and needs of families should be central national priorities. Marriage must be defined, recognized, and protected as a lifelong exclusive commitment between a man and a woman, and as the source of the next generation and the protective haven for children.8 The institution of marriage is undermined by the ideology of "gender" that dismisses sexual difference and the complementarity of the sexes and falsely presents "gender" as nothing more than a social construct or psychological reality, which a person may choose at variance with his or her biological reality (see Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, no. 224). As Pope Francis has taught, "the removal of [sexual] difference creates a problem, not a solution" (General Audience, April 22, 2015). "Thus the Church reaffirms . . . her no to 'gender' philosophies, because the reciprocity between male and female is an expression of the beauty of nature willed by the Creator" (Pope Benedict XVI, Address to the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, Jan. 19, 2013). This affirmation in no way compromises the Church's opposition to unjust discrimination against those who experience "deep-seated homosexual tendencies," who "must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity" ( Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2358).
  
  Religious Freedom
  
  72. US policy should promote religious liberty vigorously, both at home and abroad: our first and most cherished freedom is rooted in the very dignity of the human person, a fundamental human right that knows no geographical boundaries. In all contexts, its basic contours are the same: it is the "immun[ity] from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits." (Dignitatis Humanae, no. 2). In the United States, religious freedom generally enjoys strong protection in our law and culture, but those protections are now in doubt. For example, the longstanding tax exemption of the Church has been explicitly called into question at the highest levels of government, precisely because of her teachings on marriage. Catholics have a particular duty to make sure that protections like these do not weaken but instead grow in strength. This is not only to secure the just freedom of the Church and the faithful here but also to offer hope and an encouraging witness to those who suffer direct and even violent religious persecution in countries where the protection is far weaker.
  
  76. Faith-based groups deserve recognition and support, not as a substitute for government, but as responsive, effective partners, especially in the poorest communities and countries. The USCCB actively supports conscience clauses and other religious freedom protections, opposes any effort to undermine the ability of faith-based groups to preserve their identity and integrity as partners with government, and is committed to protecting long-standing civil rights and other protections for both religious groups and the people they serve. Government bodies should not require Catholic institutions to compromise their moral or religious convictions to participate in government health or human service programs.
  
  Catholic Education
  
  82. Parents—the first and most important educators—have a fundamental right to choose the education best suited to the needs of their children, including public, private, and religious schools. Government, through such means as tax credits and publicly funded scholarships, should help provide resources for parents, especially those of modest means, to exercise this basic right without discrimination. Students in all educational settings should have opportunities for moral and character formation consistent with the beliefs and responsibilities of their parents.
Food Collections
- Cup o' Joe breakfasts for individuals in low-barrier shelters
  
  Greg Gannon Canned Food Drive
  
  
  Every November, St. Patrick's participates in the annual Greg Gannon Canned Food Drive (GGCFD) in which parishes collect food from their surrounding neighborhoods. This is the largest day of service at the parish involving all ages
  
  Pope Francis Outreach Center of Assumption Parish
  
  S.O.M.E. Meals for the homeless
  
  MONTHLY FOOD COLLECTION - Every 3rd Sunday!
  
  St. Patrick’s provides non-perishable foods for low-income individuals and families through collections for St. Martin’s Food Pantry in Gaithersburg and St. Jude's St. Stephen's Pantry in Rockville, each distributing to roughly 300 individuals weekly.  To support these ministries, please bring items from your pantry or add to your grocery shopping list. We do not have any storage space, so please drive by our waiting collection area close to the church entrance so that your donations can be moved from your trunk to waiting cars in the parking lot. Your support is greatly needed and appreciated!
  
  "Wish list" of most needed items:
  
  canned tuna and chicken
  
  canned soups
  
  canned fruits, vegetables and tomatoes
  
  canned pork and beans
  
  small bags of beans and rice
  
  small bags or boxes of pasta
  
  peanut butter, jelly and jams (plastic jars)
  
  cereal and cans of oatmeal
  
  boxed pasta and pasta sauce (plastic jars)
  
  boxed mac and cheese
  
  fruit juice (plastic jar)
  
  diapers - size 1-6
Holiday Giving
- St. Patrick supports multiple holiday giving efforts. See the Holiday Giving page for more details.
Sick, Homebound, and Imprisoned
- Friendly Visitors
  
  Health & Wellness Program
  
  Transportation Ministry
  
  Welcome Home Reentry Program
Special Needs
- Faith & Light, co-coordinators: Teresa Perez and Paula Kearney
  
  Faith & Light is a ministry of communities made up of persons with an intellectual disability, their families and friends, who meet together on a regular basis in a Christian spirit, to share friendship, pray together and celebrate life! They also foster integration into the wider community including participation in Masses at St. Patrick's. For additional information, click here.
Other Programs
- Dental clinic support
  
  Drives for food, clothing & toiletries
  
  Fundraisers supporting local & international causes
  
  Furniture for families transitioning out of shelters
  
  Games/activities for shelter families
  
  Maternity clothes collections for women facing crisis pregnancies
  
  Hot meals for area shelters
  
  Mother’s Day carnation sales to support prolife causes
  
  Painting & dance classes for individuals with disabilities
  
  School supply drives for low-income families
  
  Speakers on various social issues
  
  Transportation for disabled & elderly (see go-go-grandparent)
  
  Visiting home-bound & seniors

St. Patrick Catholic Church

4101 Norbeck Road, Rockville, MD 20853 | 301-924-2284

Social Concerns Ministries

Human Life

Religious Freedom

Catholic Education