Ministry of Mercy

• Members of the PCCW coordinate donating food to the Gettysburg Area Soup Kitchen on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.

• Youth serve at the Gettysburg Area Soup Kitchen (when it is permitted)

• The parish and school donate goods or money to Ruth’s Harvest and SCCAP (South Central Community Action Program)

Our Homebound and Nursing Home/Hospital Ministry and Opcion Misionera is a robust ministry that currently serves more than 50 people. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion visit those who cannot come to Mass in person. Other parishioners have also offered to drive other parishioners to appointments.

St. Francis Xavier supports the efforts of:

• Gettysburg CARES (Combined Area Resources for Emergency Shelter). CARES houses up to 31 people at area churches during winter months. Because of our space, we cannot host in our facility, but there are many parishioners who host overnight during the winter months. CARES also has resource center next to St James Lutheran where they help sort permanent housing, provide a mailing address, provide showers and a clothes washing facility.

• SCCAP (South Central Community Action Program) who hosts a shelter on Stratton Street

• Agape House (a mission of the Adams County Rescue Mission) on Chambersburg Street

• Adams County Rescue Mission which facilitates a men’s housing program on site

• Mercy House on High Street

• Refugees in the Harrisburg Diocese through the work of Catholic Charities

• St. Francis Xavier’s St. Vincent de Paul ministry assists those who call the parish office seeking assistance. They meet with our coordinators and are able to ask for help once a year. SVdP assistance is given directly to those whom money is owed (landlords, bills, etc.) or the individuals are given gift cards.

  • Coordinators: Randy Parmentier & Connie Canute

• The SFX Poor Box assists (Donations to below organizations made with consultation/approval of the pastor):

  • Individuals (through St. Vincent de Paul ministry)

  • Tendercare Pregnancy Center

  • Mission of Mercy

  • Gettysburg CARES

  • Prison Ministry

  • Adams County Rescue Mission & Agape House

  • Ruth’s Harvest

  • Manos Unidas

  • SCCAP

Volunteers from the PCCW (Parish Council of Catholic Women) have participated in Prison Ministry under Chaplain Perez’s leadership at the Adams County Correctional Facility.

The St. Francis Xavier Arimatheans attend funeral Masses to support the families and participate in the reciting the responses for Mass, since there are many family members attending funerals who are not Catholic.