It's common in any big city not to know your neighbors and to keep to yourself. But parishioners from Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and their pastor, Father Rodel Balagtas, took steps forward (literally) Oct. 14 to break through urban barriers and forge new friendships beyond their church doors.
Armed with notebooks, pens and packets of information to distribute (and umbrellas to ward off threatening rain), more than 80 parishioners went door-to-door through their east Hollywood neighborhood streets and visited 300 homes. Their mission was not to evangelize, but to introduce themselves and find out how the parish can help in the community.
Ranging in age from youth to senior citizens, parish volunteers were separated into teams of four, with at least two Spanish-speaking members in tow. They later separated further in pairs, each pair tackling a different side of a street and visiting 20 houses.
During their visit, they asked about any problems in the neighborhood --- gang activity, street lights out, noise problems. At each house, they left information on parish programs and events, a flyer on the Los Angeles Affordable Housing Bond proposition, and information on Mariposa Place Apartments (a new affordable housing development by Hollywood Community Housing Corporation scheduled for construction in December, located a block from the church and school).
"We see ourselves as a public church," Father Balagtas said of the bold project. "We don't want to be an insular church; we want to have a relationship with the community."
The parish, which was founded in 1910 and its school established in 1922, is prominently located almost in the center of the community on Santa Monica Boulevard, its two spires towering above buildings in the area. There are about 2,500 registered parish households.
Loraine de Jesus, an Immaculate Heart of Mary parish council member, said the parish decided to take on the project after they completed a parish viability study.
"One of the things that came up in the study is that we needed to learn more about our community in order to be able to fully service their needs," de Jesus said. "One way of doing this was actually walking through the community and seeing what their needs are and find out how we can help them."
Father Balagtas said that the parish had been working on parish development since his arrival four years ago.
"We want to be part of the mission of transforming society and I think that is what being a public church is all about," Father Balagtas said. "It is engaging in public discourse with residents in the neighborhood and with the leaders in the community.
Parish volunteers met several times before the day, rehearsing a script and practicing the interview process. More than 25 youth participated in the program from the parish confirmation classes and youth group.
The parish worked with One LA-IAF (Industrial Area Foundation), a community-based social action group, to develop and organize the door-to-door program with the help of Sister of Social Mary Beth Larkin, One LA-IAF director, as well as Los Angeles City Councilmember (and Council president) Eric Garcetti.
The councilmember went on a route and visited homes, then met with parishioners to discuss their evaluations. He asked for specific locations of graffiti, downed streetlights or gang activity so his office would be able to respond to community needs.
De Jesus said that parishioners received a variety of responses from neighbors. Some didn't want to open their doors, but others welcomed parishioners into their homes and had them sit down.
"The response was so positive that they said they would do it again," de Jesus said after meeting with parishioners following the walk. "It is a big statement, very powerful. The youth even had a good time doing it."
Among the main problems neighbors reported in the area were graffiti, trash in the streets and gang activity. De Jesus said that the parish's message was one of helping and service; evangelization was a bonus. Reaching out and meeting others is a concept that needs to be brought back, according to de Jesus.
"I think all parishes should do something like this because it brings the church out to the community just to let them know that we are there," de Jesus said.
Angelo Ibanez, a member of the parish Knights of Columbus, said that he attended meetings for the neighborhood walk for about two months before the event. He created the route map that spanned 25 blocks.
"Before I went, my thinking was that it was going to be a little hard to do; that people would just close the door on me and wouldn't open up," he said. "But the reaction was very good. Most of the people were very receptive."
Ibanez said that one of the youth who was part of his team enjoyed the experience so much that she wants to participate in other community work. Ibanez himself said that the neighborhood walk encouraged him to get more involved in outreach.
"I'd love to do this again," he said. "I felt like I was making a difference."
After completing his mission, Father Balagtas said he met many families, including a couple from the Philippines with four children that asked him about baptism, and people who asked about Mass times and services.
"I never realized how people could be so welcoming," Father Balagtas said. "It was an eye-opening experience." |