St. Oscar Romero Parish

700 Washington Street | Canton, MA | 02021

Parish Office 781-828-0090 | Email: welcome@cantoncatholic.org

Outreach

Our Outreach program happens every summer. Our trips go to Olive Hill, Kentucky; Disaster Relief in various locations; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; New Orleans; Detroit; Louisiana; Boston Soup Kitchens; NH Outward Bound up Mt.Washington. Qualified CYO members must apply and be chosen for a trip.

Committee Heads

Shealyn Murphy | Abby Stock

​If you have any questions, contact the Outreach Committee directly by sending them an email at : stgerardoutreach@gmail.com . 

                                      Outreach 2024 Video

Testimonials 

When asked where I saw God, I don’t think I could tell you exactly where and when. God was everywhere on this trip for me because God is hope. And hope is the only way I can describe these small towns of Kentucky.

These people living in dangerous home conditions or pay check to pay check have the most hope I have ever seen. They have a lot of land, family and a little food. If you think that is nothing, you are not alone. Because for us, there’s TVs, close and good schools, access to restaurants, lots of clothes and more, yet we still want more. That is the biggest thing I am taking away. The happiest of people I got to meet here had mere nothing to us, but more than enough to them. When they could quit on themselves like the rest of the world is doing to these dying towns, they remained humble and hopeful. 

Ershel was a man who had hit hardship after hardship, was low on money and still put his precious pennies into the campground club he belonged to because he hoped his pennies would benefit them. 

The two kids we met in subway spending a gorgeous summer day there so their mom could work and provide for them had hope that we would buy them a $0.50 cookie and play with them for a while. They were so content with what they had because they know nothing more. As sad as it sounds, I envy them for their pure oblivion to this world and all the bad in it.

Tom-Tom, a 19-year-old with autism who could barely speak, had his junk yard and showed me how he "fixes" his cars then offered me a ride. Silly as it sounds, that was a highlight of my trip because little did Tom-Tom know his 16-year-old sister was getting bullied at school for being overweight and his family was struggling to pay the bills. He and his family had so much going on, yet he offered to do something for me. 

And Yula, Clark and Mona, the happiest kids you would ever meet. They were living with their dad in a small home and covered in bug bites. When we gave them gifts, Clark asked if it was his birthday. To think that he had no idea why we gave him anything or did what we did gives me hope that this world isn’t too bad. 

And meeting two sisters, one who cared for her mother to her last breath, inherited her land where she now lives, and took in her sister when her sisters husband passed even on her fixed income barely keeping her afloat since she no longer got financial help from her son who died unexpectedly. Her pride and optimism gives me hope that we all can have positivity in dark times. 

Finally, Mike has been reminding us that we didn’t leave Canton to rough it but to smooth things out. Our life and our versions of rough are nothing compared to the rough we attempted to smooth out in Kentucky. Yet being there was the best thing that has happened because I got to live in the oblivion that the kids we met along those trip do for just 5 days. I got to play catch with a football, play quackadilly oh my, play on the playground and play chicken fights while night swimming. I had the chance to be a normal kid for 5 days without social media, my phone or anxiety. That for me is hope. 

That is where I saw God. In the moments of pure ignorance and bliss in the little town of Olive Hill, Kentucky. 

-Kayley Furbush

Sophomore

For the past week I have been in Madisonville and Dawson Springs Kentucky on Disaster relief helping out an area that had been completely destroyed from a tornado. Outreach is a program for helping others, and we did a lot of that. Every day we woke up knowing that 2 to 3 job sites needed our help, we did debris removal, demoing bathroom tiles and ceilings, and yard work. 

On the first day we were doing debris cleanup for two houses whose owners had passed away during the tornado and because of the intense heat and humidity the group's energy and excitement was pretty low, however during our lunch we met John Baylock, a homeowner a few houses away. He talked to us about the tornado and what stood out to me and most of the group was how selfless he was. In the pouring rain he came out of his basement to find his house damaged but instead of worrying about his house or embracing the tragedy of losing all his belongings he went up and down the street turning off the gas of the homes in case someone lit a cigarette and the whole neighborhood went on fire afterwards. He had his wife and a neighbor take shelter at the bank which was untouched and he drove neighbor after neighbor there for safety as many people were standing in the remains of what was once their home. He told us how god’s hands were over his family during the tornado helping them so it was his turn to help others. John is somebody who embodies what outreach is all about, being the change, you wish to see in the world. Hearing John Baylock talking about the tragedy that happened and his actions made the work we were doing personal. 

Once we returned to the job site the energy of the group did a 180 as everyone was eager to help and push through the heat. The reason the group's energy changed was because now we felt we had a purpose to the debris we were removing; John's story gave us a connection to what we were doing and even though a lot of what we did was trash cleanup we didn't see it as trash. We were cleaning up people’s childhoods, memories and lives. We were working towards getting families back into their home because as glamorous as picking up trash and debris sounds, someone had to do it in order to help these families start their lives again. As much as we helped the people of Madisonville and Dawson Springs, we also helped ourselves. Going to a place where most people are living below the poverty line and living to survive made me realize the bubble we live in here in Canton. I realized how much I take for granted because I said throughout the trip that I couldn't imagine this happening to my house and when I had to pick up a broken door frame that had a height chart exactly like the one my family have for as long as I've been alive it made me start to cry. I cried on the jobsite because seeing a family's height chart exactly like my own made me realize this could've been my family and that I was throwing out a piece of someone's life. 

The week I spent on this trip really changed me, I was surrounded by some of the most loving and supportive people I’ve ever met and one thing I saw was everyone made each other feel valued. Each person on Disaster Relief was there because they wanted to be, the kindness, love, and change is what we need in the world. Madisonville Kentucky will forever have a piece of my heart as I left behind the bubble, I once couldn't imagine life outside of and gained so much love and support from everyone I spent the week with. I honestly believe the world needs more people like the ones on Disaster relief and they are the change we really need in this world. 

                                                                  -Abby Brogan

                                                                  Junior

Olive Hill is a land of pride. The people are proud of where they live, their occupations, and their families. No one embodied what it meant to have pride more than shorty. Shorty was always willing to help us rough up some houses and bring them back to life, but his demeanor and wisdom is where I discovered what it means to be proud.

On a car ride with mike this week, he shared with me a story about shorty and Judy years ago. Shortie and Judy we’re on their way to Grayson when shorties car started to sputter and break down. Judie turned to him and said, “the car sounds terrible. Do you think we’re going to make it?” Shorty calmly turned to her and said “we’re always going to make it.” 

This past week in Olive Hill, I learned the true power of hope. I worked on Brittany’s trailer which was in rough condition, and I first believed that Brittany needed a new floor. I later realized that Brittany did not really need a new floor. She could get by without it. But what she needed was us. She needed a sign that her life will get better, and our presence provided her with hope. We showed her that she’s not alone, and she showed us that she’s going to fight to improve her life. Both Brittany and Shorty taught me that no matter how rough things are, there is always a way to smooth out the bumps. Anything can be accomplished when you have pride and hope for the future. So shortie was right: we are always going to make it.

-Pat Morrissey

Junior Advisor

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