An Example of “Outreach” at Redemptorist Basilica Parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
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March 25, 2024In April of 2023, Father Michael Cunningham, C.Ss.R., at that time a community member of our Basilica Parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, New York, shared an outreach and interfaith experience through the different Redemptorist social media.
The program, which specifically caters to low-income immigrant communities, addresses a crucial need. These communities often lack the same access to neonatal hearing screening in their native countries as in the States. Early intervention is crucial, as hearing loss can profoundly affect a child’s quality of life, speech, language growth, and school performance. Moreover, hearing limitations can hinder a child’s social development.
This program, filled with joy, hope, and healing, addresses hearing barriers and helps bridge some of the gaps between interfaith communities in the area.
HistoryAs many are aware, Father Michael Cunningham, C.Ss.R., a licensed professional pharmacist, is the current pastor of the St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Philadelphia. Father Cunningham played a pivotal role in the initiation of this program.
In 2022, while he was a member of the Perpetual Help community in Brooklyn, he leveraged his contacts, primarily the NYU Langone Hospital’s Institute for Excellence in Health Equity, to involve OLPH with this program. He also invited the English-speaking Parish’s Partners in Mission to actively participate.
The first activity took place in March of 2023, with six local institutions, including two other faith-based organizations, the Islamic Society of Bay Ridge, and the Temple of Restoration, participating. A total of thirty-five children from our Academy School were tested, with several “walk-ins”, resulting in a third of the persons tested requiring further follow-up referrals.
Present timeThe legacy of Father Cunningham continues to thrive through the efforts of Partners in Mission and the Spanish group, Misión Compartida. Under the coordination of Lucy McNamara, Lay Missionary of the Most Holy Redeemer, and Manuel Rodríguez, C.Ss.R., the program has expanded its reach.
They have conducted several visits to different venues, participated in educational webinars, and received training in the use of state-of-the-art diagnostic technology for potential hearing issues. The OLPH Parish was also actively involved in the World Hearing Day (March 3rd) program, a global initiative promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), to raise awareness about hearing health.
On March 12th of this year, 2024, the Basilica Parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help hosted the second hearing testing activity, echoing the success of the inaugural 2023 event. Several Redemptorist community members, including our Pastor, Father Robert Wojtek, C.Ss.R., and Father Kevin Moley, C.Ss.R., participated in the event.
The Redemptorist community, together with our Lay Missionary of the Most Holy Redeemer (Lucy McNamara) and our two groups of Mission Collaborators, see this program as a beacon of unity, compassion, and transformative change. The program is a testament to our Parish's spirit of inclusivity and outreach, echoing Pope Francis’ call and our Redemptorist Constitutional Identity of sharing the Good News with the most abandoned.
