SOCIAL CONCERNS COMMITTEE   Founded in 2002, the Social Concerns Committee meets  to study, pray and put into action the social teachings of the Catholic Church. The committee has also sponsored educational forums in our parish on issues of current social concern, has carried out non-partisan voter registration, and has facilitated parish participation in community projects addressing social needs. All are welcome. Watch the parish bulletin for details of meetings.     2009 – 2010  Social Concerns Committee Meeting Schedule :   September 21, 2009                           February 15, 2010 October 18, 2009                                March 15, 2010 November 16, 2009                            April 19, 2010 December 21, 2009                            May 17, 2010 January 18, 2010                                June 15, 2010                           Operation Rice Bowl   During the Lenten season the Social Concerns Committee will present and carry out the Operation Rice Bowl program in the parish. Operation Rice Bowl is the official Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services which calls Catholics in the United States to promote human dignity and foster global solidarity with the poor around the world through prayer, fasting, learning and giving during the Lenten season. 2010 will be  the 34th anniversary of this program.     Information About Social Action in the Los Angeles Archdiocese   Every week the Los Angeles Archdiocesan Office of Justice and Peace sends out a “NewsBlast” which gives the time and place of upcoming events and meetings which relate to our church’s social teachings. This weekly bulletin is also a source of information about many groups which are addressing social concerns such as immigration reform, pro-life issues, hunger and poverty, and the like. The Social Concerns Committee posts this weekly “NewsBlast” on our parish’s internet page. ( http://www.ourladyofgrace.org ) . Click on “Ministries”, then on “Social Concerns”   To see the most recent “NewsBlast” click on the following line:  Http://www.ourladyofgrace.org/htmls/socialconcernsgroupNewsBlast.aspx