Fr. Richard Rinn, CSV, pastor of St. Viator Catholic Community in Las Vegas, describes the parish as one centered around discipleship, and “we invite you to live your faith more deeply.”
Fr. Richard Rinn encourages parishioners to live out their faith by helping others.
Among the parish’s many ministries is this one: In 1996, St. Viator was one of the founding churches in a program called Family Promise. Its mission continues to help at-risk and homeless families — with children — in Clark County achieve sustainable housing and independence through a community-based response. Family Promise was brought to Southern Nevada by an interfaith committee which included Fr. Corey Brost, CSV. who worked at the time in campus ministry at Bishop Gorman High School.
Fr. Corey Brost
As a result of its early involvement, St. Viator parishioners began hosting families facing homelessness in its Parish Center for up to four weeks each year.
This year, Family Promise has started a new initiative, called “Just Neighbors.” In it, the organization partners with faith communities to provide additional support and mentoring for a family in the program. Consequently, once again, St. Viator jumped in on the ground floor and now the parish has adopted its first family in an effort to help them get back on their feet.
This young family includes a mother and her two children, ages 11 and 7.
St. Viator parishioners have rallied to support this young family.
The family is living in housing provided by Family Promise until they can get a place of their own. St. Viator volunteers check in with them each week and help fill their needs – including those emotional and material. Besides financial donations, parishioners have provided needed groceries and supplies, and tutoring.
Already, their donations allowed the mother to have an emergency tooth extraction so she could return to work, and a young graduate of St. Viator Parish School has begun providing the children with tutoring via Zoom.
Members of the parish’s Faith & Stewardship Committee, as well as Fr. Rinn, are thrilled with the response. They describe it as an exciting opportunity for individuals and families to live out their faith and help others.