The St. Maria of Paris Outreach Centre exists to connect Christians with one another and with the wider community in the city of Victoria. We seek to do this by engaging in compassionate work together, work that is carried out both prayerfully and strategically
Current News:
The God-shaped Hole: Addiction and self-harming behaviour Dr Gabor Maté
We are very excited to sponsor best selling author, popular speaker, and renowned psychologist and poverty relief advocate, Dr Gabor Maté. Dr Maté will give two lectures on July 28th at the University of Victoria on how human beings attempt to fill a spiritual void.
All are welcome, but seating is limited. See here for details.
* * * * * * *
The outreach initiative was inspired by the life and ministry of St. Maria Skobtsova (also known as Maria of Paris), and our core philosophy can be summed up in the following statement:
No amount of thought will ever result in any greater formulation than the three words, ‘Love one another,’ so long as it is love to the end and without exceptions.
For us, these words, written by St. Maria of Paris, define the essence of Christianity. They speak to our need as human beings – made in the image of God – to give freely and recklessly as God Himself gives, without concern for self-comfort. Indeed, Christians are called to give of ourselves until it hurts; not until it ruins us, but until we are no longer comfortable. Christ suffered and died for us, according to the Scriptures, in order to give His own life to the world and to bring us into His Kingdom. This kingdom, which is the very life of God, is full of joy and boundless love, and from it flows limitless generosity and hospitality. That is why Christians cannot call themselves children and heirs of God unless they inherit also His love for the world.
When we began our work last summer, it was this conviction that compelled us: we need to become able to love and serve the poor and destitute even more than the poor need us to love and serve them. Without exercising our love through our service, we cannot grow, neither as individuals nor as a community.
We encourage you to spend time learning about the Centre through the resources we have assembled here, but more importantly, we ask you to consider contacting us directly, getting involved, whether through gifts of prayer, time, money or simply by being present with us in our work and life together. Come and see what can happen when human beings truly lay down our lives for each other.
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The St. Maria of Paris Outreach Centre exists to connect Christians with one another and with the wider community in the city of Victoria. We seek to do this by engaging in compassionate work together, work that is carried out both prayerfully and strategically
Current News:
The God-shaped Hole: Addiction and self-harming behaviour
Dr Gabor Maté
We are very excited to sponsor best selling author, popular speaker, and renowned psychologist and poverty relief advocate, Dr Gabor Maté. Dr Maté will give two lectures on July 28th at the University of Victoria on how human beings attempt to fill a spiritual void.
All are welcome, but seating is limited. See here for details.
* * * * * * *
The outreach initiative was inspired by the life and ministry of St. Maria Skobtsova (also known as Maria of Paris), and our core philosophy can be summed up in the following statement:
For us, these words, written by St. Maria of Paris, define the essence of Christianity. They speak to our need as human beings – made in the image of God – to give freely and recklessly as God Himself gives, without concern for self-comfort. Indeed, Christians are called to give of ourselves until it hurts; not until it ruins us, but until we are no longer comfortable. Christ suffered and died for us, according to the Scriptures, in order to give His own life to the world and to bring us into His Kingdom. This kingdom, which is the very life of God, is full of joy and boundless love, and from it flows limitless generosity and hospitality. That is why Christians cannot call themselves children and heirs of God unless they inherit also His love for the world.
When we began our work last summer, it was this conviction that compelled us: we need to become able to love and serve the poor and destitute even more than the poor need us to love and serve them. Without exercising our love through our service, we cannot grow, neither as individuals nor as a community.
We encourage you to spend time learning about the Centre through the resources we have assembled here, but more importantly, we ask you to consider contacting us directly, getting involved, whether through gifts of prayer, time, money or simply by being present with us in our work and life together. Come and see what can happen when human beings truly lay down our lives for each other.