Who is my neighbor?

It’s a familiar question to many in the Christian faith, a question that prompts Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. Neighbors, it turns out, are everyone, everywhere, regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, political affiliation, or socio-economic status.

Monsignor Cook is looking forward to welcoming Sacred Heart Catholic Church’s new neighbors: Oak Hill Community Connections. The new co-location agency will share an Owatonna city block with the Catholic church and school.

The proximity as a physical neighbor provides unique opportunity. Proximity allows us to show up for one another. “When you get to know people – work with them, volunteer with them – you get a different perspective of who they are. Walls of hesitation break down and we get to know each other as people.”

Working together is a strength of the Owatonna faith communities, and together they are committed to supporting the Oak Hill Community Connections project and service agencies that are located there. “People are looking for hope, looking for help in physical and spiritual needs. As our new neighbor Oak Hill Community Connections will raise the awareness among my own parishioners about the needs of people in our community.”

“It’s amazing how many outreach opportunities are happening in the Owatonna community.” The Oak Hill Community Connections project is a way of caring for our neighbors in more effective ways as we bring partnering agencies under one roof. “It’s a beautiful thing.”