Seasons of Grace
UPDATE: Your help is needed to keep this great Ministry of Coffee open!
St. James Coffee opened last July and has struggled financially; they now have about 8-10 weeks of funds at their current numbers. Sales are improving; expenses are being reduced. Their events are varied, successful and fruitful.
But without some help, the store will need to reduce their hours or even close. Please consider how you could help to keep this innovative Catholic coffee shop perking!
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If you support traditional marriage, Starbucks doesn’t want your business.
That was the clear message at Starbucks’ annual shareholders meeting last month, when CEO Howard Schultz addressed shareholders and reiterated the company’s goal of “embracing diversity of all kinds.”
Schultz bristled when shareholder Tom Strobhar, founder of the Corporate Morality Action Center, complained that the company had lost market share because of their support for same-sex marriage in Washington state (the company is being boycotted by the National Organization for Marriage). According to a report in Forbes, Schultz told shareholder Strobhar that he should sell his shares and invest in some other company.
Shareholders are wise to be concerned about Starbucks’ emphasis on its political agenda, to the detriment of sales. The Dump Starbucks Campaign boasts more than 61,000 signatories to its pledge. According to the website:
We are urging customers across the globe to ‘Dump Starbucks’ because it has taken a corporate-wide position that the definition of marriage between one man and one woman should be eliminated and that same-sex marriage should become equally ‘normal’. As such, Starbucks has deeply offended at least half its US customers, and the vast majority of its international customers.
On January 24th, 2012, Starbucks issued a memorandum declaring that same-sex marriage ‘is core to who we are and what we value as a company.’
Starbucks also used its resources to participate in a legal case seeking to overturn a federal law declaring marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
In many areas of the world where Starbucks does business, the concept of ‘gay marriage’ is unheard of and deeply offensive to cultural, moral and religious values.
In taking these actions, Starbucks has declared a culture war on all people of faith (and millions of others) who believe that the institution of marriage as one man and one woman is worth preserving.
A portion of every cup of coffee purchased at a Starbucks anywhere in the world goes to fund this corporate assault on marriage.
We urge consumers across the globe to join the ‘Dump Starbucks’ campaign.
In addition to its Starbucks coffees, the company also owns Seattle’s Best Coffee, the Verismo single-serve coffee system, Evolution Fresh, Tazo Tea, Torrefazione Italia Coffee, and La Boulange.
AN ALTERNATIVE BREW FOR MINNESOTANS
This gives me an opportunity to tout a unique coffee shop in Rochester, Minnesota, that picturesque Midwest town which is home to the Mayo Clinic and is just a short drive from the Mall of America. I’m talking about the St. James Coffee Shop, a friendly place just across the street from Pax Christi Catholic Church where folks can enjoy coffee, take apologetics classes, listen to music, and join in prayer.
Barry Bruss, a Catholic pharmacist at the Mayo Clinic who serves on the board of St. James Coffee, told me about the shop’s goal of furthering the New Evangelization. The shop’s mission is to provide a space for non-Catholics and non-practicing Catholics to come to know Christ and His Church, and to provide a forum for Catholics to find fellowship and catechesis.
Bishop John Quinn, bishop of the Diocese of Winona participated in the shop’s grand opening and conferred his blessing, and has also spoken there on morality and ethics. On April 11 at 6:00 p.m., St. James Coffee will host a Q&A Apologetics program with internationally-known Catholic apologist Raymond DeSouza. The following day, the shop will feature live music with “Tim and Veth”; and on April 13, there will be a Young Adult Holy Hour on site.
Popular television chef Fr. Leo Patalinghug paid a visit as the shop was gearing up for business.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4kJaOkAT3s
You can support St. James Coffee and learn more about their upcoming events at the website.
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