Aleteia’s Lampstand winner for July began as an “oasis” for young mothers

It’s been kind of wonderful to see our monthly Lampstand Photo contest winners coming from so many different countries — it really helps to illustrate the universality of our Church, and how her missionary spirit serves and upholds the dignity of the human person throughout the world. Through our contest, we have been able to see how orphans and abandoned children in Peru are being loved and cared for; how adult Catholics in Poland are given the chance to become community for each other. Our July winner shows us how a Catholic organization is supporting families — especially mothers — in Italy!

Congratulations to the winning organization of July’s Lampstand Contest, The Circolo Oasis Association of Castello.

Circulo Oasis was formed in 1994 and designed to create a place for “peace and refreshment” for mothers — a meeting place where tired moms feeling challenged could share their feelings and support each other in a climate of friendship and shared experience. Over time, a registry of volunteers, able to help out struggling families, was created; now, “families in economic or social difficulty can bring their children to the Oasis nurseries managed by the Social Cooperative … with accompanying projects aimed at the specific needs of the family …”

Circulo Oasis is about families helping each other out in faith and friendship — creating that “oasis” in the midst of the stresses that come with raising children in challenging times. To learn more about and their mission, please visit their site, here.

If you are unfamiliar with the Aleteia’s Lampstand Photo Contest, here is what you need to know:

• The Lampstand contest references Matthew 5:15 (“No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house”).
• It is meant to shine a light on charities and philanthropic groups, and to reward and encourage them.
• It is a global contest, so readers from all seven of Aleteia’s language editions are open to participate by submitting photos that best portray the spirit of their mission.
• Entries are uploaded here.
• Winners are chosen by readers, who “like” their preferred photo. The image with the most “likes” is the winner.
• Organizations who do not win are encouraged to continue to submit new photos in succeeding months.

The Lampstand contest is running throughout the remainder of 2017. With every month comes a new opportunity for you to win $515 for your favorite charity — and yes that means you’re free to enter on behalf of your soup kitchen, parish outreach, St. Vincent de Paul group, etc!

Support your favorite charity by submitting a photo of their work to August’s contest here.

We welcome and encourage previous entrants to participate. Upload another picture — you have nothing to lose in trying!