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Celebrating Food Pantry Sunday
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Hunger in Phoenix is real. Did you know there are over half a million people across the Valley facing hunger? Who are they? They include schoolchildren, working parents, seniors on fixed incomes and other struggling individuals. Their hardships are fundamentally tied to poverty — and poverty is rampant in Arizona.
As a faith community, we refuse to permit Jesus Christ to suffer hunger in our brothers and sisters. For this reason, nearly a year ago, our parish established an Emergency Food Pantry to alleviate hunger in our community. Thanks be to God, our Emergency Food Pantry is now serving many families in our community.
However, to keep our Food Pantry going, I need your help. For this reason, I have designated the third Sunday of each month at our parish as Food Pantry Sunday. We will celebrate our first Food Pantry Sunday on September 17. Every third Sunday, we will have a wonderful opportunity to help stop hunger in our community.
What am I asking you to do to celebrate Food Pantry Sunday?
First, please bring non-perishable food items to Mass on the third Sunday for our parish Emergency Food Pantry. There will be baskets in the vestibule of the Church in front of the Statue of St. Monica. Please place your gift for our Food Pantry in one of the baskets before Mass begins. Our gifts, for our brothers and sisters in need, will be carried to the altar during the offertory of the Mass.
Second, please pray for an end to hunger in our community, through the powerful intercession of St. Josephine Bakhita. I would suggest lighting a votive candle at her altar for this intention.
And third, ask the Lord for the time and generosity to volunteer to serve in our Food Pantry. We need volunteers to help stop hunger. May the words of our Lord motivate us:“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink … whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
May Mama Mary, Our Blessed Mother, bring us all closer to the heart of her Son to help us stop hunger in our beloved community. Let The Church Say Amen!— Matthew 25:35,40
With much love and appreciation,
Fr. Andrew McNair
Pastor
St. Josephine Bakhita Mission Parish
