American Martyrs Catholic Church in Manhattan Seashore on Saturday, Nov. 13, drew greater than 500 volunteers to assemble and bundle about 120,000 dry meals that will likely be shipped to households in want in Guatemala.
The food-assembling occasion was facilitated by Cross Catholic Outreach, a Florida-based nonprofit that companions with parishes, clergy, and lay organizations all over the world to supply humanitarian reduction to the poor in additional than 30 international locations.
The primary occasion of its variety at American Martyrs, contributors noticed it as a method to keep related to the communities they’ve helped in Guatemala over the past 4 years by way of a partnership with Cross Catholic — attributable to not having the ability to journey there because the begin of the COVID-19 pandemic since early 2020.
“It was a possibility to place your self within the background and put the poor proper in entrance and ask, ‘How can we serve?’ ” mentioned American Martyrs pastor Msgr. John Barry, who has gone on outreach missions with parishioners to Guatemala a number of instances.
(Bob Visty)
Sealed packages of rice, beans, dehydrated greens, soy protein, and nutritional vitamins had been put collectively in groups of 10 to 12 volunteers at a dozen meeting line tables throughout 4 shifts to cowl the eight-hour course of on the parish’s O’Donnell Corridor.
Every bundle supplies six meals. Greater than 50 packages match right into a field, and the stacked containers crammed greater than 12 pallets on the finish of the day. They are going to be taken by truck to the Cross Catholic Outreach amenities and added to delivery containers to be expedited from Miami to Guatemala.
As soon as cleared by way of customs, the containers go to Cross Catholic Outreach companions and delivered to the dioceses in Santa Rosa de Lima, the place American Martyrs’ ministry teams have accomplished work and visits.
The parish raised $40,000 in donations to pay for the 120,000 meals. Donors and contributors included teams from the Knights of Columbus, USC, UCLA, Loyola Excessive College, Amigos, Sandpipers, and the Lady and Boy Scouts.
Cross Catholic Outreach senior director Sandi Pino, who flew to Los Angeles for the occasion, mentioned her group holds about two such parish initiatives every month, however that American Martyrs’ debut had gone “past our expectations.”
“We’re not simply privileged to be right here, however it’s a privilege to serve the poor on this approach,” she instructed Angelus. “God provides us the energy and the assets and we’re honored to assist.”
Among the many volunteers was the 84-year-old Msgr. Barry, donning a hairnet, gloves, masks, and a black clergy shirt dusted with white soy powder. He mentioned he was so impressed with the turnout and its mission that the parish would maintain one other Cross Catholic Outreach meal assembling occasion on the parish set for Jan. 8, 2022.
Cross Catholic Outreach, based in 2001, has given greater than $3 billion in assist to assist the poor in additional than three dozen creating international locations.
