by Fr. Kenneth Borowiak
LINCOLN (SNR) – St. Michael Parish in Lincoln far surpassed its expectations in the annual food drive for Catholic Social Services (CSS).
St. Michael Parish collected a total of 2,236 pounds of food—more than a ton— with more food still coming in as of Nov. 24. The food was delivered Nov. 21 from the parish to Catholic Social Services.
The food drive, an annual endeavor organized by Catholic Social Services (CSS) is one of the fundamental outreaches of the charitable entity.
Father Justin Fulton, executive director, expressed gratitude for the food contributed.
“Christ is alive in the people of St. Michael’s,” he said. “We thank them for partnering with CSS to help feed the hungry of our community.”
Father Fulton noted that all Catholics in southern Nebraska are quick to respond whenever there is a need.
“Our Catholic faith should never be closed off, stale, and stagnant. Our Catholic faith should be shared.”
The food drive encompassed the entire 40 counties of the Diocese of Lincoln in southern Nebraska.
Kathy Rentschler, vice president of St. Michael’s Parish Council of Catholic Women (PCCW), spoke for most Catholic parishes and organizations who took part in CSS’ holiday food drive.
“St. Michael’s PCCW mission is to serve others through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy,” she said. “Food is a basic need. We all need it to survive. The thanksgiving food collection allows our parishioners an opportunity to share in our work,” she added.
Rentschler noted the teaching aspect in such an endeavor. “The goal was to collect as much food as possible to allow the CSS the ability to feed families in need. A secondary goal is to provide a teaching/sharing moment for parents to teach their children the concept of ‘giving to others,’” she said.
St. Michael School and CCD students also participated in the food drive.
“Families are busy with lots of distractions in their daily lives,” Rentschler noted. “The Thanksgiving food collection asked families to bring one food item daily and over the 21 days of November, they created a box of food items that can be used for a Thanksgiving meal,” she said.
In addition to the school and CCD students, the parish supported the event by advertising in the bulletin and printing our flyers and the priests encouraged participation from the pulpit. Parishioners shopped for and donated the food, and St. Michael School Student Council helped load the CSS truck.
The holiday food drive was part of the parish’s focus on creating missionary disciples. It also allowed parishioners to practice stewardship.
PCCW members were humbled by the parish’s response. “We were not sure how this was going to go,” Rentschler said. “We compiled a list from CSS of needed,” she said.
“This is first time we have done a collection like this,” she said. “Parishioners took a simple gesture of giving a meal to someone in need and made it possible for many to have a meal at Thanksgiving.”
In 2018 Catholic Social Services served 27,670 individuals, performed 127,000 acts of mercy and distributed $1,834,491 in cash and assistance to people in southern Nebraska.
Father Fulton extended his thanks to all of CSS’ benefactors for their year round support.
“I am so grateful to all those who partner with us by supporting CSS financially, spiritually, and by volunteering,” he said. “Thank you for being Christ to those who have little, and have no one to turn to.”
