A Reason to Celebrate

Details: 12 February 2010

Last year, one of our donors asked me if he could volunteer on a regular basis after retiring, saying, “Father, I think I can give you at least 20 hours a week!” After retirement came a period of down time (which included some travel) after which his wife said, “John, when are you going to get a life? You better call Father Kubat!!” He is planning on wearing several hats but for now is concentrating in our food pantry, including our St. Andrew’s Mobile Food Pantry which we take on the road to numerous communities across southern Nebraska. Food is purchased and trucked to each location and, utilizing parish and community volunteers, those who come are greeted at the door with no questions asked and are individually assisted in picking out food for themselves and their families.

Recently at a mobile pantry, John came across an elderly woman with her middle-aged daughter. While helping them load up the food into their car they both started weeping. They explained that because they do not qualify for aid on paper, they are unable to find help at other pantries. At best they receive only small amounts. Since they were able to choose and receive all they needed and were greeted by warm and friendly volunteers they were overwhelmed to the point of tears. In John’s own words, “I can’t help but feel that those tears were not meant for my benefit only, but for those throughout our diocese who support this great work.”

Later this month on February 28th at the Cornhusker Hotel, Catholic Social Services will be holding our annual Celebration of Caring Banquet with the presentation of the Cor Christi (Heart of Christ) award. At this yearly banquet we celebrate God’s benevolence as reflected by His great love for us and what we have accomplished over the past year by His grace and the generosity of our generous benefactors across southern Nebraska and beyond.

This year, the Cor Christi award will be presented to Bob and Pam McCabe of Lincoln for their years of service for the cause of life. Whether it is rain or shine, hot or cold, ice or snow, Bob and Pam have been present outside of Lincoln’s abortion mill praying and offering counsel to the many women and men going inside. Over the years, they by the grace of God have been instruments in saving countless babies.

I hope you can join us on February 28th at the Cornhusker Hotel, where we will be celebrating the fact that all of us are created in the image and likeness of God. This is the reason we pray for the end to abortion and why we help and love Jesus who lives in the poor and needy. This is why the faithful of southern Nebraska has been supporting CSS for the last 78 years!

For those unable to be with us that evening, please pray for a holy and successful event. And remember that we at CSS, in addition to helping and praying for the needy across the diocese, will keep you, your family and intentions in our prayers as we routinely pray for our benefactors every morning at 8:30.