Intergenerational support helps Loaves and Fishes feed hungry
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By David Kilby | Correspondent
For the many people who participate in the Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen program in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, the experience often ends up being more life-changing for them than for the hungry they help feed.
Now in its 35th year, Loaves and Fishes serves hot meals to the local Trenton community on the last two Saturdays of every month.
St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Cinnaminson, has been participating in Loaves and Fishes for 21 years. Joe Mariani, parishioner, started helping out three years ago as a member of the Holy Name Society when the society decided to get more involved with the youth of the parish.
“One of the objectives (of our pastoral council) is to get youth more involved in ministry and mix the generations more,” Mariani said, adding, “I think (Loaves and Fishes) fits the parish objective.”
Mariani noted, “I came to the realization in the past couple years, that many schools have introduced a service requirement, so youth are comfortable with ministry.”
About a half dozen youth from St. Charles Borromeo Parish participated in the annually designated Saturday with the Loaves and Fishes program, which wound up being Sept. 21 this year. Dr. Rhonda Hazell, a parishioner and professor in La Salle University, Philadelphia, participated and brought 25 students with her.
All 24 designated Saturdays are filled by parishes and communities throughout Central Jersey, but other groups can join in to help out as well, explained Barbara Anne Cagney, a teacher in Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Princeton, and director of the Loaves and Fishes program.
She explained that if a group of 10 or more plans to come it helps to notify her ahead of time so she can steer the group toward a Saturday that needs more volunteers.
“The cathedral gives us the space and full support of the program,” she added. “We couldn’t ask for more.”
Additional parishes within the diocese that help out include St. James, Pennington, through the Knights of Columbus; St. Paul, Princeton; Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony, Hamilton; St. Ann, Lawrenceville; St. David the King, Princeton Junction; Our Lady of the Angels, Trenton, Incarnation-St. James, Ewing, and St. Mary of the Lakes, Medford.
Volunteers from a variety of faith traditions and organizations also offer assistance.
For St. Charles, Cinnaminson, hosting a meal is a two-day project.
“We’ll prepare the roast beef the day before, and we also distribute bagged lunch as they leave the dining hall,” Mariani shared. “We put together about 600 lunches the day before.”
This year the lunch bags sported designs created by St. Charles students.
Young St. Charles parishioner, Kayla Kearney, 10, said she loved going to Loaves and Fishes. “I liked that I could help a lot of people in need of a meal. Even though I was a little scared at first I started to like the feeling going to … help people.”
Parishioner, Jenna Kearney, a freshman in Palmyra High School, said Loaves and Fishes was a great opportunity to help the community and show people that there are people who care about them whether they realize it or not.
“There are good people in the world and I feel that Loaves and Fishes is a place where you can show it and help out,” she said.
On their designated Saturday, members of the St. Charles parish community start at 7:30 a.m., load the truck, arrive at the cathedral at 9 a.m. and finish at 2 p.m.
Some 400 to 500 people are served by the Loaves and Fishes ministry at each meal.
Originally serving only one meal a month, Cagney recalled that in the 1980’s, when the diocese offered the Renew program, which included a social justice initiative, more people became aware of the program — which led to adding the second meal each month.
Cagney said it’s an opportunity for families to do God’s work together. “[I]t breaks down some stereotyping, maybe [participants] get to see that people — the haves and the have nots — are very much alike.”
“The students this year were very eager to participate,” Hazell said. “My students allow their actions to speak for their faith and love of others.”
“[A]fter about an hour of working, I gained a lot of respect for the people who run the soup kitchen and are there helping every week.” said La Salle freshman, Casey Glatts. “The experience was all in all very humbling … I don’t think I will ever take things for granted again.”
“A team, or a parish, needs a full complement of its members to succeed,” Mariani said, noting that those who participate each month, “share the same faith, ideals, and commitment to charitable works. So it’s all about making sure our parish teams include everyone.”
St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral is located at 151 North Warren Street, Trenton. To participate in Loaves and Fishes, show up at a meal between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. or contact Cagney through the cathedral at 609- 396-8447.
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By David Kilby | Correspondent
For the many people who participate in the Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen program in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, the experience often ends up being more life-changing for them than for the hungry they help feed.
Now in its 35th year, Loaves and Fishes serves hot meals to the local Trenton community on the last two Saturdays of every month.
St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Cinnaminson, has been participating in Loaves and Fishes for 21 years. Joe Mariani, parishioner, started helping out three years ago as a member of the Holy Name Society when the society decided to get more involved with the youth of the parish.
“One of the objectives (of our pastoral council) is to get youth more involved in ministry and mix the generations more,” Mariani said, adding, “I think (Loaves and Fishes) fits the parish objective.”
Mariani noted, “I came to the realization in the past couple years, that many schools have introduced a service requirement, so youth are comfortable with ministry.”
About a half dozen youth from St. Charles Borromeo Parish participated in the annually designated Saturday with the Loaves and Fishes program, which wound up being Sept. 21 this year. Dr. Rhonda Hazell, a parishioner and professor in La Salle University, Philadelphia, participated and brought 25 students with her.
All 24 designated Saturdays are filled by parishes and communities throughout Central Jersey, but other groups can join in to help out as well, explained Barbara Anne Cagney, a teacher in Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Princeton, and director of the Loaves and Fishes program.
She explained that if a group of 10 or more plans to come it helps to notify her ahead of time so she can steer the group toward a Saturday that needs more volunteers.
“The cathedral gives us the space and full support of the program,” she added. “We couldn’t ask for more.”
Additional parishes within the diocese that help out include St. James, Pennington, through the Knights of Columbus; St. Paul, Princeton; Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony, Hamilton; St. Ann, Lawrenceville; St. David the King, Princeton Junction; Our Lady of the Angels, Trenton, Incarnation-St. James, Ewing, and St. Mary of the Lakes, Medford.
Volunteers from a variety of faith traditions and organizations also offer assistance.
For St. Charles, Cinnaminson, hosting a meal is a two-day project.
“We’ll prepare the roast beef the day before, and we also distribute bagged lunch as they leave the dining hall,” Mariani shared. “We put together about 600 lunches the day before.”
This year the lunch bags sported designs created by St. Charles students.
Young St. Charles parishioner, Kayla Kearney, 10, said she loved going to Loaves and Fishes. “I liked that I could help a lot of people in need of a meal. Even though I was a little scared at first I started to like the feeling going to … help people.”
Parishioner, Jenna Kearney, a freshman in Palmyra High School, said Loaves and Fishes was a great opportunity to help the community and show people that there are people who care about them whether they realize it or not.
“There are good people in the world and I feel that Loaves and Fishes is a place where you can show it and help out,” she said.
On their designated Saturday, members of the St. Charles parish community start at 7:30 a.m., load the truck, arrive at the cathedral at 9 a.m. and finish at 2 p.m.
Some 400 to 500 people are served by the Loaves and Fishes ministry at each meal.
Originally serving only one meal a month, Cagney recalled that in the 1980’s, when the diocese offered the Renew program, which included a social justice initiative, more people became aware of the program — which led to adding the second meal each month.
Cagney said it’s an opportunity for families to do God’s work together. “[I]t breaks down some stereotyping, maybe [participants] get to see that people — the haves and the have nots — are very much alike.”
“The students this year were very eager to participate,” Hazell said. “My students allow their actions to speak for their faith and love of others.”
“[A]fter about an hour of working, I gained a lot of respect for the people who run the soup kitchen and are there helping every week.” said La Salle freshman, Casey Glatts. “The experience was all in all very humbling … I don’t think I will ever take things for granted again.”
“A team, or a parish, needs a full complement of its members to succeed,” Mariani said, noting that those who participate each month, “share the same faith, ideals, and commitment to charitable works. So it’s all about making sure our parish teams include everyone.”
St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral is located at 151 North Warren Street, Trenton. To participate in Loaves and Fishes, show up at a meal between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. or contact Cagney through the cathedral at 609- 396-8447.
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