Ministries of Mercy at 1213 16th Street North, Saint Petersburg, FL 33705 US - Home
Pantry and Thrift Shop
Joan Hornaman and Ella Cochrane, parishioners of St. Joseph Catholic Church, are meeting in the parish hall to come up with a list of supplies needed to replenish the food pantry. As they work, they realize how grateful they are that their parish has a food and clothing ministry to assist people going through hard times. “Since I started volunteering, I have seen the need increase,” Joan says.
Life
Providing Help to Haitian Refugees
Jean Claude Marcelin who wears a black shirt and jean shorts sits in a house in Tampa, Florida happy to be alive. On January 12th, he was trapped under the rubble of his home for three days after the eight largest earthquake ever recorded hit Haiti. When he was rescued, he had internal injuries, broken bones, and was sent to the United States to receive medical care. Health
Hand in Hand with Haiti
Karen Jensen, chair of Hand in Hand with Haiti, a twinning program of Holy Family Catholic Church, has visited Beau Sejour, Haiti twice since Holy Family initiated its twinning partnership in 2008 with St. Gabriel Catholic Church. Parish twinning, also known as sister parishes or parish partnerships, is the intentional, mutual relationship between two parishes for the purpose of engendering personal relationships with people from another culture and to deepen parish consciousness of and commitment to global solidarity. Shelter
Affordable Housing for the Elderly
Alida De Jesus, housing manager for San Lorenzo Terrace II in Tampa, says more than 100 people stood in line the day registration opened. San Lorenzo Terrace II is a non-denominational rental community with 68 units designed to provide housing for individuals over the age of 62 with rent being no more than 30 percent of their adjusted gross income. “Because of the high demand in elderly housing, some individuals waited since the night before to get an application and others drove in from out of town,” Alida explains.
Food & Clothing
Feeding and Clothing the Homeless
Ray Watson has been helping the homeless and hungry since World War II while stationed in Germany. At that time, he took food left over by the troops and gave it to poor German kids. “I was fined for doing it because we were not supposed to fraternize with the German population. Afterward, the local pastor heard about what I was doing and took up a collection on my behalf to pay for my ticket. But because of problems with the currency, the money from the collection was no good. Yet, I was thankful for it,” Ray, says
Visitation
Parishioners Respond to Jesus' Call by Visiting Nursing Home
Louise Barrett, parishioner of St. Raphael Catholic Church, smiles as she greets Roberto, a resident of Shore Acres Rehabilitation Center. She has been visiting the center and taking Holy Communion to the residents for 11 years. On this day, Roberto, who wears a white shirt and navy pants, has been waiting patiently for Louise. He shows her his Spanish Bible and she attempts to say the Our Father in Spanish. When Louise gives Roberto Holy Communion and they pray together, he requests that they include his family, in particular, his daughter.
Volunteer Feature
Speaker talks about being Called by God to minister juvenile inmates
Tina Borst, fourth from left, parishioner of St. Cecelia Catholic Church, was a speaker at the Living Eucharist Conference held at the Tampa Bay Convention Center on Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1 for Catholics to deepen their knowledge of Eucharist and to know what it means to be sent to serve other people.
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