Let me use this forum to acknowledge the hard work done over many years at our Parish Food Pantry. Tom Stumpf and his retinue of generous Volunteers certainly contribute the to acting out the Corporal Works of Mercy with the “Feeding of the Hungry.” We have discovered even more, during this virus plague, how many food resources there are for the Fort Worth community, both Catholic and secular. One of the larger local dispensers of charity food came in, most grateful for the food we provided, as their stores were about exhausted. So the Pantry is quite empty now. A month ago, Fr. John and I spoke with St. Vincent de Paul Society of the Diocese to see what services they offer in conjunction with ours regarding food provisions. We discovered they have a very extensive ministry throughout the area, well organized with many Volunteers. They accessed our Pantry. Coming out of this, I am much more prone to joining forces with this august Society of charitable works. They would be taking over accessing people’s needs for charity, and seeing they are served from their many venues throughout the local area. We will continue to collect food, but it will be going to St. Vincent de Paul Society and other food banks with a wide range of needy folks in the Metroplex.
Our Food Pantry has a stellar reputation, but the building itself has challenges for major repairs. It’s a very old structure, as you know. The Virus situation is surfacing opportunities for deep reflection and proactive planning for that part of the Parish Campus here. I foresee us razing the Pantry building, as well as the storage building right next to it. The new grey storage facility we put up last year will be housing what was in the “White Elephant.” The School has very good storage space in that new building, but it is going to have to be better organized, to make room for October Fest Carnival materials. As can happen, some of the storage units, when first erected, were used quickly. That is, things were plopped in there without a lot of immediate organization. The Boy Scouts and the Knights of Columbus have been vigilant in making use of every square foot of their storage spaces there. I’m calling on the School community to come in and settle materials from the “white elephant” into the storage unit to the School.
The plot of property where the Pantry stands will become more space for playground, garden and perhaps some more units for parking. These are the plans we’re working on in this interim.
We also hope to expand the School Cafeteria for better scheduling of lunch hours for our School Community. So that area near the Gym will be experiencing some major renovations in near future! Again, the Pantry will not be reopening. St. Vincent de Paul Society of the Diocese will be taking this over, its ministry, and training Parish Volunteers to work with those who come in need.
For the time being, please do not donate funds for the Pantry. As this takes on reality from the planning stages, information of the new model of charity will be presented and constantly communicated. This is the newest area of on-going development of our property facilities and meeting the needs more attentively as we connect with a larger distribution effort of services long offered by the St. Vincent Society.
I know we all long for a return to normal, whatever that is! This challenge to the Country and the world in comping as best we can has a silver lining. We have the time and opportunity to access our ministries and explore what can be done more and better. The old passes away, as the Epistles say, and the new dawns on the horizon. Again, I thank everyone for their hard work here at St. Andrew Church and School. I so miss those School children and look forward to their return. Also, to see our Parish Church filled and celebrating Holy Mass is lovingly anticipated and please Lord, may this be quick on that same horizon!
God bless and thank you for your faithfulness to our Parish Church and School.
Love and prayers,
Fr. Jim