On Thanksgiving

Richard A. Sokerka

“Iassure you, as often as you did it for one of my brothers and sisters, you did it for me.” (Mt 25:40)

Since 1938, Catholic Family and Community Services (CFCS), the original social service agency of the Diocese of Paterson, has administered programs to provide direct assistance to the poor.

One of the basic programs that has been offered for many years is the distribution of food to the hungry through its food pantry at the Father English Center in Paterson.

Sadly, as The Beacon reported in its Nov. 9th edition, a fire at the center on Nov. 2 rendered the food pantry a total loss. It had served 100-150 clients per day and more than 4,000 clients per month.

But just 11 days after the fire, rising from the ashes, the Father English food pantry was back in service at a temporary location at Eva’s Village, which transformed its Culinary School’s training kitchen into a food pantry, just two blocks away from where the fire occurred. The response to help restock the food pantry from the Diocese of Paterson, the Knights of Columbus and parishioners from parishes across Passaic, Morris and Sussex counties has been truly amazing so that poor families could still have a traditional Thanksgiving Day meal provided to them for this holiday today.

As we sit down at the table with family and friends this Thanksgiving Day, and give thanks to God for all the blessings he has bestowed on us, remember this: our gratitude to God should translate into

action — the action of being generous

to others.

Especially at Thanksgiving, and at all times during the year, in sharing what we have with those in need, we are not doing anything especially noble but we are showing by our actions that we are followers of Jesus Christ. As the Body of Christ, we are called be his hands and feet in reaching out to those in need in any way we can.

Remember in your prayers at the Thanksgiving table, the food pantry and all those it serves, and then act from your bounty to help rebuild the food pantry at its original location as your means allow.

To donate, go to: http://www.CatholicFamilyAndCommunityServices.org/donate.aspx. Indicate “Food Pantry” under personal notes, or send a check or money order to: Catholic Family and Community Services, Attn: Food Pantry Appeal, 24 DeGrasse St., Paterson, N.J. 07505.

Happy Thanksgiving!