The Parish of the Holy Cross in Bridgeton recently opened a Food Pantry to respond to the increasing number of poor who come to its doors seeking assistance.
The food pantry is in the basement of the Immaculate Conception Convent located at 64 North Street in Bridgeton. Father Vince Guest, pastor, said that “practically every day of the week we get a knock on the rectory or convent door from people in the community seeking assistance.” Father Guest stated that “Bridgeton is one of the economically poorest communities in all of New Jersey and our parishioners want to help.”
The food pantry is named in honor of Pope Francis.
“At the Parish of the Holy Cross we want the pope’s vision of the Catholic Church as a field hospital to become a reality,” said the pastor. “We strive to foster a parish community that seeks to heal the wounds and warms the hearts of all God’s children.”
The parish also operates a soup kitchen in the basement of St. Teresa of Avila Church.
Father Guest noted the generosity of his parishioners in providing food and financial assistance to the pantry and Bottino’s Shop Rite in Bridgeton,which has pledged monthly food donations, for being a good corporate neighbor.
The Pope Francis Food Pantry will be opened the third Saturday of every month, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. The Pantry opened on Saturday Dec. 21. The parish also distributed blankets to families that day.
“The blanket drive was coordinated by our youth group, Teens for Christ, and demonstrates that the whole parish seeks to help the less fortunate,” said Father Guest.
Anyone who seeks to help or make a donation can contact the parish office at 856-455-2323.
Fr. Guest leads the community in prayer at the Pope Francis Food Pantry.
Photo by Alan Dumoff for the Catholic Star Herald