“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” Saint Ambrose
The much lauded feeding program for street dwellers initiated by the Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation Commission (JPIC) ran for 68 days, from March 23 till June 2, 2020 started with 65 packed meals. The Capuchin brothers provided home-cooked style hearty food for street dwellers on main thoroughfares surrounding the parish till as far as Quezon Avenue, Araneta Avenue, Blumentritt, Banawe and Del Monte Ave every day.
The brothers who are normally seen at the altar, at the confessional, or administering the sacraments, generously and enthusiastically shared their talents as menu planners, cooks, food tasters, packagers, and were the holiest-looking, most popular delivery crew in their brown capuchin garb.
The effort came with challenges: The 32⁰ C temperature. Barangay Maharlika, where the shrine is located, was classified as Extreme Enhanced Community Quarantine ( EECQ) But passion and commitment pushed them to simply feed the hungry and forgotten people in the midst of an environment of heightened fear of the COVID19 contagion.
Wondering how to sustain the daily operations of catering and delivery for what quickly became 300 meals per day, they took to heart the encouragement from Rev. Fr. Artemio T. Raymundo OFMCap, NSOLL’s Guardian “Start and many will help. We need the Filipino spirit of Bayanihan.” Indeed the Bayanihan spirit came through the outpouring of countless donors who donated cash, bottled water, prepared meals, vegetables, fruits, snacks, etc.
What will happen to the street dwellers? The responsibility to care for them will be returned to the parish.
From Rev. Fr. Albert Poblete, OFMCap. JPIC Chair:
“Thank you to all who helped for more than two months. Naitwawid natin sila. Malaki rin ang gastos, siguro mga P600K, pati yung mga donations in kind. God provided for them through generous people like you.
Special thanks to the Lourdes School guards from Genghis Khan Security Agency.
To a handful of lay volunteers who helped us pack the food and distribute them to the poorest of the poor for the whole duration of the feeding program during the ECQ, EECQ, MECQ.
To Eileen and Joseph Villaflor, who were there the whole time to check if the well has run dry!
To Rev. Fr. Eugenio Juanilo Lopez, OFMCap, the Provincial Minister, as well as Rev. Fr. Paul Perlado, OFMCap, Secretary, and Br. Ian who would come over almost every day to assist us in the packing and distribution of food to the hungry street dwellers!
To the local NSOLL fraternity – Rev. Fr. Rex Cutamora, OFMCap., Rev. Rolie Datu, OFMCap., Br. Cit Bartolo, OFMCap., Rev. Fr. Dewaram Francis Raj, OFMCap., Ate Nita – our cook in the convent. Sila ang tumutok sa marketing and cooking.
Kami nila Rev. Fr. Ding Camus, OFMCap., Rev. Fr. Cesar Acuin, OFMCap., more on moral support. Ang tinutukan ko rin yung funding, yung mga donations na dumaan sa akin amounted to more than P600K.
We can’t mention each of them, we can only entrust them to the Lord to give them their generous recompense and hundredfold blessing for their selfless support.
Maraming salamat po!”
Peace and all good!
#NSOLLPH
