A Shared Meal and So Much More

Submitted by Deacon Matthew Ludick

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Holmen has had several Faith Alive groups meeting this year. In one such group, participants expressed a strong desire to work collectively on a service apostolate for those in need. The parish is already known for its generosity to those in need through the well established outreach called “We Care.” Parishioners generously donate food, clothing and toiletry items on an ongoing basis. Every 5th Sunday of the month a second collection is taken up for the “We Care” fund. These funds are used to purchase gasoline vouchers, and provide occasional short term financial assistance with things such as vehicle repairs, rental assistance and medical care. People come from all over the Coulee region to St. Elizabeth Parish when in need because they know “We Care” and they can receive assistance.

This particular Faith Alive group, consisting of 11 members, decided to sponsor a dinner for the “We Care” participants who would be the “guests of honor.” The motivation for the dinner was to go beyond just providing some material assistance such as food but to honor each person as a reflection of Christ in the world. The dinner would not only offer a meal but would be a way to promote the dignity and respect of each person.

The leadership for the dinner was provided for by the pastoral associate of the parish, Sr. Bridget Donaldson, O.S.B.and a parishioner, Arlene McCabe. Several meetings were conducted to sort out the meal preparation and planning. Various donors came forward with children’s toys, food items and various miscellaneous items that would be given to the dinner guests. The individuals and families that have utilized “We Care” in the past were contacted and invited to the dinner.

A spirit of generosity and self-giving was evident by all those involved in planning and preparing for the dinner. A parishioner of our parish who is a magician volunteered his time to do a magic show for the children in attendance at the dinner. A summer and patriotic theme of red, white and blue was chosen for the dinner and tables were set with colorful napkins and balloons. These extra efforts were taken to transform the parish “gathering space” into an inviting dining room.

As dinner guests trickled in, Faith Alive participants and several of their family members who volunteered to assist with the dinner extended warm greetings. St. Benedict wrote a rule for monasteries which states, “all guests shall be received as Christ”. This was how each of the guests was received. Several members of the Faith Alive group were able to sit down with the guest families and share the meal. The conversations and laughter brought genuine enjoyment to all.

After dinner the magician performed an outstanding show that was interrupted several times by laughter, applause and cheers. After the magician was done, the guests received various “goody bags” containing food items, children’s toys and personal items. One high school student who volunteered to assist with the dinner related that she experienced an overwhelming sense of joy especially in seeing the young children smiling and laughing throughout the evening. As she was leaving, one of the guests who called herself “Grandma” asked if she could give me a hug because it was one of the most special days of her life. I accepted her hug, humbly knowing that in some small way it was coming from Christ himself. The Faith Alive sessions provided time to read, discuss, reflect and pray. This ultimately led to something deeper which is love of Christ as seen in those that we serve.