MARCH
2021
Stewardship The Wise Men’s Gifts Symbolize Our Lenten Obligations PAGE 2 A Month and Year to Honor St. Joseph PAGE 3 Scouting Programs at St. Anthony Teach Leadership, Teamwork and Faith PAGE 4 From the Catechism
What is Almsgiving?
ST. ANTHONY of PADUA
PAGE 6
Altar Linens Ministry: Honoring Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist PAGE 7
The Ladies of Charity of Quincy Meeting Important Needs in Our Community
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or many of us, bedding, pots and pans, and clothes are within our means to purchase whenever needed. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for everyone. In Quincy, there is a group of men and women who volunteer their time so those in need have these necessities that we so often take for granted. The Ladies of Charity of Quincy has been around for more than 85 years. The group follows the Vincentian mission of prayer and service. As their website notes, the group has “consistently addressed the needs of the under-served, unemployed and underemployed people in the Quincy area, regardless of race, creed, color or country of origin.” The Ladies of Charity Center is set up like a thrift store, except there is no charge for anything. There is also a food pantry. People in need are not required to meet income specifications, but there is a limit on certain items per month or year, depending on the item. Cindi Soebbing works at the Center’s front desk. They give out donated items, from clothes and pillows to toys, diapers, and dishes. She says volunteering has opened her eyes to this vital need in our community. “Being involved in this organization has shown me we are all in this together,” Cindi says. “It is our responsibility to take care of each other.”
People come to the Center because they have had to suddenly take in their grandchildren. Others are just out of prison, trying to start a new life, and they have nothing, while others have lost their jobs. As Cindi notes, there are so many difficult situations. There are many volunteers, women, and men, who keep the Ladies of Charity Center running. There is a group that fixes toys and another that washes linens and makes sets, to name a few. Cindi says there is always a need for volunteers to work at the Center desk or behind the scenes. The Center also takes donations. Some of the nicer items are brought to the Ladies of Charity Thrift Store and sold. The money made at the Thrift Store funds the charitable work of the Center. “I have been so inspired by other volunteers who are willing to give of themselves,” Cindi says. The COVID-19 pandemic has made this work even more important. When the shutdown orders first went into effect, the building closed and boxes of food were being distributed. Eventually, they opened with fewer volunteers, shorter hours, and a limit on how many could be in the building. continued on back cover
