ST. PETER
CATHOLIC CHURCH
THE SOUP AND A SMILE MINISTRY A Hands-On Way of Serving and Caring for Fellow
Carol Rolves and Kathy Schwartz
Prayer card sent with every delivery
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Basket raffled at parish picnic for soup to be delivered monthly for a year to the winning family
H
ospitality is vital to any Catholic community and Scripture calls us to take care of one another. So, what does hospitality look like in our parish? It might be providing coffee and donuts after Mass, preparing a funeral dinner, or greeting parishioners and visitors at Mass. For Carol Rolves, Kathy Schwartz, and the members of the Soup and a Smile Ministry, hospitality means more than just providing a warm meal. A smile, a prayer, and time spent visiting a fellow parishioner each are just as important. Romans 12:13 says, “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.” That verse serves as the inspiration for our ministry, says Kathy. And, Carol adds, it’s been amazing to see to Holy Spirit at work, guiding our group. About a year ago, Carol and Kathy began to discuss what they could do to connect with and care for parishioners who are homebound or lonely. At about the same time, Lyn Strieker, Stewardship Associate, heard about another parish that delivered soup to parishioners in need and asked if anyone was interested in doing that here at St. Peter. Carol gave her a call and soon a core group was formed made up of Kathy, Carol, Lyn, Sue Kuhl, and Sharon Mays. “We started with the homebound of the parish,” Carol says. “It kind of grew from there.” Soon the group was making and delivering soup to parishioners on the parish prayer list, the homebound, those recovering from illness or surgery, new moms, and grieving families, as well as to those who work hard to make the parish and the school successful. Soup and a
