The Soup and a Smile Ministry: A Hands-On Way of Serving and Caring for Fellow Parishioners

Hospitality 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 Smile has made soup for our priests and the parish staff. For Teacher Appreciation Day, the ministry provided 60 containers of soup to the schoolteachers and staff.

As a fundraiser for the parish picnic, they auctioned off a monthly delivery of soup — made and delivered by the core committee — for an entire year.

“It’s a hands-on way of showing parishioners that we care,” Carol says. “It’s not just soup — it’s also prayer and a friendly smile. It’s a ministry that is truly stewardship. We serve each other as a parish family.”

The five core members meet each month and they communicate with the cooks over the phone. Currently, Carol estimates that each cook gets an assignment every month or two. The assignment involves making soup and delivering it to the recipient — with a smile and a prayer card. The current 40plus cooks share the “work” and it becomes an enjoyable effort.

Another important aspect of stewardship is providing opportunities for others to join a ministry. The Soup and a Smile Ministry has done just that, giving more than 20 new cooks a chance to serve in their parish.

“As Catholic Christians, we believe that we are the hands and feet of Christ on this earth,” says Kathy. “We know that you can’t outgive God, so when we serve Him by serving others, we are abundantly blessed. Those blessings far outweigh the time and effort involved.”

To join Soup and a Smile, or if you know someone who would appreciate a container of soup, please contact Carol Rolves at 217-257-5851 or Kathy Schwartz at 217-779-2824.

Carol Rolves and Kathy Schwartz

Prayer card sent with every delivery

Basket raffled at parish picnic for soup to be delivered monthly for a year to the winning family