St. Gregory's - Wappingers Falls

St. Gregory parish is a regional one – members come from several counties, numerous municipalities, and school systems. Not a “village church,” it was never connected to just one ethnic group. In fact, the founders wrote into their by-laws that the language of the services, of all other activities was the language of the land – English. This said, members come from at least two dozen ethnic and church backgrounds, so it is truly an “ecumenical” community. And, in recent years, St. Gregory’s has been committed to outreach, to helping those in need in the communities around. First and foremost, this means the neighborhoods where members live – in Dutchess, Orange, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster counties. But it also has meant The Lunch Box, the free cafeteria or “soup Preparing Eggs kitchen,” linked to Dutchess Outreach, and located in a former Catholic school in downtown Poughkeepsie, NY. Funds from our Christmas Food Fair, where home made foods, including stuffed cabbage, pirogi, baked goods, soups, craft items are sold at the start of December, are given to local philanthropic agencies. The Lunch Box is one of these, and parish support enabled the purchase of a commercial freezer, among other items. In the photo, parish members serve a hot lunch also prepared by them, this done several times a year. Not only our young people, but all of us at St. Gregory have learned ways in which to be of service to brothers and sisters in need. v