Tampa: Sharing Presents, Groceries, and Loving-Kindness

By Chioma Okoye, Communications Director, Mary Help of Christians Center

(Tampa, FL – December 22) – As we began preparing for Christmas at Mary Help of Christians Tampa, we also got to work getting ready for our largest community outreach effort of the year.

As Christ told us in John 15:12, “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” At each weekend Mass, Mary Help of Christians’ pastor Fr. Steve Dumais, SDB, imparted this verse upon parishioners. Along with understanding this Scripture, he charged all also to live out these life-giving words from Jesus Himself.

Although parish community outreach is already the largest ministry at Mary Help of Christians Parish, this Christmas highlighted the extensive generosity of our parishioners with their time, talent, and treasure.

On the morning of Saturday, December 20, the outreach crew loaded their trucks with groceries, clothing, toiletries, gift cards, treats, and presents. The group was divided into two teams and headed to their assigned locations.

At the local mobile home park and other distribution sites, parishioners gave out all the prepared items, resulting in just under 400 presents being distributed, as well as about 100 bags of groceries.

Fr. Steve later remarked that, along with the physical items we provided, loving-kindness was shared, above all.

The day concluded with a small group of parishioners delivering door-to-door groceries and presents to our neighbors on Chelsea Street. Later that same evening, the parish choir paid our neighbors another visit to further share the Christmas joy by singing Christmas carols.