In October, Cardinal Sean asked parishioners in the Boston Archdiocese to be ready and willing to assist in addressing “a major humanitarian and societal crisis” that is looming on our home front. This involves “the fate of immigrants arriving daily in Massachusetts, and in need of basic shelter and compassionate care and welcome.”
The Cardinal specifically asked all parishes in the Boston Archdiocese to assist in a collection of winter clothing and necessities of life for those in need. He asked that these items be collected before Thanksgiving. The Archdiocesan St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Society, which manages a storage facility and has the resources to collect and distribute items directly to those in need, was tasked with providing logistical support for this effort.
The Holy Family and Saint Irene Parishes have responded with 90-100 bags of clothing for the Homeless and Migrant Crisis. The clothing items that were collected at the churches were taken to the SVdP collection bins in West Concord and Carlisle for pickup and distribution. The non-clothing items could not be placed in the bins, so our Conference President personally delivered a carload of donations to the central processing facility in Stoughton. He was given a tour of these impressive facilities and has provided a few photographs for us.
Although this special clothing collection is over, the SVdP collection boxes will remain at St. Irene’s Church parking lot in Carlisle and in West Concord on the far side of Nashoba Brook Bakery parking lot. There is a continuing need for clothing and shoes for our neighbors in need. We ask for your support.
