By Larissa Rodriguez, Special to the Florida Catholic
A volunteer meal packing event was hosted by Our Lady of Light Parish in Fort Myers on March 16, 2024, just as the darker days of the Lenten Season were winding down and the bright hope of Easter was on the horizon.
The Parish’s collaboration with Meals of Hope was the idea of Deacon Ripperton “Rip” Riordan, who wanted to see increased involvement in the Parish community.
“With the large population during the winter season, I had an idea or dream of getting the Parish Community involved in an outreach project outside of the Parish walls,” Deacon Riordan said. “So, I spoke with a few leaders of the Parish and local community and asked what special project needed to be done that could involve 200 volunteers?”
From there, the idea was kickstarted into becoming a reality. Deacon Riordan enlisted the help of two parishioners, Steve and Vicki Pierson, who suggested partnering with Meals of Hope, pouring their heart and soul into planning the event.
Meals of Hope is a nonprofit based in Naples with 15 food pantries throughout Southwest Florida and one more opening this month. It was founded in 2007 by its president and CEO, Stephen Popper, to provide hunger relief to people in the U.S.
Popper learned from his mother and aunts, who were trying to take care of poor children in Haiti, that the children had trouble learning because they didn’t have enough food to eat.
Popper and his wife organized their first meal packing event, and grew from there, packing a million meals in the first year. Though the company started with the goal of shipping meals overseas, it now largely focuses on providing meals locally.
The goal at the Our Lady of Light event was to pack 50,000 meals of cinnamon sugar diced apple oatmeal for distribution by the Harry Chapin Food Bank and other mobile food pantries throughout Southwest Florida. This number was surpassed with about 52,000 meals packed and shipped out by the end of the day.
“We really have quite a large impact. But we can’t do it without the support of Our Lady of Light and other churches and groups,” Popper said.
This event provided a profound impact to the community especially because it took place during Lent, as it created a practical way for parishioners to exercise their Lenten obligation of almsgiving and service, while also having fun.
Volunteers danced to the music as they were packing their meals and cheered once their group finished packing a full box. Their biggest cheerleaders were Deacon Riordan and Father Hugh McGuigan, Pastor of Our Lady of Light.
“Being of service to others is an important aspect of a strong community. Our faith community here at Our Lady of Light is an active group that desires to live their faith by sharing their love and resources for the needs of our brothers and sisters,” Deacon Riordan said.
In Deacon Riordan’s Holy Thursday homily, he compared Jesus washing the feet of his disciples to everyday acts of service modern Christians can perform. The Deacon said this event was one of the ways the community was able to share their witness as “foot washers” to others.
“One of the things I love about Meals of Hope is how inclusive it is, people from all ages can do it,” Popper said. “There are not many things that can do that, where people of all ages and abilities can participate and really have a strong impact in the community.”
The staff and volunteers of Our Lady of Light Parish are already planning another Meals of Hope event in November.
Also, throughout 2023, the Office of Marriage and Family hosted a series of events promoting the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, each with a theme stressing the Most Holy Eucharist. This included the two annual anniversary Masses, celebrated by Bishop Dewane, held to honor couples who have dedicated their lives to God and their marriage. The Masses, held in the northern and southern parts of the Diocese to accommodate the large response, recognize couples enjoying significant wedding anniversaries; with many of those present celebrating more than 50 years of marriage while some marked more than 70 years. Between the two Masses, the 630 couples represented a combined 32,500+ years of marriage. Bishop Dewane stressed that the marriages of those present were bound by God, noting how these couples represent a shining example of the important Sacrament of the Eucharist. The 2024 Anniversary Masses will take place at 11 a.m. Feb. 3, at St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs, and 11 a.m. Feb. 24, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. A reception follows these free event. Registration is handled through local Parishes.
