Meals for Migrant Workers
Contact:
Robert Grinnell
919-481-9409
Contact Us
"Come you who are blessed by my Father
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me..."
Mt 25:40-41
Ministry Description
For more than 15 years, parishioners of St. Michael the Archangel have been
providing meals to migrant workers in the Fuquay-Varina area. The meals are
brought to the Parish Center at St. Michael's and then driven to St. Bernadette's
Church in Fuquay. St St. Bernadette's migrant workers attend mass and later stop at
the church's cafeteria to enjoy the meals the volunteers provide.
To help support this ministry, please volunteer for one of the following activities:
- Prepare a meal
- Drive the meals to St. Bernadette
- Set up at St. Bernadette
- Serve meals at St. Bernadette
- Become a driving or set-up leader
When
Sunday, Jun 15th
Sunday, July 20th
Sunday, August 17th
There will be signup sheets in the Gathering Space during the next several weekends
if you care to sign up. A description of the upcoming menu and a more detail
description of the various activities will also be available at the Gathering Space
desk. If you have any questions, please
Contact Us
Time
Times vary for the different volunteer positions. You may volunteer for one or all of
the following:
Meal Drop Off |
By 2pm
Meals can be dropped off at the refrigerator truck outside the parish center starting at 5 p.m. the day before and no later than 2 p.m. on your assigned Sunday.
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Driving Meals |
3pmPlease be outside the parish center by 3 p.m. to help transfer the meals
from the refrigerator
truck to the cars. Drivers will leave for St. Bernadette's at 3:30 p.m.
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Set-up |
4pmMeet at St. Bernadette to prepare food stations (meals, salads, desserts and drinks; heat the food; and gather utensils, cups and ice.
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Serve/Clean up |
6pm - 8pmThe food will be served at St. Bernadette's cafeteria right after the 5 p.m. mass. After the meals, please stay to help with clean-up.
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Where
St. Bernadette's Catholic Church in Fuquay-Varina
Directions
St. Bernadette's is located at 1005 Wilbon Rd.
From St. Michael the Archangel:
- Take High House Rd. to NC-55
- Make a left onto NC-55
- Follow NC-55 past Apex and Holly Springs
- Make a right onto Wilbon Rd.
- St. Bernadette's is located at 1005 Wilbon Rd.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of food should I bring?
There's usually a specific menu. Within that menu, however, you are welcome to be creative. For example, if you chose to bring pork, you are welcome to bring it in a variety of ways, such as sliced, BBQ, etc. The same applies to the salad, desserts and drinks. Favorite drinks are Coke, Sprite and Citrus flavored drinks.
What specific ingredients would they enjoy in their meals?
If you are cooking a main course and you are debating between meats, a theme meat is selected for each meal. Any type of green salad is perfect, especially if it includes lettuce, tomatoes or cucumbers. Vegetables such as corn, string beans, black beans are all appreciated. A suggested menu is provided at the bottom for each weekend.
How much food should I bring?
It would be great if you could provide a portion to feed at least 14 people. Canned vegetables such as corn and beans work well and are easy to transport/prepare.
Could I just bring the ingredients?
We recommend that you bring the food cooked and ready to eat.
What types of desserts are popular?
Any type of dessert is welcome. But, cookies, cupcakes, coconut maccarrons, meringues and similar sweets seem to work best because they are easier to serve.
What type of rice should I bring and how do I cook it?
If you would like to bring rice as a side dish, any type of rice works great. Cook it how you normally do it. If you rarely cook rice, just follow the package directions.
Menu for 2008
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Sunday, June 15th
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Fried/Baked Chicken, Rice, Canned Vegetables, Dessert,
Drinks, Tortillas and Salsa
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Sunday, July 20th
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Taco Meat, Taco Shells, Taco
Toppings, Canned Refried Beans, Rice, Dessert, Drinks
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Sunday, August 17th
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Pork, Rice, Canned Vegetables, Dessert,
Drinks, Tortillas and Salsa
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Involvement of St. Michael's Parishioners
In the Migrant Meal Ministry
1980s
|
Rev. Charles Mulholland, then pastor at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Cary, takes the initiative to serve a population of migrant workers in the Fuquay-Varina area. He borrows the Episcopal Church off HWY 401 in Fuquay and recruits volunteers from his parish to help him minister to the migrants' needs.
Fr. Mulholland begins by officiating mass for the migrant community. After the mass, he and his volunteers serve punch and cookies and listen to workers??? concerns. The volunteers help with a variety of problems including domestic, legal and medical issues.
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1987
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St. Bernadette Catholic Church opens its doors in Fuquay-Varina and becomes the official home of the Migrant Ministry.
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1990
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Sister Elizabeth McNeal, serving as pastoral administrator for the Dioceses, believes the needs of migrant workers in that area are so wide-spread that help from various churches may be necessary to undertake them. She places a call for help to the North Carolina Catholic.
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1991
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Various churches respond to the calling including St. Andrews in Apex, St. Francis of Assisi in North Raleigh, the Cathedral in downtown Raleigh, St. Luke???s and St. Raphael also in Raleigh.
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1991-1997
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At St. Michael the Archangel, Teresa Aldahondo takes the leadership role. She begins recruiting volunteers to help cook, drive and serve the meals at St. Bernadette???s. The migrant meal movement grows and becomes one of St. Michael???s official ministries.
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1997-2004
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Various parishioners answer the call to lead the ministry, including Mirella Parbus and Jolene Smith.
Every year more than 50 volunteers from St. Michael the Archangel alone help feed more than 275 people, each participating Sunday. The Migrant Meals Ministry falls under the umbrella of Catholic Social Ministries, a diocesan organization dedicated to addressing the social concerns of the church.
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Contacts
For additional questions, please contact the following individuals:
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