Almsgiving is one of the pillars of the Catholic faith especially emphasized during the Lenten season.
“Lent is a very obvious time in which we’re thinking about almsgiving and in the celebration of Easter afterwards … I can’t think of a better way to be celebrating the life of Christ and the teachings of the Gospel than to be thinking about those in need,” Mike Rios-Keating, social justice education manager at Catholic Charities Twin Cities, shared with “Practicing Catholic” host Patrick Conley as he presented an opportunity to serve those in need.
Through its Giving Basket program, Catholic Charities is asking local business representatives and members of faith communities and other groups, such as books clubs, to collect much-needed supplies for those served by the nonprofit.
Needed items include men’s and women’s underwear; men’s belts of various sizes; activity items for children and adults, such as sketch pads, coloring books, art sets and sudoku; and hygiene items, including razors, deodorant, ethnic hair products, shampoo, body wash and toothpaste. Though it’s helpful to receive items from those categories, Rios-Keating said that the nonprofit “would welcome anything” and that “any kind of monetary donation goes a really long way” as well.
Rios-Keating shared his hope that the Giving Basket program will encourage people to continue a Lenten practice of almsgiving throughout the year. “The preferential option for the poor is a year-round call,” he said. “And there are certain parts of the year in which we can think about it in a more intentional way. And I hope that this (the Giving Basket program) is able to, kind of, kick off the spring and the summer for folks to continuing that.”
For more information about the Giving Basket program, visit Catholic Charities’ Giving Basket website.
To coordinate drop-off of items at the Catholic Charities distribution center, contact Mike Rios-Keating or call 630-386-5799. Items can also be dropped off Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the distribution center located at 341 Chester St., St. Paul.
Also during the March 31 “Practicing Catholic” episode, host Patrick Conley interviews Julie Craven. Craven, who works with restorative justice and healing at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, describes her volunteer role as ombudsperson for the local Church. Also featured is Gary Bowman of Hospitality Houses for Divine Mercy, who discusses assistance provided to those experiencing homelessness who have mental health challenges. Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingCatholicShow.com or anchor.fm/practicing-catholic-show with links to streaming platforms.
