On a day marked by a call for solidarity with the underserved, Timothy Cardinal Dolan took a significant step to support New York's needy. His efforts aligned with the World Day of the Poor, a commitment established by Pope Francis to prompt community action and support for the less fortunate. According to AM New York, following a sermon that urged peace with God, Dolan oversaw the blessings of a substantial contribution of food donations outside St. Patrick's Cathedral.
The World Day of the Poor saw two vans filled to the brim with donations that are set to be distributed to various communities. Cardinal Dolan, raising his arm over the gifts of sustenance with an aspergillum in hand, sanctified the offerings. “This is a special time of the year, Thanksgiving, when Americans are particularly generous in sharing our abundance, so that’s why we do this now. But I tell you, folks, every day of the year, Catholic Charities is out there feeding the poor," Cardinal Dolan told an assembled crowd, as AM New York reported.
During this season of gratitude, Catholic Charities is committed to extend their reach further by distributing roughly 11,000 turkeys, 12,000 hot meals, and including an additional 100 Halal turkeys for the MAS Islamic Center on Staten Island, highlighting the diverse needs of the community they serve. CBS New York sheds light on the special Mass where Dolan blessed the food, which will be instrumental in ensuring that city's most vulnerable populations are not left out of the Thanksgiving tradition.
In consonance with the season's spirit, Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, emphasized the prevailing need within the city. “Even in our New York metropolitan area, with all of its wonder and all of its prosperity, there are millions here who go to bed hungry. There are millions without a decent job, millions without a decent place to live,” he told AM New York, articulating the sobering juxtaposition of the city's wealth and poverty.
Through this initiative, Catholic Charities, encompassing roughly 90 agencies across the New York Archdiocese, plans to serve over 400,000 New Yorkers this year, irrespective of their religious affiliations.
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