Category: News

By Joe Robledo, East Stake Director of Public Affairs

Earlier this month, a group of volunteers from different denominations assembled to assist Catholic Charities in offering food to those in need. Catholic Charities’ Hope Mobile, their Food Pantry on wheels, parked at the San Antonio East Stake’s Galway building to help distribute grocery items to people who had been waiting. Members from the Catholic Church, Baptist Church, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped assess needs and distribute the food.

When asked about their service, a number of the volunteers responded by mentioning that appreciation is evident in those coming to get food and they are grateful for the volunteers. “We often fail to realize issues of self-esteem that can accompany poverty. It’s important to treat families that arrive for assistance with dignity and respect – it means a lot.”  said William Barrera from The Church’s 10th Ward in the San Antonio East Stake.  Barrera added, “you can see their appreciation.” Nina Rodriguez, also from 10^th Ward, said that “even as we helped them fill out the forms [to get the food] you could see their appreciation. They felt they were well treated and it made their visit to the food pantry less stressful.” Continue reading ““In Poverty’s Vale …””

“I heard about the fans and so I rode the bus and then walked here this morning to get one.” said Diamond. Diamond, like many seniors in the Alamo City is on a fixed income and the fan will help her stay cool while not dramatically increasing her utility bills during the hot summer months. The fan is one of over 5,000 fans that will be given away this summer through the City’s “Project Cool” drive.

With temperatures already hitting close to 100, the fans have been “going out as quickly as they come in” said Lizzy Nemeth, director of the Guadalupe Community Center which distributes the fans. Continue reading “Very, Very Cool”

By Margo Millard, North Stake Media Specialist

Last month, the Sonterra Ward Youth assembled 1,558 cardboard boxes from scratch at the San Antonio Food Book.  Sturdy cartons are essential to food bank operations since it is the most convenient way to fill customer orders and distribute them.  The youth fulfilled a critical need because without boxes, food sits on a shelf!

The youth were organized into various assembly lines to complete each stage of box construction and storage.  

Step #1:  Boxes have two parts: top and bottom.  Unfold cardboard and tape accordingly.  Dance to music that many older leaders recognize from their youth.

Step #2:  Throw tops and bottoms to the box assemblers.  They assemble boxes with the top outside the bottom, or the bottom inside the top.  Same difference. Continue reading “Boxing It Up at the SA Food Bank”

by Margo Millard, North Stake Media Specialist

“I’m really touched about how we’re teaching in a Lutheran church, and I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who’s working for Catholic Charities, and we’re teaching Muslims.  It’s exciting to be a part of that and a blessing in my life.”  Carolyn Heywood

When Carolyn Heywood listened to her Church leadership’s invitation to serve newly-arrived refugees in her community in April 2016, she felt the need to get involved immediately.  Her online search for volunteer opportunities pointed her to Catholic Charities, a well-known organization that provides comprehensive refugee and immigration services in San Antonio, TX. Continue reading “Inspired to Serve”

Members and leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the San Antonio area had a wonderful opportunity to solidify a growing relationship with leaders from Catholic Charities at a luncheon this afternoon. Building on the mutual desire to serve as Jesus would serve, the organizations gave structural overviews to help each better understand how they can best work together. 

Tracy Ladgenski, Vice President of Mission Advancement for Catholic Charities spoke of the various charities and programs that fall under the umbrella of Catholic Charities. Ladgenski also spoke of the wide scope of their services throughout the city, mentioning that much of what they do is dependent on volunteers. Lizzy Nemeth, Executive Director of Catholic Charities Guadalupe Center said: “It was important to learn more about how to connect and understand the stakes and wards within the Latter-day Saint’s Church and also just learning more about all of the ways y’all have already supported us.” Continue reading “Relationship Solidified”

“The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When any part of the body suffers, the whole body feels pain.”

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

This past Saturday, March 23rd, 2019 a Vigil of Love and Solidarity was held in front of San Fernando Cathedral. After the mass shootings in two New Zealand Christchurch mosques, a group of leaders from the religious community in San Antonio gathered together to support those suffering with this idea in mind.

Imam Beytullah Colak from the Raindrop Foundation started the vigil with a prayer. Sakib Shaikh, the public outreach for the Muslim Children Education and Civic Center, shared his thoughts on why it was so important that everyone gather today.

Other prayers and support were shared by these community leaders: Waheeda Kara, the Chairman SoL Interfaith Center, Rev. Ann Helmke, the Community Faith-based Liason for the CoSA, Rev. Beth Knowlton from St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Rev. Gavin Rogers from Travis Park United Methodist Church and Gina Ortiz Jones, an Air Force Veteran Fellow.

The Santa Nino Church Choir also gathered to perform two songs to draw those at the vigil together through music. These were followed by the supportive words of: Monica Ramirez Alcantara, Chairman of the Bexar County DP, Rabbi Sam Stahl, Rabbi Emeritus Temple Beth-El, Imam Omar Shakir, Masjid Bilal Ibn Rabah, Congressman Joaquin Castro, Texas’s 20th Congressional District, Mayor of San Antonio, Ron Nirenberg and Archbishop of Sam Antonio Azaan, Gustavo Garcia-Siller.

Bishop Bruce Baillio from a local congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave his own prayer in love and support as well. He prayed for continued religious freedom and he echoed the sentiments expressed the day after the shootings by the Pacific Area Presidency of The Church:

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of so many lives as a result of yesterday’s senseless attacks in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Our prayers are with the families of the deceased, the injured, and all others impacted by this tragedy. We also pray for all New Zealanders and our Muslim brothers and sisters throughout the world.”

Elder O. Vincent Haleck
Elder Ian S. Ardern
Elder K. Brett Nattress

Somebody has a name and in this case it happens to be Bishop Tim Mihalski. Many of us see needs but we push it out of our minds saying to ourselves, “somebody will take care of that.” Bishop Mihalski of the San Antonio 1st Ward, in the East Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, became that somebody. 

Bishop Mihalski attended the City’s first Faith Based Initiative (FB-I) meeting in January of 2018. Reverend Anne Helmke, the City’s liaison to the faith community began the FB-I with the hope that she could bring together congregations and organizations to better leverage resources. According to Helmke, the initiative’s central goal is to “build resiliency among the city’s most vulnerable.” Continue reading ““In the City for Good””

Food “To Go” takes on a different meaning the second Saturday of every month at the Galway meetinghouse. Volunteers from the San Antonio East Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints host Catholic Charities’ “Hope Mobile,” a food pantry on wheels. 

The Church focuses on getting the word out in the surrounding community, and provides volunteers to help fill out needs assessment forms. After the form is filled out, those in need, go out to the Hope Mobile and pick up their food.

Tom Hoog – Director of Community Outreach for Catholic Charities said “Most people walk away with 25 to 30 pounds of food…. Everyone is getting the same thing, and based on family size, additional things as well. Continue reading “Food “To Go””