Parish Food Pantry
Our food pantry is kept stocked through the generosity of our parish community. Forget-Me-Not-Weekends are an invitation to the parish to bring non-perishable food donations to the Fr. Ed Center on the first weekend of every month. Our own food pantry is restocked each month. Food is available to families in the community who are experiencing a temporary need for assistance. A portion of our collections is shared with our sister parish, Our Lady of Victories as well as the Fr. English Center, both in Paterson.
Eva’s Village - Preparing Chili
Eva's Village is a faith based, non-profit social service organization located in Paterson, NJ. Their mission is to provide support for those struggling with poverty, hunger, homelessness and addiction. Eva's is now opening weekend lunch service and volunteers are needed. No meal preparation is required. Volunteers are asked to donate a few hours on Saturdays or Sundays to set tables, serve lunch and cleanup. Food is provided by Eva's. St. Patrick Church has partnered with the Eva’s Village for many years. Eva’s is a comprehensive non-profit social services organization whose mission is to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, treat the addicted and provide medical care to the poor.
Eva’s Village: evasvillage.org
Contact: Diane Primavera at 973-292-4838 or John Primavera at 732-672-2169 or [email protected]
Fr. English Center
St. Patrick Church has partnered with the Father English Center for many years. We minister with them regularly around their food pantry, and Christmas giving programs. The Center is a social services agency of the Diocese of Paterson serving the changing needs of the poor. They serve as a resource for other professional agencies, parishes and the wider community.
The Father English Center: fatherenglish.org
Family Promise of Morris County
Family Promise of Morris County, formally Interfaith Council for Homeless Families of Morris County, is dedicated to ending the crisis of homelessness faced by families in our area. Family Promise partners with religious congregations, among other organizations, to provide temporary shelter and services such as information and referrals for job training and affordable housing, in hopes of breaking a cycle of generational poverty.
Family Promise serves mostly single mothers and their children. The children spend each day in school, while the mothers either work or look for employment and affordable housing, knowing that they will have a warm meal and safe place to sleep that night.
Since the pandemic, Family Promise provides hotel accommodations to its families while they are homeless. Parishes, like St. Patrick Parish, are assigned one to four weeks a year to supply needed meals and gift cards for necessities, such as gas. Our Parish is assigned two weeks per year where we provide requested items. A sign-up is usually published prior to the the assigned weeks so parishioners can assist in providing the necessary items.
Family Promise of Morris County: www.ichmc.org
Parish Contact: Vonnie Gibbons [email protected] or 973-635-0625 ext. 2155
Christmas in a Box - Giving Tree
During Advent an opportunity is provided for individuals and groups within the parish to supply gifts for families facing financial difficulties. Families are helped locally as well as those at Our Lady of Victories and The Father English Center in Paterson. Dates and information for participation are announced in the bulletin and at mass. Christmas in a Box touches the lives of entire families that have been identified by the parishes or organization. The Giving Tree is a less specific collection of small gifts for those in need. The tree, with ‘gift ornaments’ is located during Advent in the Church narthex.
Parish Contact: Christmas in a Box-Vonnie Gibbons [email protected] or 973-635-0625 ext. 2155
Giving Tree- Holly Gilligan [email protected] or 973-635-0625 ext. 2154
Respect Life Ministry
The purpose of this ministry is to actively and openly demonstrate our parish’s commitment to the “Sanctity of Life" through activities, programs, projects and support of prolife organizations. The group relies on information and direction from, the USCCB, the National Committee for Human Life Amendment and the Bishop’s Pro-Life Office.
"We, the Respect Life Committee of St. Patrick Parish, work to serve our Parish and community through prayer, education, and action in defense of life from conception to natural death. We are committed to observing and promoting the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church on all life issues, including abortion, euthanasia, infanticide, assisted suicide, stem cell research, and those ever evolving issues that challenge respect of any form of life."
Please contact the Parish Office for more information.