by NZ CATHOLIC staff
AUCKLAND — Those with intellectual disability and those struggling to feed their families have benefited from recent activities of St Vincent de Paul and Christ the King parish young people.
Over Lent and Easter, young people of Christ the King parish in Owairaka, Auckland, ran their 2013 food appeal. After Easter, the food donations were passed on to St Vincent de Paul, Auckland.
Auckland Young Adults Parish and Tertiary Coordinator, Retts van Dam, told NZ Catholic that Wellsford parish priest Fr Bill Fletcher recognised her at Mass in Maungaturoto (Maungaturoto and Mangawhai are served from Wellsford), as a result of a January article and photo in NZ Catholic about St Vincent de Paul. Fr Fletcher then asked for St Vincent de Paul support for the town’s ecumenical food bank, and for the Wellsford Soup Kitchen — “Papa’s Kitchen” — which has 100 families on its books.
The other beneficiary of the Christ the King food appeal was the Mt Tabor Trust, which runs homes to support the intellectually disabled.
Andrew Quirke (second from left) and Tutangata Ama (fourth from left) with other Christ the King helpers pack the van with food. Tutangata is also a Tertiary Vinnie.
Tertiary Vinnie Andrew Quirke went to Christ the King and, with Tutangata Ama and other members of Christ the King Parish Youth, helped divide the food for the Mt Tabor IHC community, and for Wellsford.
After making a delivery to Helensville, Helensville parish priest Fr Maria Selvan Benedict accompanied Andrew to Wellsford to help with the delivery — and to meet his neighbouring brother priest, Fr Fletcher, for the first time.
Mrs van Dam said Fr Fletcher and Mt Tabor were most grateful to Pa Peter Tipene and the Christ the King parish family for their generosity.
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