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Ninety Two Years of Service
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The Blessed Sacrament Food Pantry was established in 1979 as
a huge need was recognized. This outreach project served many who needed
emergency food service. Over the twenty years that the food pantry has existed,
it has seen many changes. The volunteers who run the pantry have made whatever
changes necessary to meet the needs of those they served – depending on the
economy and the times. Over the years, collaboration was necessary with other
parishes and city agencies as well, to do the best job possible. As different
needs became obvious, other outreach projects were started. In addition to the
food pantry we also provide baskets of food at Thanksgiving, we participate in a
"Shoes that Fit" program, sponsor a "Giving Tree" at
Christmas time for needy children and host a group that assembles sleeping bags
for the homeless – "My Brother’s Keeper".
Although the Capuchins came to us in 1979 in a community
numbering five, dwindling vocations over the years forced them to cut back to
two.....then one priest. Under Fr. Michael’s single-handed leadership, the
past five years have seen many changes. A huge parish debt was finally
dissolved. The Parish Center, constructed in 1972, had been a constant financial
burden on the parish, so in 1996 it was sold to the Manchester Housing and
Redevelopment Authority. After many years of volunteer and professional work,
our church hall was finally completed under the leadership of Fr. Patrick Glavin
and many renovation projects have taken place over these past years to bring the
church and rectory back to a sound physical state.
With the permission and blessing of Bishop Leo E. O’Neil,
Blessed Sacrament began Perpetual Adoration on Ash Wednesday 1994. This ministry
of silent prayer has been available to all who hear the call "Come unto
Me." Our original Adoration Chapel was a rectory office room
transformed. This room quickly became too small to hold all who came to be
refreshed. In 1996 one room of the rectory was expanded upon to become the new
and current Divine Mercy Chapel. All are welcome. Twenty-four hours a day. Seven
days a week.
Blessed Sacrament Parish and her people are on a long
journey. One that embraces not only spiritual avenues, but temporal needs as
well. As has been our practice for the past ninety two years, we are constantly
exploring the "needs" around us as we "seek to serve."
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