A Message from
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney

April 20, 2026

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

All are invited to participate in a powerful week of faith and service that beautifully connects two sacred celebrations. The 13th Annual Corpus Christi Food Drive on June 6-7, 2026, asks parishioners to bring the Body of Christ they receive in the Eucharist into the world by feeding our hungry neighbors through donations to Catholic Charities food pantries. Just days later, on June 11, 2026, as our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, honoring Christ's burning love for all humanity, especially the poor and vulnerable.

 

Corpus Christi calls us to recognize Christ's presence in the Eucharist, while the Sacred Heart reminds us that this same Christ dwells in our hungry neighbors, and both call us to respond with generous, sacrificial love. We prepare our hearts for the national consecration to the Sacred Heart by serving "the least of these" through the Corpus Christi Food Drive. As Jesus said, "I was hungry and you gave me food" (Matthew 25:35). This week of devotion invites us to live out the love of the Sacred Heart through acts of mercy, transforming our faith into action and our parishes into beacons of hope for those in need.

 

Saint Teresa of Calcutta famously remarked, “If you can’t feed one hundred people, then feed just one.” Since 1988, the Father English Food Pantry in the heart of Paterson has been feeding one hungry person at a time.

 

Father English regards each person, each family, as more than nameless persons standing in line for assistance. Each person and family that seeks help with food from Father English finds compassionate love and human dignity as well as physical nourishment.          

 

The Father English Food Pantry is an indispensable resource for the hungry in the City of Paterson and the surrounding region. Each client is welcomed as an individual, and those individuals grow to twenty thousand persons served per month. The Lord Jesus strongly encourages us to remember our personal connection to him through the poor, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Thank you for caring for one soul at a time so that your goodness sustains the local community more than twenty-fold.

 

For the past thirteen years, the Corpus Christi Food Drive has served as a beacon of hope, rallying communities to support the hungry. I am pleased to announce our plans for the Corpus Christi Food Drive in 2026. The gospels tell us that as Jesus fed crowds, he always associated his co-workers with him. The Lord’s command to the disciples is given to us as well, “You give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37). Our blessings multiply when each of us shares some portion of what is our own for the good of someone else. Our local church of Paterson always responds to the hungry with generosity, and Almighty God always blesses our goodness.

 

This year, I ask you and your parish community to once again join us in this important endeavor. Your participation in the Corpus Christi Food Drive will enable Catholic Charities to provide essential assistance and instill hope in the hearts of those we serve, especially as we approach the summer months, when the demand for food assistance escalates, particularly among children.

 

I urge every parish to take part in the Annual Paterson Diocese Corpus Christi Food Drive on June 6th – 7th, coinciding with the Feast of Corpus Christi.

 

Please reach out to the respective coordinators below to confirm your parish's participation. Kindly respond to Catholic Charities no later than May 5th.

 

Morris County Parishes: Itzamary Saldivar

Email: [email protected]    Phone: 973-361-5555 Ext 3009

 

Passaic and Sussex County Parishes: Contact Karina Maria Email: [email protected]   Phone: (973) 737-2077 Ext. 4070

 

A detailed list of requested items is available at www.ccpaterson.org/foodlist   

 

If your parish wishes to modify the list, please inform Catholic Charities accordingly.

 

We have updated our list this year to better address the needs of those reliant on our pantries.

 

Additionally, we kindly request that collected items be brought to one of our three designated drop-off locations. Deacon Bill Ruane and the deacons of the Diocese have graciously volunteered to assist with sorting the donated items at these locations in preparation for delivery to the pantries. Should your parish require assistance with drop-off, please contact the respective coordinator, and Catholic Charities will facilitate the process.

 

Parishioners may also make monetary contributions at www.ccpaterson.org/corpus  

 

Itzamaray Saldivar 973-361-5555 Ext 3009

 

St. Simon the Apostle - 1010 Green Pond Rd, Newfoundland, NJ 07435

 

Carlos Roldan (973) 771-9485

 

Donald Rossi (862) 579-5690

DPD 1 Catholic Charities Way, Oak Ridge, NJ 07438

 

Sample bulletin insert/announcements and pulpit announcements are available at www.ccpaterson.org/corpusmaterials 

 

Thank you for your continued support of Catholic Charities and for your embrace of Christ in the hungry and the poor.

 

With every good wish and a prayer for the Lord’s blessing, I am

 

Sincerely yours in Christ,