Latest Update: April 29, 2012
Mary Rose Mission Kitchen:
The renovation continues on the Mary Rose Mission Building located at 272 Main Street in Florence, Kentucky. Although we are optimistic about being able to feed God's children, in the name of the Mary Rose Mission, a completion date is still undetermined. Therefore, we have decided to collect non-perishable food items and deliver them to the less fortunate who reside at extended stay hotels.
We conducted our first food drive on February 18th, the anniversary of the purchase of the Main Street property. Please read the article "We're Feeding the Hungry" below for more details of the collection.
In addition to the many volunteers supporting us that day, we also had numerous inquires. One such visitor was Thomas Massie, who is running for United States Congress. We are hopeful that this support will continue as we collect and distribute food at our main Street location. The current plan is to accept food ont he first and third Saturday of each month and distribute the items on the second and fourth Saturday. We will keep you posted on our progress.
The renovation will continue and the need for financial suport is ongoing. Please search your hearts and help us reach our goal of providing a daily, hot meal to the poor and needy among us. Remember Christ's words, "What you do for the least of my children you do for me." May God continue to bless you and your loved ones. If you would care to make a donation, please mail it to: Mary Rose Mission Kitchen, P.O. Box 76533, Highland Heights, KY 41076-0533 or you may also pay by Paypal link on the right or at the bottom of the page.
Be part of the miracle, we can’t wait to hear from you!
Fund Raising Opportunities:
We're Feeding the Hungry:
As you read above, we conducted our first non-perishable food drive on Saturday February 18, 2012. The request for food donations went out to all the volunteers who signed up to work in our future soup kitchen at: 272 Main Street in Florence, Kentucky. If you drove past our building between the hours of 9:00 am and 2:00 pm you could not have missed our white canopy, festooned with red and white balloons. To make sure you noticed us, our junior volunteers, Lilli and Carly, carried a sign up and down the sidewalk announcing the food drop off location.
God has truly blessed us with very generous people as the response was overwhelming. We had a steady stream of donors the entire day. Our hope was to collect enough food to feed 30 families.
On Friday March 9th, the staff gathered to bag the collected groceries for delivery on Saturday March 10th. When we had finished bagging, we were so excited, we had filled a total of 72 bags which would feed 65 to 70 families, all due to the generosity of others.
At 10:00am on Saturday, a group of Mary Rose Mission staff and their families gathered in teh parking lot of the first hotel and began delivering the grocery bags to families in residence there. What a joyful experience it was to see the smiles when they received this gift of food and to receive such heartful thanks.
We completed all the deliveries by noon and I am happy to report we fed at least 67 families. I cannot adequately convey how grateful and appreciative these families were. To receive all those "God bless you", was truly humbling.
Thanks to all the Mary Rose Mission staff who generously donated their time to collect, bag, and deliver all of the food. A very special thank you is extended to all our generous donors. God bless you for your kindness and for reflecting the motto of the Mary Rose Mission, "To Love as God Loves."
News from Grenada:
The Mary Rose Mission in Grenada is doing well thanks to the support and prayers it receives both locally and in Grenada. The vision of Fr. Ed. Conlon continues through the dedicated efforts of Vincent and Lurine Moraine. The mAry Rose Mission is proud to report that because of your help, a computer was purchased for the only Catholic Radio Station in Grenada. The Catholic Radio Station was a dream of Fr. Ed's before his death and came to fruition from the financial support you have given. We also provide financial support to maintain the Mary Rose Mission house which is located behind the St. Martin's Home for the Aged. The house is utilized throughout the year by missionaries organized by the Moraines to provide specialized services around Grenada. Also with your assistance, the Moraines are able to provide the basic necessities to the neediest people in Grenada. The Moraines leading the Mary Rose Mission of Grenada purchase and distribute toiletries, cleaning supplies, and food to those who would be forgotten by many. These accomplishments honor the life of Fr. Ed Conlon by continuing the Corporal Works of Mercy he began so long ago.
St. Martin's Home for the Aged was another benefactor this past year. The home was able to make small property improvements that greatly enhanced the resident's quality of life. The nursing home, founded by Fr. Ed in 1991, currently has 40 residents and one resident recently celebrated his 100th birthday. The mission of Fr. Ed was to provide a home where residents are treated with the utmost respect and dignity. Thankfully, through your support, that tradition continues today.
Thes things and more are made possible through your help. If you would like to make a donation before the next fundraiser in August, please send your check to: The Mary Rose Mission, P.O. Box 76533,Highland Heights, KY 41076-0533. Please mark "Grenada" on the check. We look forward to seeing you at the Fr. Ed Conlon Memorial Diner being held at The Farm on August 12, 2012.
Virtus Training for Volunteers:
The Virtus program was designed to help prevent "wrongdoing" and promote "rightdoing" within schools and religious organizations. Its goal is to protect and prevent God's children from sexual abuse. The program creates a healthy and safe environment for adults and children to interact with each other, while enforcing a "no tolerance" protocol for inappropriate behavior.
In accordance with the Diocese of Covington, we would like all of the adult volunteers at Mary Rose Mission to become Virtus compliant. To register, you can go to www.virtus.org and click on the registration link. We ask that you register through your home parish then add Mary Rose Mission as an additional location to volunteer. You will attend one session that will go over the program thoroughly then you will be asked to answer one question that will be sent to you in a monthly bulletin via email.
Our charity could not function without the love and support of our volunteers. Thank you for all that you do and for helping us keep an environment that is safe for all!
Prayer Group News:
Everyone is welcome to join us each month in prayer for our mission work both here locally as well as in Grenada. We meet at St. John's in Wilder, Kentucky on the FOURTH MONDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 7:30PM. Please bring non-perishable food items with you if possible in support of the Mary Rose Mission. We hope to see you there. If this is your first time attending please call the mission phone number (859-292-0300) to be sure we are meeting as we sometimes must cancel due to inclement weather.
Want to Help with the Soup Kitchen?
272 Main Street, Florence 41042
If you would like to help with the soup kitchen email us at: volunteer@maryrosemission.org. Please complete the Volunteer Application and bring it with you when you are scheduled.