" 'When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.' "
(Luke 14:12-14)
Our Mission
To serve our guests, working to meet their material and spiritual needs, as an expression of our love of God and neighbor.
What We Do
Every Monday we welcome up to 70 guests from the Cathedral neighborhood who are homeless or otherwise in need. We serve breakfast and provide bagged lunches, toiletries, new underwear, and socks. Following breakfast, we join our guests to discuss the week's Gospel reading.
Respect is the foundation of all we do.
Guests have told us:
"We are treated with respect here and you listen to what we say. Everyone respects one another ... that is why we like to come. The atmosphere is different here."
Volunteers say they receive more than they give:
"I come every Monday because our guests feed my soul with food I cannot find anywhere else."
"Our guests inspire my heart with their dignity, appreciation, and smiles."
How You Can Help
The Ministry is run by volunteer leaders and parish staff liaisons. The Coordination Team includes Channing Pejic, Jim Nash, Katie Dwyer, Kevin Coates, and Phil Downey. Newcomers are always welcome on any given Monday.
The newest way to help is through purchases of most-needed items from our Amazon Wishlist - just scan the first QR code on the flier or click the button below.
What:
- You may choose to serve guests on Monday mornings, make bagged lunches at home and deliver them to the West Conference Room, contribute food or funds.
- Sign up to prepare 10 lunches at home and donate them once a month (you can drop-off on Sunday or early on Monday morning).
- Sign up to prepare hot food or donate fruit, juice, milk, yogurt/fruit/apple sauce cups, or other soft-chew granola bars or pastries. On Mondays, volunteers drop off breakfast food between 7:30am and 8am. Breakfast food donors commit to a schedule and specific food items. To learn more about donating food and lunches, email Katie Dwyer.
- Sign up to serve in person to distribute lunches, breakfast food, give out toiletries, clothing, and sit with our guests. Email Jim Nash to learn more.
- Donate gently worn men’s clothing items: cargo shorts, casual pants, jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, sneakers, and work boots. Contact Phil Downey to schedule a time to deliver items.
- Purchase most-needed items from our Amazon Wishlist for shipping directly to the Cathedral.
- Make a monetary donation. All donations are used to purchase coffee service items, toiletries, underwear, socks, basic clothing items, and more. Scroll down to read more on donations.
Where:
Guests are served in, and food delivered to, the West Conference Room. Enter the Cathedral's side door down the steps from the alley entrance (St. Matthew's Court).
When:
Volunteers set up at 7:00am, serve guests at 8am, and conclude about 9:00am. You choose when to arrive and leave. Help is most needed between 7:00 and 9am. Come weekly, biweekly, monthly, or whenever you can. Volunteers and guests are invited to stay for a bilingual scripture discussion, which takes place from 9:00am to 10:00am.
Why We Do This
One guest says it best:
"For me, the Kingdom of God is what happens here every Monday morning."
We can live the Gospel by serving our guests:
" '... For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me ...' 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' " (Matthew 25:35-40)
According to Catholic Social Teaching, helping those in need is not only a question of charity, but a matter of justice:
"Distributive justice requires that the allocation of income, wealth, and power in society be evaluated in light of its effects on persons whose basic material needs are unmet."
Economic Justice for All: Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, No. 70, p. 36, (Nov. 1986).
Contact Us
To volunteer, or for more information, contact Ricardo Tobar or Fr. John Benson and the coordination team (contacts listed under "How you can help").
In Loving Memory of James Walsh
We continue our service to those in need and remember our dear friend and ministry leader James Walsh, who passed away on December 2020. In loving memory, visit this page to read reflections by Jim's friends at St. Matthew's on his service and legacy.
A Memorial Gift in Honor of James Walsh
After learning about Jim's passing, many have asked to make a contribution to the mission of the Homeless Ministry to honor Jim's service and dedication to our guests. If you are interested in making a gift and support the work of the ministry in serving the poor and homeless, please follow the instructions below.
- Click here to make a donation through PayPal.
- After filling out the form with your address and credit card information, click “Review Donation and Continue.”
- Choose “Comments” and in the comments window, indicate that you would like the donation to be made in memory of James Walsh for the Homeless Ministry.
- If you wish your gift to remain anonymous, please indicate that as well.