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WARREN — The M25:35 ministry was founded in the summer of 2022 when a parishioner made a generous donation to St. Mary of the Bay Parish to help a group of refugees who settled in this state. Yet, instead of using these funds for a singular instance, Father Joseph R. Upton, the pastor of the parish, decided to use the money to help start the ministry for the benefit of refugees in Rhode Island.
The ministry is facilitated by three St. Mary of the Bay parishioners: Chuck Anastasia and his wife Cheryl, and Kevin Rota. The ministry, which takes its name from the words of Our Lord in Matthew 25:35 (“For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, a stranger and you welcomed Me”), is dedicated to helping immigrants and refugees who settle in the state of Rhode Island.
Volunteers involved with the ministry work with the diocese’s Secretariat of Catholic Charities Catholic Charities and Social Ministry and the diocesan office of Immigration and Refugee Services to provide food and basic necessities to immigrants and refugees, as well as helping them to find work, negotiate leases, and other similar needs.
“When Father Upton approached me last summer to talk about the M25:35 Ministry at St. Mary of the Bay, I was immediately thrilled to meet with the group,” said James Jahnz, the Secretary of Catholic Charities and Social Ministry. “I felt that there was great opportunity in generating a strong network of support for the migrants and refugees that we work with on a regular basis.”
“Knowing that we were in the midst of one of the heaviest periods of activity in that ministry’s time due to the influx of Afghan evacuees and seeing the needs of many coming to our office especially Ukrainians fleeing the war in their country, I was eager to meet with a parish group that was willing to lend assistance,” Jahnz continued.
The ministry also emphasizes developing long-term or ongoing relationships with recent arrivals in order to ensure their smooth transition into life in a new community.
In late September 2022, Chuck, Cheryl and Kevin made a series of presentations to the parish to raise awareness of the organization. Shortly thereafter, the ministry organized a series of events to raise awareness concerning the plight of immigrants and refugees more generally.
In November, Father Bob Mosher, a member of the Missionary Society of St. Columban (commonly known as the Columban Fathers) — a organization dedicated to missionary activity and helping the poor — was invited to speak before the parish in their Theology Uncorked faith formation event on the topic of his time helping refugees and immigrants near the U.S.-Mexico border. In December, Thomas Dedah and Mike Lee of the Diocese of Providence Catholic Social Services of Rhode Island gave a presentation on the various opportunities for the ministry to help in this state.
Many of the parishioners were enthusiastic to help, and many volunteered or showed an interest in the organization. Currently, the ministry counts 30 people actively interested in the organization, but support for the organization extends far beyond the limits of those directly involved.
During a St. Patrick’s Day fundraising dinner on March 18, a large number of parishioners showed up to support the ministry, with 167 tickets sold. The silent auction that took place during the dinner received money not only from parishioners, but also from several local businesses. The event, which was organized by parishioner Susan Rabideau with the assistance of the Knights of Columbus, raised more than $10,000 for M25:35.
The ministry is born out of a deep commitment to the call to help the poor and needy. “We are serving Christ in serving the stranger,” said Father Upton.
“St. Mary of the Bay strives to live out Jesus’ command to serve Him in the least of brothers and sisters,” Father Upton continued, going on to note that this ministry is continuous with a variety of other programs the parish has in place to help the poor and needy, including a food pantry, a parish outreach program to help those in need pay their rent and utility bills, and a yearly Christmas event in which gifts are given to the local poor. The parish also works with the St. Gabriel’s Call Ministry of the diocesan Office of Life and Family Ministry, providing emotional and practical support and assistance to pregnant mothers and families in need.
“Welcoming the stranger is an ancient and universal social and religious value,” the ministry noted in an official statement, going on to point out how recent political debates surrounding immigration frequently blur the fact that people have a moral obligation to help those who flee their native country due to oppression, war or poverty.
Since the organizers of the committee first began to raise awareness of their ministry last autumn, a small handful of families have already benefited from the ministry’s efforts. Since September of 2022, M25:35 ministry has worked with Catholic Social Services of R.I. and Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island (a charitable organization dedicated to ministering to the needs of immigrants) to help two Ukrainian families settling in Rhode Island, including helping them with rent assistance, lease negotiations, and navigating government assistance programs.
Since the start of this new year alone, volunteers associated with M25:35 ministry, along with the Catholic Social Services of R.I., have also helped two other immigrant families, one from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the other from Myanmar. M25:35 ministries helped both families settle into their new homes, as well as coordinating with the St. Mary of the Bay Food Pantry to give them access to healthy food.
