St. Mary's Organizations & Outreach
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“I am not capable of doing big things, but I want to do everything, even the smallest things, for the greater glory of God.”
St. Dominic Savio
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The Cheshire Pantry
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St. Mary's is proud to be an official donation site for the Cheshire Pantry, the local food bank that distributes monthly totes to Cheshire families in need. Each tote contains a variety of items which are included on a regular basis and the recipients can count on to fulfill various needs. Donations may be dropped off in the parish hall when it it is open for Sunday and weekday Masses. Monetary donations are also accepted. Checks may be made payable to: The Cheshire Pantry and may be dropped off at the church office or in the basket at Mass.
If you would like to support the pantry, here are their guidelines:- Items must NOT be expired
- Food must be non-perishable
- Items must not be from other food banks (specific packaging indicates that it was supplied by another food bank and therefore cannot be accepted)
- Items listed to the right are always preferred >>>>>>>>>>>>
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cans of soupRamen noodles
boxes of mac & cheese
cans of vegetables
cans of fruit
spaghetti sauce
boxes of pasta
cans of tuna fish
cans of chicken
boxes of cereal
jars of peanut butter
jars of jelly
boxes of saltines
single bars of soap
rolls of toilet paper
bottles of shampoo
rolls of paper towels
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Want to help?The Cheshire Pantry is run by volunteers, if you are interested in helping, please contact:
Carol Francesconi - 413-743-5028
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Christmas Elf Program
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Over 30 years ago, MaryAnn Tenczar, a parishioner and catechist at St. Mary's started the parish tradition of supporting Berkshire Community Action Council's Elf Warm Clothing Program. MaryAnn's children and husband now continue the program in her memory and have now expanded it to include St. John Paul II Parish.
Each November, parishioners select Elf tags which list the needs for a child. Parishioners shop for the warm outerwear, clothing, and essentials first and then fill in extra fun items to add joy for the child. The Tenczar/Rusek family collects the gifts from the churches and delivers them to BCAC. We are so proud to be part of this program and look forward to it year after year.
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Prayer Shawls
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A small group of St. Mary's parishioners lovingly knit and crochet prayer shawls for those in need of physical, emotional, or spiritual healing. Upon completion, the shawls are blessed by the priest and are delivered to those in need. A prayer shawl provides the recipient with warmth and allows them to feel the power of prayer as they seek God's grace and healing.
The members of the prayer shawl ministry do the bulk of the work on their own from the comfort of their homes. Donations received by the ministry allow the group to purchase yarn and supplies. If you knit or crochet and would like to learn more, or if you know someone who may benefit from a prayer shawl, please contact the parish office.
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St. John Paul II Rosary Sodality
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In 2010 there were two separate women's organizations in the St. John Paul II Parish the St. Thomas Rosary Sodality and the Ladies of St. Anne. The two organizations after holding a joint meeting and taking a vote at their various organizations, they unanimously voted to merge. The newly consolidated Rosary Sodality took the name of the Parish the St. John Paul II Rosary Sodality. In March of 2022 the Sodality voted to invite the women of St. Mary of Assumption Church in Cheshire to join the Sodality. Learn more . . .
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