It’s always great to hear from parishes who are supporting us in different ways. So we were delighted to learn that Our Lady and St Christopher’s parish in Stockport, had raised money for Missio this Lent!

The Chair of the Ladies’ Guild, Sue, shares:

‘The Ladies’ Guild always run a soup kitchen every Lent, for a chosen charity. This year, because our Treasurer is also the Local Secretary for the Red Boxes, we decided we’d raise money for Missio.’

Bringing everyone together

The Lenten soup kitchen is a real community affair. It takes place each Friday after the 12pm Mass, including parishioners and anyone else who wants to pop in for lunch.

Sue explains:

‘We have three ladies who volunteer to make the soup, we have a cake stall and we have a raffle. Then all the money is collected each week.’

To encourage support, Sue also invited Missio to speak at a Ladies’ Guild meeting before and after Lent. Here, Guild members learned more about the Pope’s charity for world mission and about the difference their support makes.

Claire from Missio visited the parish and shared news and pictures from a Missio project in rural Cambodia, which focused on a parish soup kitchen where youth catechists provide free lunches and faith formation to children and young people. The ladies couldn’t help but draw the parallel between their soup-making to help others and the parishioners to Cambodia doing the same.

Claire was delighted to be presented with a cheque for an amazing £2,100 to Missio!

Thank you!

A huge thank you to all the helpers, bakers, cooks and servers at Our Lady and St Christopher’s, and to those who supported the soup kitchen and cake stall in any way. Together, through the Red Box, we are sharing God’s love around the world.

• If you are a member of a parish group and are interested in a Missio visitor, please contact us
• If you have a story about your fundraising for mission and the Red Box, we’d love to hear from you! Contact us today to share your news.