A VITAL CORE PRECEPT OF ST. Angela Merici Parish’s long and storied history has been a consistent commitment to service. This service heritage extends not only to the members of the parish but also to the surrounding areas of Brea.
BREAD OF ANGELS’ RACHEL LIN, A STUDENT AT ST. ANGELA MERICI SCHOOL, SERVES BAGELS TO GUESTS. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Many ministries are key components of the St. Angela Merici community, one of those being Bread of Angels, which has been in existence for over 35 years.
Bob Duffy leads the ministry and has been involved with it for 18 years. Initially, this ministry operated under the name Saturday Hospitality. Shortly after Duffy joined, the parochial vicar, Fr. Bill Barman, initiated several key changes, the first of which was renaming the ministry Bread of Angels. Fr. Bill felt this name was a more appropriate description of the ministry’s service.
FROM LEFT: BREAD OF ANGELS’ SELENA PARK, KIARA SUN, AND EWA JANICK DISPLAY THE MENU FOR THE DAY.
He also wanted to change the way the ministry interacted with the people it served. The people who came to the parish on Saturdays for a meal were called “guests,” which gave the ministry a warmer, more welcoming feel—an approach that made the Saturday event feel more like a fine dining experience.
When guests arrive, they sign in, leave their belongings in a secure storage room and take a seat. They receive a menu from servers made up of youth volunteers from the parish. Tablecloths and centerpieces further enhance the fine dining experience. After taking an order, volunteers serve the meals on real glass plates with silverware. Meal selections can be customized, further exhibiting that each guest is special, important and has been heard.
On any given Saturday, 20 to 30 volunteers get to work. Only 20 youth servers are accepted each Saturday, due to their duties being more specialized. These servers work from 7 a.m. to noon and receive service hours. Other volunteers also startup food donations during the week or clean up after the event. Breakfast is served from 8:30 am to 9:30 am. At 9:30 am, a healthy vegetable plate is brought out, followed by a prayer and lunch at 10:30 am. The lunch menu features a wide range of delicious options, including pork chops, baked ziti and tuna casserole. During the meals, guests are encouraged to stay and converse with each other.
As part of a partnership with California State University, Fullerton, nursing students volunteer their time by speaking about the importance of good nutrition and hydration and by checking vital signs.
Duffy and his wife, Ellen, who is also involved with Bread of Angels, see this ministry as an opportunity to help others in need. Duffy calls the ministry “an opportunity to give service. Anyone could need this program at any time.”
When asked what this ministry can mean to the St. Angela Merici community, Duffy said, “It provides an opportunity to do God’s work. It gives us the means to work with our entire community. Most importantly, it allows the youth servers to be converted to a lifetime of service.”