Dear Brothers and Sisters, When I was growing up there was not too much spare change in any of the houses in the neighborhood. Next door was a widow with four kids. My mother who for most of our life as school kids was a stay at home Mom always had the key to that house. It was Kathleen’s way of checking on her kids. They had to come to my mother for the key when they came home from school and they would return the key later. Sometimes there would be the unexpected visitors and the kids would come around and ask could they borrow sugar, tea or a few cookies. These were always handed to the mother over the back fence and always returned later. My mother would explain that they were on a tight budget and that they usually just had the bare necessities and no room for extras. My parents were not rich but both were very good managers of money and frugal but not mean in any way. If my mother made scones or cake there were always a few passed over the back fence. Many families do not have enough or go without food. Bags of hope and its predecessor tries to help kids in difficult situations. This weekend we have food for the poor in our parish. Its mission to provide for the less fortunate and those struggling. Thanks to my parents, we always had enough food. I have lived where there was constant shortages of food and have seen the problems it causes. Please listen to Fr Robert this weekend and do what you can to help. Pray for a more just world and an end to hunger in our world. “When I was hungry you gave me to eat, when I was thirsty you gave me to drink. Now enter in to the home of my Father” Fr Karl