Christmas and Advent

Thank you for so generously giving and volunteering to brighten Christmas for the 342 boys and girls chosen as beneficiaries of this year’s Spirit of Sharing, Lawrence, program. Although many of the parents of these children, often first-generation, work two to three jobs, they cannot afford to meet rent, utility, grocery and school-related expenses and also provide Christmas gifts to their sons and daughters. This year’s effort, a hybrid of online and in-person giving of items and funds, was challenging in light of the pandemic, but yielded an abundance of presents and good will. We believe this was the most robust year of giving since Spirit of Sharing’s beginnings at the turn of the millennium…

For over two decades, a group of St. John-St. Paul parishioners and St. John School families has organized a collection and distribution of Christmas gifts for children struggling with poverty and hunger in Lawrence. The Spirit of Sharing, is co-sponsored by Saint Patrick’s Parish in Lawrence under the leadership of Fr. Paul O’Brien. The program benefits hundreds of people in that community who lack the financial means to provide their children with Christmas gifts. Thank you to Fr. Jim Laughlin for his abiding support of Spirit of Sharing over the years and to all parishioners for your participation…