By Heather Walker

ROME — Sharing and solidarity are at the heart of The Lay Centre’s mission, but also part of our monthly Saturday activity.

Once a month, our scholars set off on a food shopping trip to our local supermarket to support the initiative of our parish, Santa Maria in Domnica alla Navicella, which provides basic food items on a regular basis to the poor and needy in our area. Each scholar is assigned a task, and the whole afternoon is also a moment for the community to share the fun of getting out and doing something together.

Shopping lists in hand, the scholars move around the supermarket picking up the carefully selected food items. Once the shopping carts are full — sometimes to overflowing — they go through the check-out and head up the Caelian Hill to the parish. All the food is offloaded and stacked on shelves ready to be organized for delivery by parish volunteers.

Two Lay Centre scholars, both studying at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, commented on this activity.

“It has a real impact,” said Gabriele Calista from Pescara, Italy, who at times is present when the food is being handed out at the parish.

California native Daniel Ortiz said the activity also provides an opportunity to bond with others in the community.

“It’s really hands-on, too,” he said. “You actually feel that you are doing something for people in need.”

Thanks to our local supermarket, Tuodì Celio, that kindly lets us use their shopping carts to ferry the food to the parish! Of course, it’s downhill on the way back and, by the way, there’s a great “gelateria” nearby for a treat afterwards!

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Photo gallery below - Lay Centre community at work. Photos courtesy The Lay Centre.