For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.
The Matthew 25 Ministry provides opportunities to every member of the parish to participate in hands-on activities to fulfill the challenge put to us by the Matthew 25 Gospel:
- to feed the hungry,
- clothe the naked,
- visit the sick and imprisoned
- and greet the stranger.
Hearts for the Hungry (H4H) is dedicated to making and distributing lunches, toiletries and clothing to the community at St. Lawrence of Brindisi in Watts, at the St. Francis Center near downtown LA, on Skid Row at the Catholic Worker and to the homeless in Santa Monica.
We enjoy outreach at our sister parish St. Lawrence of Brindisi in Watts, where volunteers are needed with tutoring and mentoring, as well as feeding and clothing the needy and homeless in that area.
The annual Family2Family program assists St. Lawrence of Brindisi parishioners in need at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The annual Christmas Project provides Christmas gifts, food and home goods to less fortunate families throughout Los Angeles via several social service organizations.
The Restorative Justice Ministry provides chaplains for juveniles at the Miller Probation Camp in Malibu on Saturdays. There are also annual projects such as Get On The Bus (helping reunite families with the incarcerated on Mother’s Day weekend), JustFaith (a 30-week study program focused on social justice issues) and an alternative gift market focused on Fair Trade vendors in November.
Annual home building projects through Habitat For Humanity are offered. We are also connected through regular donation drives to the Downtown Women’s Center and support the Exceptional Kids PTO Prom each year.
Collections are taken several times a year for food and clothing to donate to the Downtown Women's Center that assists women in need.
We are always welcome to new projects and inspired parishioners to help lead them.
A variety of opportunities at St. Lawrence of Brindisi include tutoring and mentoring elementary and high school students after school, teaching English as a Second Language classes, serving as interpreters and translators, helping fill out tax documents during tax season, providing legal advice and counseling throughout the year.