Food Drive (Above): Williamsburg House of Mercy (WHOM), a non-profit organization benefiting the homeless, received 914 pounds of food from Walsingham Academy, Williamsburg, during the school’s food drive in support of WHOM’s “Fill the Truck” campaign. The food drive occurred during Catholic Schools Week; the lower school collected 490 pounds and the upper school collected 424 pounds. On average, WHOM serves 300 people Wednesdays and Thursdays at their food pantry.
Scout Mass (below): Bishop Barry C. Knestout celebrated Mass Sunday, Feb. 25, at St. John Neumann, Powhatan, for scouts who received religious medals throughout the year. Scouts BSA offers religious programs for scouts to learn about their faith, and those who complete the programs earn medals. Some medals are specific to Catholics, including “Ad Altare Dei,” “Pope Pius X” and “God is Love.” Around 225 scouts and family members attended Mass, representing at least 13 Scouts BSA troops and two American Heritage Girl troops. From January 2023 to January 2024, 86 religious medals were awarded; all those who received emblems were acknowledged by the bishop.
Art Show (right): On Feb. 6, an exhibition featuring the art of Nazira Mohammadi opened at the Commonwealth Catholic Charities’ (CCC) Expressions of Hope Gallery. It is the second exhibition at the gallery; the first exhibition, which was covered in The Catholic Virginian (Oct. 2, 2023), featured work by Richmond artist Nora Houston. Mohammadi, who was also featured in that story, was born in Afghanistan and entered CCC’s Unnacompanied Refugee Minor program two years ago, before being reunited with her family.
Rice Bowl Grant (below): Father Peter Calixtus Barfi, pastor of Immaculate Conception, Bumpass, and St. Jude, Mineral, recently presented a $1,000 Rice Bowl Grant to the Louisa County Resource Council to support the Children’s Feeding Expansion Program. Pictured with Father Barfi are: Louisa County Resource Council Executive Director Lloyd Runnett (center) and Social Ministry representative Kathie Anastas.
Black History Month (below): For Black History Month, the Interracial Formation Ministry at Immaculate Conception, Hampton, organized a presentation and museum tour of Aberdeen Gardens in Hampton. The tour explored the history of the African American neighborhood, built in 1935.
International Dinner: On Feb. 17, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, West Point, held an International Dinner, featuring food from cultures that make up the parish, including food from Vietnam, Latin America, the Philippines, Italy and Poland. Approximately 200 people were in attendance. The meal was modeled around the large “Polish dinners” once held to celebrate the local Polish community in the area.
