Trinity Café Ministry
Background
The Trinity Cafe ministry at St. Timothy Catholic Church is guided by both the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and Matthew 25.
Trinity Café was started by four Catholic businesspeople in 2001. In 2016, it became a ministry of St. Timothy during Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Mercy. Trinity Café merged with Feeding Tampa Bay in 2017.
The Mission of Trinity Café is to restore a sense of dignity, care, and respect and a respite from the street to the poor, homeless, and hungry, by serving a hot nutritious restaurant-quality three-course meal and engaging them in an environment of friendly conversation that expresses care and understanding.
This ministry has given us the opportunity to follow Pope Francis’ call to get out of our comfort zones of our parishes and neighborhoods and go to the margins of our society in order to find and serve Christ among the poor, homeless, and hungry.
We have to go to the poor, the homeless, and the hungry. We have to initially feel uncomfortable because precisely at that moment and at that place, we experience and serve Jesus Christ. This is our faith and this is our Church.
By serving the poor, homeless, and hungry as a parish community, our Lord changes our hearts as we change the lives of those we serve with a meal, and by interacting with them in a caring way. This change of heart enables us to come back to our parish with a better understanding of our Lord’s mercy, compassion, and love.
If a volunteer serves with us for 5 times, they are presented with an “Apron of Service”. The serving dates appear in the Bulletin together with a reflection from Scripture, the Saints, and the Church Fathers.
Location: Trinity Café, 2801 N Nebraska Avenue, Tampa
Serving Times: Weekdays – 11:00am to 1:00pm….Saturdays – 8:30am to 10:30am
Volunteer Limit: 15 per date – ages 16+
Contact: Jerry and Meredith Giglia at gigliaml@gmail.com to reserve your date.