Maine Catholic youth look to score donations during ‘Souper Bowl of Caring’

PORTLAND — Young Catholics from around Maine are cheering hard this weekend, not just for the Patriots in Super Bowl LII, but for another rooting interest — getting as many donations as possible to benefit the Souper Bowl of Caring. The annual event, which was held Saturday, Feb. 3, and Sunday, Feb. 4, is a weekend of giving and serving during which all of the monetary and food donations collected are given to local charities to help tackle hunger in the community.
The following churches are taking part:

St. Michael Parish, Augusta –Youth ministry members at St. Michael Parish will hold soup pots and collect money and food items after all weekend Masses at each of the parish’s churches (St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Augusta; St. Augustine Church, Augusta; St. Joseph Church, Gardiner; Sacred Heart Church, Hallowell; St. Denis Church, Whitefield; St. Francis Xavier Church, Winthrop) with the proceeds going to local soup kitchens, food pantries, and shelters.
All Saints Parish, Brunswick — A collection will be held after all weekend Masses in each of the parish’s churches (St. Mary Church, Bath; Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Boothbay Harbor; St. Charles Borromeo Church, Brunswick; St. John the Baptist Church, Brunswick; St. Patrick Church, Newcastle; St. Ambrose Church, Richmond). Participants are asked to donate $1 and/or a non-perishable food item. All donations collected will go to area food pantries and the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program in Brunswick.
St. Gregory Church, Gray — Youth at St. Gregory Church in Gray will collect donations after weekend Masses at the church.
Holy Savior Parish, Rumford — Parish youth ministry members will collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations at each door following weekend Masses at St. Athanasius and St. John Church in Rumford and Our Lady of the Snows Church in Bethel. The donations will go to several local food pantries.
Since its inception in 1990, churches across America have raised well over $100 million for soup kitchens, food pantries and other charities through the Souper Bowl of Caring.
In 2017, nearly 5,000 charities across the country benefited from the collection. Other parishes in the Diocese of Portland will also be participating in the event this weekend.