When St. Francis famously met up with a leper, he didn’t just throw him some money. The man from Assisi embraced and kissed him.
Francis was known for honoring the poor and marginalized, welcoming them, treating them not simply as objects of charity but as friends and companions.
Such is the spirit that animates the work of the food pantry at Mission San Luis Rey Parish in Oceanside, California, where struggling families are presented with the best possible food, not simply scraps that others reject.
Grisel Barrios, director of the Loretto House Food Pantry outreach at the Franciscan parish, leads a team who scour local groceries and restaurants for the best possible options. Six stores regularly provide fresh fruits, vegetables and meat, gathered and inspected by some 75 pantry volunteers.
“Our mission is to take care of the poor,” Grisel says, adding that the pantry is well-known in the community for delivering the best. Volunteers not only bring the food to the pantry; they check to ensure that the vegetables are fresh and the meats are appetizing. They also assist when the pantry is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Over the past six years, the number of clients has risen from some 20 families each day to more than 100. At Christmas and Easter, food baskets are distributed to some 500 families.
While growing economic hardship might explain some of that increase, Grisel says the quality of the service at San Luis Rey is also an attraction. Families needing food in the Oceanside area know that they will receive excellent attention at San Luis Rey. Catholics as well as non-Catholics are welcome. No one’s church registration is checked.
The parish prides itself as multi-cultural, bringing the Franciscan faith tradition first brought to California by the missionary friars in Spanish colonial days to today’s church. The Mission San Luis Rey Parish includes those of European, Samoan, Filipino, Vietnamese and Latino backgrounds. The pantry’s client base reflects that diversity.
The parish mission statement notes that San Luis Rey parishioners “live the Gospel with humility, joy and solidarity.” That solidarity extends to the poor of Oceanside, a part of the Diocese of San Diego. It is a city known for its laid-back ocean vibes, a giant U.S. Marine base nearby, and a population that reflects the ethnic diversity of Southern California. Oceanside is a tourist destination, including beaches and the historic San Luis Rey Mission. The parish is led by Fr. Edgardo (Lalo) Jara, OFM, pastor, and associate pastors Fr. Macario “More” Torres, OFM, and Fr. Joe Juracek, OFM. San Luis Rey maintains a strong Franciscan presence, both in its historic mission as well as in meeting contemporary needs.
Fr. Lalo noted that the food pantry ministry provides a way to build community at the parish. Once every month, youth from the parish participate, a way they can expand their horizons and learn about Franciscan values, the pastor says.
“It’s an opportunity for our children and youth to collaborate. By volunteering at the pantry, they can have the experience of seeing the other as a person,” he says. “It’s a way of being Christian in the world.”
Aided by a California law requiring that food reaching expiration dates be distributed to charitable agencies and not discarded, the San Luis Rey pantry volunteers seek out the best.
“We have to check everything we get to make sure it is edible,” says Grisel, noting that she tells workers to bring back only the food that they would serve at their own tables at home. “If we wouldn’t eat it, we won’t give it to you.”
Distributed food includes rice, beans, bread, and meat, including lamb, bison and duck; more exotic cuts that pantry clients rarely see. Also included are toiletries and items such as adult diapers, valuable to elderly clients. Those who come to San Luis Rey can also receive pet food, an item added after it was discovered that some clients were withholding paying for food for themselves so that their animals could be fed.
The food pantry ministry is a focus of parish life. Whenever a need arises, such as refrigerators and other high-cost items, parishioners come forth offering support.
“The parishioners are awesome,” says Grisel. “If it weren’t for the volunteers we have, we could not open.”
Because of the work of those volunteers, San Luis Rey parishioners remain animated by a Franciscan spirit of generosity, willing to extend a hand beyond the basics in addressing food needs in Oceanside.
There are future plans for the Loretto House food pantry. Fr. Lalo notes that the parish is planning to build a new center for the outreach ministry, a process expected to take from two to three years. Also in September, as Grisel nears retirement, Franciscan Bro. Angel Vazquez, OFM, will become director of the Loretto House Food Pantry.