On Thursday evening, the Felician Sisters in Detroit joined our Capuchin Brothers for evening Mass in the friar’s chapel to discuss the upcoming partnership withDeo Gratias is a ministry that was started in the Spring of 2018, with the mission of providing social services for those facing significant economic and social challenges.
The sisters are taking up this mission through the opening of a café that will serve as a gathering space for social services while the sisters get to understand the social, economic, and spiritual needs of their guests. In addition to this, the sisters are also opening an organic, eco-friendly community garden along with the café to help further facilitate community and relationship building. These ministries will be based at St. Jude Roman Catholic Parish in the Regent Park neighborhood of northeast Detroit.
Capuchin brothers Steve Kropp, Gary Wegner, Thomas Skowron, and Tien Dinh had made connections with the sisters through the Ministry Partners Expo and, after the sisters had shared their plans, felt it would be a good opportunity to collaborate.
Specifically, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen will be partnering with Deo Gratias ministries by providing a social worker who will be employed by the soup kitchen and stationed at Deo Gratias. We will also be sharing our Volunteer Hub with the sisters. Soon, when you’re looking for opportunities to sign up to volunteer with the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, you will also be able to sign up for volunteer shifts with Deo Gratias as well.
We’re excited for what the sisters have in store and grateful that they’ve allowed us to be a part of it. May God continue to bless the work of transformation community building in Detroit.