The Catholic Extension Society recently announced the nominees for its Lumen Christi Award, which recognizes people who radiate and reveal the light of Christ in the communities they serve. Of this year’s 37 nominees, the Diocese of Birmingham’s Holy Rosary Catholic Church Food Pantry was included. From the nominees, not only will several finalists be selected and awarded $10,000 but also a recipient will be named and awarded a $25,000 grant.

Holy Rosary Food Pantry

Holy Rosary Catholic Church, which was founded 132 years ago by immigrant steel and glass factory workers in the Gate City neighborhood of Birmingham, has evolved over the years but consistently embodies the Catholic faith in their ministry to serve the poor.

The church’s food pantry feeds more than 670 families twice each month. Remarkably, this past December, the pantry was able to serve almost 2,000 people.

The pantry, however, is far more than just a source of much needed food. The area’s youth have the opportunity to participate in a soccer program as well as reading and tutoring sessions, providing a safe environment.

According to the Catholic Extension Society, “Holy Rosary Food Pantry goes beyond providing physical nourishment—it embodies the essence of Catholic social teaching, promoting the common good and fostering a community where all are welcome and cared for.”

Catholic Extension Society

The society was founded in 1905 by Father Francis Clement Kelley who sought to provide the sacraments to Catholics in tiny, rural towns across America not able to access them. Today, the society’s support reaches over 15 million American Catholics in dioceses throughout the nation. The Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama is classified as an “Extension diocese.”