RALEIGH, N.C. — St. Raphael the Archangel Parish hosted the North Raleigh Interfaith Thanksgiving Service Nov. 24. The event brought together members of 10 local congregations from faith traditions including Islam, Judaism and Christianity. A combined choir was led by Rafael Guarnizo of St. Raphael.
The offering gathered during the service went to the Hispanic Family Center, or Centro para Familias Hispanas, which is a program of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh. The center helps families overcome barriers by providing direct services and connections to community resources. There was also a canned food drive for Catholic Parish Outreach in Raleigh.
Father Tom Simisky, S.J. offered the welcome and greeting. Reverend Diane Faires Beadle, of St. Paul’s Christian Church, called the congregation to worship and Reverend Tom Watkins, of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, shared the invocation. The service concluded with a reading from the Torah by Rabbi Eric Solomon of Beth Meyer Synagogue and a reading from the Quran by Imam Oliver Muhammed of the As-Salaam Islamic Center.
During the service, Maty Ferrer Hoppmann, program director for Centro para Familias Hispanas, shared remarks, including how the center has served as a steady presence for families since its beginnings in 1997, offering case management, early education, emergency assistance, and community referrals.
In a news story on its website, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh reported that she offered the following, “Through the support of our exceptional volunteers and my dedicated staff, Centro para Familias Hispanas reaches approximately 10,000 individuals each year. You see, we are most human when we are deeply connected to the needs of others. This principle mirrors the very essence of what we are called to do, following the example of Jesus, who loved deeply, felt profoundly, and responded to every need he sensed and saw.”
A reception was held afterward in the parish’s Lewis Room.
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