• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe

Christmas-themed dinner at Baltimore’s Franciscan Center includes help from school presidents

December 23, 2019
By Paul McMullen
Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Feature, Local News, News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Marlow Zimmerman, front, and Piper Biemiller hand out socks and blankets to guests of the Dec. 23 Christmas lunch at the Franciscan Center in Baltimore. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Like many organizations that help those who are down on their luck, the Franciscan Center relies upon volunteers to complement its mission.

For decades, the center’s partners included students from Loyola Blakefield. Jeffrey Griffin, its executive director, wants that network to include other Catholic schools, which is why the servers dishing out a substantial mid-day meal Dec. 23 included some familiar faces in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

In addition to Anthony Day, the president of Loyola Blakefield, the volunteers included two of his peers, Conventual Franciscan Father Donald Grzymski of Archbishop Curley High School and Christian Brother John Kane of Calvert Hall College High School.

“We compete in admissions and athletics,” Day said of rival Catholic schools, “but when it comes to helping the city, we put all of our hearts and hands together.”

According to Griffin, he collaborated with Day on the effort. According to Day, that’s a typical response from Griffin, a parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Baynesville.

“Jeff did all the leg work on this,” Day said. “It’s easy to respond and say, ‘great idea’ on my part, but Jeff is a guy who doesn’t want any credit. He is living the Gospel.”

According to its mission statement, the Franciscan Center provides “emergency assistance and supportive outreach to persons who are economically disadvantaged.”

Two days before Christmas, that involved culinary director Steve Allbright, lead cook Brenda Hampton and company preparing meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, green beans and fruit salad. When some of the sides ran low, mashed potatoes and oranges were added to the menu.

Christian Brother John Kane of Calvert Hall, left, and Anthony Day of Loyola Blakefield, second from right, were among the Catholic high school presidents on the serving line. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

“We had served 300 by 11:15,” Allbright said, of an effort that was ready to feed 700.

The center’s annual Christmas party for its community included Santa Claus and gift bags, consisting of a blanket, hygiene kit, hats and clothes.

Clients showing their appreciation included Robin Moore, a former corrections officer in juvenile justice trying to get back on her feet after being injured on the job.

“This is not just a place to eat, they offer plenty of services,” said Moore, who planned to spend the night at a shelter on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Allan Joseph, meanwhile, said an abandoned row home would be his shelter for the evening. Joseph worked in informational systems until suffering a heart attack. He has lost a job and a home, but not his sense of humor.

“That meal was delicious,” said Joseph, who was asked to name his favorite thing about it. “The meatloaf. It had meat in it.”

Day said that every Loyola Blakefield junior serves the Franciscan Center once during the school year. They have included his sons, Aaron, class of 2015, and Ethan, ’19. Aaron was on the serving line Dec. 23, as were a father-and-son from Calvert Hall: Brian, class of 85, and Tim, ’18.

Rudy DeSantis prepares mashed potatoes for the  Dec, 23 mid-day meail that was expected to feed 700. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Father Gryzmski’s Christmas week will include a trip to Ocean City, Brother John’s a visit with family in Philadelphia. Both, however, made time to accept Griffin’s invitation on one of the biggest single-day efforts of the year at the Franciscan Center.

“We had 180 children in (Dec. 17) for a Christmas party for them,” Griffin said. “The closest elementary school, 25 percent of the students are homeless. We had 14 high-schoolers from St. Francis Xavier (in Hunt Valley) in to help. They were all awesome.”

A more seasoned parishioner of St. Francis Xavier and regular in the kitchen, Rudy DeSantis, graduated from Loyola in 1954. A retired dentist who sent all five of his sons to his old school, DeSantis said that he has gotten more from his service to the Franciscan Center than it has gotten from him.

“If Jesus were walking the earth today, where would he go?” DeSantis said. “Here.”

 

Email Paul McMullen at pmcmullen@CatholicReview.org

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Paul McMullen

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Prodigal son to priest

  • Deacon Alex Mwebaze is happy to call Maryland home

  • Future priest from Congo has a heart of service

  • Thank you to a one-of-a-kind teacher

  • For Deacon Shiadrik Mokum, the priesthood is all about community

| Latest Local News |

Juneteenth

Juneteenth seen as day to reflect on freedom, ending racism and Black Catholics’ contributions

Deacon O’Donnell’s ‘normal’ faith life led to priestly vocation

St. Joseph Church in Fullerton

Fullerton church begins renovations

Deacon Alex Mwebaze is happy to call Maryland home

Knights of Columbus announces June 19 novena for intention of Pope Leo

| Latest World News |

JUBILEE

Finance experts launch report at Vatican on foreign debt relief

Hundreds of thousands march in Poland’s Corpus Christi processions

Latin Mass

Traditionalist Catholics see evangelization potential of Latin Mass

Need for more Catholic Army chaplains to serve military flock as great as ever, say two priests

How love of travel became a spiritual mission for Peter Bahou of Peter’s Way Tours

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Finance experts launch report at Vatican on foreign debt relief
  • Hundreds of thousands march in Poland’s Corpus Christi processions
  • Traditionalist Catholics see evangelization potential of Latin Mass
  • Juneteenth seen as day to reflect on freedom, ending racism and Black Catholics’ contributions
  • Need for more Catholic Army chaplains to serve military flock as great as ever, say two priests
  • How love of travel became a spiritual mission for Peter Bahou of Peter’s Way Tours
  • Deacon O’Donnell’s ‘normal’ faith life led to priestly vocation
  • Faith-based refugee centers in Rome provide a lifeline to newcomers
  • Liturgical music can teach value of unity in diversity, pope says

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en