When volunteers from St. Dominic Catholic Church in Panama City delivered relief supplies from Florida, they answered what is regarded as one of the highest commands in Scripture: to love one’s neighbor.
Staff and students of the St. Albert the Great Chapel and Catholic Student Center received a shipment of supplies to aid those affected by disastrous flooding earlier this month. Supplies included shovels, diapers and other cleanup supplies.
St. Dominic welcomed the chance to provide relief.
“We just responded to the flood,” said delivery driver Anthony Mierzwa. “I talked to the parish manager at St. Dominic. He was in contact with Catholic charities in Baton Rouge. He’s on the board for Catholic Charities Panama City, so he called Catholic Charities Baton Rouge and they coordinated with Sister Renée here.”
According to St. Albert’s Chaplain and Campus Minister Sister Renée Daigle, the early arrival and diligent efforts of volunteers quickened the unloading of supplies. She also shed light on who might receive the supplies in the near future.
“Some people we would probably distribute to would be parishioners from St. Margaret’s Church in Albany,” said Daigle. “That’s the closest church to here that people really had a lot of damage. Now if some of the shelters or agencies call us and say they need, of course we’ll give to them.”