PROVIDENCE – Irish eyes will be smiling on St. Michael Parish on Saturday when celebrants gather at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet in Cranston to honor St. Patrick in an annual event that helps to support parish social ministry programs.
These vital ministries continue to make a positive difference in lives of those less fortunate and recent immigrants who turn to the parish for spiritual and physical nourishment.
The 14th annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration is scheduled for March 17 from 2 -11 p.m., featuring Irish music and step dancers. The highlight of the much-anticipated event is a performance by The New York Irish Show Band, with Tommy Brown, who will perform from 7:30 p.m. until closing. Last year, the event raised $20,000 to support the parish’s ministries.
According to Father Daniel Sweet, pastor of St. Michael Church, the parish’s numerous social ministries mirror the outreach provided by St. Patrick to the Irish people he was called by God to serve during the fifth century.
The pastor added that it’s a longstanding parish tradition at St. Michael to welcome newcomers – beginning with Irish immigrants who settled in South Providence in the mid 19th century, and more recently with settlers from Southeast Asia, Africa, Central and South America, and several Caribbean nations. St. Michael Church was founded in 1859.
“That really follows in the spirit of St. Patrick,” Father Sweet said, noting that the active parish continues to welcome those who turn to the church for assistance.
In addition to operating a popular food pantry that serves hundreds of families per month, the parish also helps those in need with rental and utility assistance, and works in conjunction with other community agencies to promote social and economic justice for all citizens.
Other parish ministries that will benefit from the St. Patrick Day celebration include an afterschool program for children from African refugee families whose parents want the students to thrive academically, and St. Isadore’s Garden, a large verdant plot located at the rear of the church building that has become a source of exercise, fresh produce and pride for parishioners and community residents.
In addition to the parish ministries, the fundraiser will also benefit several community organizations, including the Institute for the Study for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, and AIDS Care Rhode Island. Father Raymond Malm, former pastor of St. Michael Church, founded the two agencies.
According to Katherine Harrington, co-chair of the St. Patrick’s Day celebration and a longtime parishioner of St. Michael Church, more than 2,000 people are expected to attend the event that was first organized by Westerly resident James Sullivan to benefit the South Providence parish that has served as a spiritual home to generations of Irish-American Rhode Island families.
She noted that in addition to the continuous entertainment and a giant raffle, the event features a children’s center, staffed by students from the campus ministry office at Brown University, who will organize activities for children while their parents enjoy the entertainment.
“It’s become a tradition for many families and a big reunion,” said Harrington.
The 14th Annual St Patrick’s Day Celebration at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, will take place on March 17, 2-11 p.m., featuring Irish entertainment and step dancers, corned beef dinners and sandwiches. Tickets may be purchased at the door. For more information, call 440-9747.
