Denver Catholic

6 JANUARY 26-FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | DENVER CATHOLIC Around the Archdiocese Installs, Repairs, Replacements & Maintenance Boilers Air Conditioners and Furnace Water Heaters, Drains and all other Plumbing needs Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Call us at (303) 280-5765 | Squeaksservices.com $29 diagnostics for an call! Wednesday, February 20 5:30 – 9 pm Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum 7711 E. Academy Blvd. ❤ Denver, CO 80230 Restaurants across Denver come together to serve some of their most-loved dishes to guests. Attendees travel from station to station, exploring a variety of soups from all different restaurants. This unique event benefits a great cause in the Denver metro area: hospice care through Porter Hospice. All proceeds raised go directly to support this programs. TICKETS, INFO OR TO DONATE: 303-715-7627 or SoupForTheSoulDenver.org BENEFITTING: Wednesday, February 20 SFTS18_4.667 x8.85JOIN.indd 1 1/30/18 9:57 AM Franciscan food truck nourishes souls and bodies I n November, Capuchin Francis- can Friars serving in Denver joined the increasingly popular food truck trend, but with some key twists. Like their food truck counter- parts, they are drawing fans o© ering something special — in their case, fresh, healthy wraps loaded with lean meat and veggies. Unlike other culinary road- ies, their food is free. But the biggest di© erence about the friars' food truck? It's not really about the food, but about presence. "On the face of it our food truck is seeing to the physical need of people, but on a deeper level it serves a spiritual need and even an evangelical purpose," said Father Joseph Mary Elder, O.F.M. Cap., head of the new ministry. "Our charism is to be little brothers to people — friars minor," he explained. "We want to use the food truck as an opportunity to enter into relationships with the poor." Painted Franciscan brown with colorful artwork depicting local friars engaged in ministry, as well as Saints Francis of Assisi and Padre Pio, and Blessed Solanus Casey, the truck includes white text on the back acknowledging partnership with the Routzon Family Foundation, while messaging on the sides identifi es it as belonging to the Capuchins and describing their mission as "Messen- gers of God's mercy" and "Brothers to those in need." "It's not only to feed the body, but to feed the soul — that's what the food truck ministry is about," said Cindy Routzon, secretary of the foundation and wife to its founder Ed Routzon. The foundation bought the new F59 P700 14-foot Morgan Olson truck and, with additional aid from Regis Univer- sity, has funded the food. Volunteers, including youth ministry groups, have helped put the lunches together. Some volunteers also help the friars distrib- ute the food. Two Sundays a month the truck heads to downtown sites where the homeless gather. There, friars and vol- unteers hand out sack lunches and bev- erages. They also give out seasonal items those living on the street may need, such as hats, gloves and socks. Resources the poor can avail themselves of, such as medical and mental health services, are listed on the lunch bags. "At fi rst the people were hesitant because they saw a food truck and thought they had to pay," said Capu- chin Brother Jude Quinto, recalling the truck's fi rst run Nov. 25. "But when they saw friars in brown habits running around, then they knew what we were up to and a crowd started forming." That day the friars handed out 300 turkey wraps to some 200 people. They now distribute up to 350 wraps. One Sunday, they gave away wraps and tamales, which was also a hit. Like the homeless, the imprisoned and the elderly they minister to, the Capuchins themselves are largely invisible to the wider community even though they've been ministering in the archdiocese for 41 years. "This ministry creates an opportu- nity to share our brotherhood with other people," Father Joseph said. "It's also a good way to let people know we're here." "The preaching we do is the love we show," Brother Jude concluded. "That's the image of God we give: God who's present." Portions of this report originally appeared in the Capuchin Franciscans' Winter 2018 publication The Porter. BY ROXANNE KING editor_king@icloud.com @RoxanneIKing PHOTO PROVIDED

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