MADISON — The Madison branch of Pro Labore Dei (for the Labor of God) Apostolate has much to be thankful for.
First, we are thankful to God for keeping us moving forward since we first began here in 2001. With God’s help, we have not missed a Friday feeding homeless people in downtown Madison since we started on Friday, Sept. 26, 2003.
Soon after that date, we began feeding every Saturday also. Over 135,000 meals and countless numbers of toiletries and socks have been handed out.
Thanks for members, helpers
We thank God for all our wonderful members that God has sent us to continue this work. We have grown in number with approximately 55 members participating currently.
We are thankful and grateful especially for our many Hispanic members who have joined the Apostolate and feed hot breakfast burritos to God’s hungry people on most Saturdays.
We are thankful for The Beacon, Madison’s day resource center for the homeless, for providing an indoor meal site where we can feed people.
We are thankful for the Epic Company, which donates top quality food left over from their cafeteria to non-profit charitable organizations like Pro Labore Dei (PLD).
We are thankful to our many donors who have responded generously with monthly and annual monetary contributions that help us keep going.
Work of Pro Labore Dei
Until recently, for 15 years, PLD people worked at the Catholic Multicultural Center each third Monday and Wednesday cooking or serving food to people in need.
Besides feeding people, members visit prisoners in three Wisconsin prisons. Members also visit residents at St. Mary’s Care Center, praying the Rosary and distributing Holy Communion to them. PLD members also provide marriage counseling via the Marriage Encounter organization.
PLD members gather each first Friday to pray from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at our Pro Labore Chapel. We have three retreats each year, Advent, Lent, and our annual five-day silent retreat. We are grateful for Diocese of Madison priests who celebrate Mass and provide spiritual homilies at our retreats.
To learn more
Anyone interested in learning more about Pro Labore Dei can visit our website at prolaboredei.org and/or call 608-833-5472 or email [email protected] to reach Jim Flad, PLD-Madison branch coordinator.