ELLENVILLE — At the Our Lady of Guadalupe festivities at St. Mary-St. Andrew’s Parish Father Arthur Rojas, pastor of Presentation-Sacred Heart Parish (Port Ewen-Esopus), presented his parish’s Thanksgiving Day collections to Father Kenneth Riello, pastor of the Ellenville parish, for its food pantry.

“Since fall 2021, divine inspiration and our parish’s generosity on Thanksgiving Day has enabled thousands of dollars to support a Catholic food pantry in arguably the poorest corner of Ulster County,” Rojas said.

“Over the last three years, our parish’s food pantry service to the Ellenville area has doubled,” Riello said. “The assistance from our fellow Catholics by the Hudson River has helped us meet the pressing need. This solidarity between our parishes demonstrates the Church’s universality.”

The annual donation from Presentation-Sacred Heart Parish has become part of Ellenville’s Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration. Catholics at Port Ewen and Esopus also provide foodstuffs throughout the year, delivered when Rojas visits Ellenville twice monthly to offer Mass and hear Spanish confessions. “We appreciate all contributions, especially from Presentation-Sacred Heart Parish,” Riello said. Those wishing to contribute to the food pantry may contact Riello or Kathleen Smith at 845-647-6080.

Presentation-Sacred Heart Parish serves the Town of Esopus through Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church at Port Ewen and Sacred Heart Church at Esopus. The Port Ewen site houses the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Hudson.

St. Mary-St. Andrew’s Parish serves southwestern Ulster County through its main church at Ellenville and Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel at Kerhonkson.

Both parishes belong to the Ulster Deanery of the Archdiocese of New York and cooperate actively with the Ulster Deanery Respect Life Committee.