Sister BJ’s Pantry in Oklahoma City in spotlight
By Carla Hinton - Religion Editor
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Published: October 24, 2009
Sister Barbara Joseph Foley offers a meal and a kind word for the homeless each week at her downtown
Oklahoma City food pantry.
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Going on
Banquet for Sister BJ
→When: 6 p.m. Nov. 12
→Where: Our Lady’s Cathedral, 3214 N Lake Ave.
→Cost: $65
→Information: 525-2349
Now, her friends at Our Lady’s Cathedral are planning to honor her in a similar manner. The church will have a banquet Nov. 12 to recognize Sister BJ’s efforts on behalf of the disenfranchised.
Lt. Gov. Jari Askins will be guest speaker.
Longtime church member
Marjory Feighny, who serves as office manager, said the parish wanted to honor the nun and raise funds for Sister BJ’s Pantry for the Homeless at 819 NW 4.
"We consider her work helping the homeless is very, very important,” Feighny said. "She really represents what all of us should be doing, and she’s good at it.”
Feighny said the church nominated Sister BJ for the 2009
CNN Heroes Award in the "Protecting the Powerless” category. She said a spokesman from CNN said 9,000 people were nominated for the award. (Go online to www.CNN.com for more information on the Heroes program.)
Feighny said no matter how far Sister BJ’s nomination goes in that program, the nun "will always be a hero to us.”
Feighny said the parish adopted Sister BJ’s Pantry as a project two years ago. Each month, parishioners bring a designated item to donate to the pantry. Items have included bottled water as well as granola bars for sacks of food, called "breakfast in a bag,” that Sister BJ gives away. This month, parishioners are bringing men’s and women’s underwear; next month, they will donate blankets as the pantry prepares to help the homeless make it through winter.
Feighny said Sister BJ’s Pantry helps about 600 people each month. Visitors to the pantry sit in her garden area, eat and share stories with the kind nun.
"They know that she treats them with dignity and respect, and she meets their needs,” Feighny said. "When you feel better about yourself, you can do a lot more.”
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