Franciscan Sisters TOR: The Multiplication of Whoopie Pies

Franciscan Sisters, TOR of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother

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Franciscan Sisters TOR give thanks for God’s multiplied gifts through one man’s heart

I hear the door click open, the squeak of the dolly's wheels.

Though I am new to the Franciscan Sisters TOR (just about two months old), this is a familiar scene.

It’s him, the sisters' personal bread Santa.

In he pushes a cart with two bulging black bags of loaves and cookies, as well as crisp apples peeking through the gap of a white box.

This simple man has been coming once a week for over 14 years.

After being inspired by watching a bakery throw away perfectly good bread, he got connected with a community in need: these vowed to poverty sisters.

Being a channel of God’s food for the poor has blessed him with faith:

“I learned from a homeless youth in Florida that God can multiply anything. God can multiple food, gas, air.
I drove 30 miles on a flat tire.
I used to go through two bottles of holy water like that (snaps his fingers). I prayed to our Holy Mother and now it’s like I’ve only used this much (pinches his thumb and pointer finger together).”

God even multiplied this act of bread-ness.

A Multiplication of Blessings for the Franciscan Sisters TOR

One day while bringing bread to the side door, the bread bearer saw a bunch of rotting bananas and prayed to our Holy Mother, ‘May these sisters have fresh food.’

He made a promise to heaven that he would give the sisters any bonuses he got from his benefactors.

The money started flowing in.

One benefactor gave him a car to safely deliver his bread.

The donor offered to pay for fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy items too.

“This way they have fresh food as well as bread for the days they fast.”

This continued for years, until the benefactor decided to donate directly to the sisters, leaving the bread bearer to return once more to his carb offerings.

Through all of this, he takes no credit:

“They've been trying to take my picture for years. But it’s not me, it’s all Jesus. I always do work for religious for free. Doing work for Jesus…you get paid back in blessings. The praying these sisters do…ah! It’s amazing.”

This bread fuels the five hours of prayer the Franciscan Sisters TOR offer up daily.

This bread fuels their work to feed the poor in the community. It even feeds the poor directly; these sweets fill hungry souls at the Samaritan House’s Friendship Room.

What is given to the Franciscan Sisters TOR allows them to give, helping others to live healthier spiritual, physical lives.

We are thankful to God for his generosity, for this food that multiplies into so many blessings for the bearer, the Franciscan Sisters TOR, and the community. May we all be channels of His peace.
-Debra Reilly, Multimedia Assistant for the Franciscan Sisters TOR

How to give so more can receive.

Learn more about the Franciscan Sisters TOR.

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Franciscan Sisters, TOR of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother

Founded at Franciscan University in 1988, the Franciscan Sisters T.O.R. of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother are a Franciscan religious community of women committed to making known God's merciful love through their life of prayer and works of mercy.