By Thea Jarvis

It began with a muted conversation at the Central Presbyterian night shelter.

Franciscan Father Tom Giblin and his friend Buck Griffin had volunteered to spend a night with Atlanta's homeless at the downtown church near the sate Capitol. Both had been recruited from their own parish, the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, just next door.

In the quiet hours of early morning, surrounded by the street people who slept fitfully on Central Presbyterian's gymnasium floor, Father Tom and Buck talked about the human needs they encountered at the shelter. The priest, originally from Albany, New York, recalled a successful soup kitchen in his home state run by fellow Franciscans. It had begun during the Depression and still continues today.

Both men agreed that such an effort was an effective way to be a presence in the marketplace, and they knew there were fellow parishioners at the Shrine who were looking for a way to make that presence a reality.

"We felt there were people with a sense of mission who didn't know what they would do when the night shelter closed," said Brenda Griffin, who, like her husband, Buck, had been a shelter volunteer.

They had found, in fact, that many volunteers were Catholics, who, because of their involvement, "became aware of the needs of inner-city people" and wanted to do more.

Sharing mutual concerns with friends and Franciscans at Immaculate Conception, the Griffins found a core group of about 10 people who would undertake a practical ministry to the hungry. The result will be a Saturday soup kitchen for the needy of Atlanta, dubbed appropriately enough, "St. Francis Table."

The opening date is set for Holy Saturday, April 10, and those who arrive at the Shrine's parish hall from 10:30 to 12:30 on that day and succeeding Saturdays will be fed soup, sandwiches and coffee free of charge.

Much of the food will be donated by church groups and individuals who volunteer to make sandwiches and contribute coffee. Vegetables for the soup stockpot will be purchased at the Atlanta Community Food Bank for a nickel a pound.

"We are trying to serve the people who have been at the night shelter and also those who go to St. Luke's (community kitchen)" during the week, said Brenda Griffin, explaining that the program is under the auspices of the Immaculate Conception conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

It was on the weekend that the volunteers felt they could best serve those needing food assistance, since those centers which share food with the hungry -- St. Luke's, St. Anthony's, the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer -- are weekday operations. The Central Presbyterian night shelter, which also serves food to its guests, will close this month when the weather becomes milder.

"The program on Saturday will work," said Bill Billing, director of the Atlanta Community Food Bank who has been assisting the coordinators of St. Francis Table.

"It is very much needed. We have known for many years that a weekend feeding was what was needed. I'm excited about their doing it. The location is strategic -- the men know the neighborhood, the shelter.”

St. Francis Table expects upwards of 125 people for its luncheon fare and hopes to have one volunteer available for every 20 guests. A spirit of enthusiasm for the effort has been growing steadily.

"Considering how new this idea is, the response has been tremendous," Brenda Griffin observed, adding that expansion of the program is a future possibility.

"St. Francis Table is a direct response to the teachings of Christ on feeding the hungry," she continued. "It is becoming more important to do that work -- people are more in need of that caring and service. It is the core, the heart of Christianity."

As we approach the opening of St. Francis Table, no doubt we will move a little closer to that heart of Christian teaching.