The Cenacle at the Padre Pio Prayer Center is located in the Frankford neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia.
The Cenacle at the Padre Pio Center has reached a milestone by serving over 600 families in the community through its pregnancy and parenting services. The joint initiative is a collaboration between Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CSS), the Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia, and the Capuchin Friars of the Padre Pio Friary.
The center focuses on ministering to pregnant women, new parents, families, and extended families as they build their skills as the first teachers in the life of a child. The outreach ministry opened to the community in July 2021.
From July 2021 through February 2022, CSS parent educators working at The Cenacle have positively impacted 641 families comprised of 154 expecting families, 157 families with children over the age of one, and 330 families with children under the age of one.
Services offered at The Cenacle include pregnancy and parenting education, food and diaper pantries, health literacy, educational workshops, laundry facilities and other supportive services.
“We provide a family-friendly environment with high quality care to meet the daily emotional, physical, and social well-being needs of new parents, expecting parents, and parents of young children,” said Fredeswinda Rodriguez, Program Director at The Cenacle. “We provide an authentic witness to the community that we care for every human life at every stage of development.”
Over the last eight months, CSS staff have distributed 21,946 individual diapers; 83,898 individual wipes; 2,293 articles of infant and baby clothing; 126 canisters of formula; 71 infant tubs; 29 pack and plays; 14 play mats; and 12 car seats. The site has also distributed 881 clothing items for toddlers, youth, and adults, along with baby toys, furniture, shoes, book bags, and winter essentials.
Around 100 women have also participated in The Cenacle’s pregnancy and parenting classes which focuses on topics such as what to expect in the delivery room, safe sleeping, and bath time basics among others.
Alongside its pregnancy and parenting support services, The Cenacle also offers other resources for women and families including its personal care and feminine hygiene pantry with items provided by CSS. Through this service, 1,851 items have been distributed to 101 families in need. Monthly community dinners as well as a monthly men’s group hosted by the Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia are also offered.
In addition to CSS staff, the Sisters of Life and the Capuchin Friars are also regularly on hand at the outreach to assist those in need.
Background Information on The Padre Pio Prayer Center
The Padre Pio Prayer Center is located at the site of the former Saint Joachim Parish, which merged with Holy Innocents Parish (Philadelphia) in 2013 and was acquired by the Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the Province of Saint Augustine. The center ministers to the area’s vulnerable populations through partnerships with CSS and other nonprofits.
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Editor’s note: For more information on Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please visit https://cssphiladelphia.org/.
For more information on the Pro-life Union of Greater Philadelphia, please visit https://www.prolifeunion.org/.