While the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams will be racking up points during Sunday’s Super Bowl, young Catholics from around Maine will be busy scoring donations to benefit those in need through the “Souper” Bowl of Caring. The annual event, held this year on Saturday, February 12, and Sunday, February 13, is a weekend of giving and serving during which 100% of the monetary and food donations collected will be given to local charities to help tackle hunger in the community. Maine parishes participating (listed alphabetically by city/town) include:  

St. Michael Parish, Augusta
Youth ministry members at St. Michael Parish will hold soup pots and collect money and food items at weekend Masses at many parish churches: St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Augusta (Sunday at 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.); St. Augustine Church, Augusta (Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m.); St. Joseph Church, Gardiner (Sunday at 10 a.m.); St. Denis Church, Whitefield (Saturday at 4 p.m.); and St. Francis Xavier Church, Winthrop (Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday at 8 a.m.). The proceeds will go to local soup kitchens, food pantries, and shelters.

St. John Paul II Parish, Cape Elizabeth/Scarborough/South Portland
Youth ministry members at St. John Paul II Parish will collect canned goods, manual can openers, and monetary donations to help the homeless. The collections will take place at weekend Masses at parish churches: St. Bartholomew Church, Cape Elizabeth (Sunday at 9 a.m.); St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, Scarborough (Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.); and Holy Cross Church, South Portland (Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m.). 

Parish of the Ascension of the Lord, Kittery
High school students will stand at the exit doors after Masses with soup pots to collect monetary donations and canned goods for local food pantries in Berwick, Kittery, and York. The collections are scheduled for all Masses at three parish churches: St. Raphael Church, Kittery (Sunday at 9 a.m.); Our Lady of the Angels Church, South Berwick (Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m.); and St. Christopher Church, York (Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.). 

Since its inception in 1990, churches across America have raised well over $100 million for soup kitchens, food pantries, and other charities through the Souper Bowl of Caring.