By: Editor, November 7, 2025
Jesus does not feed the hungry or announce the good news in the abstract. Jesus feeds people. They followed him, in great crowds, looking for food. Some came to believe because they were fed.
As the government shutdown entered its 37th day, the Archdiocese of Hartford stepped in with an act of compassion, directing an additional $500,000 in emergency funding to local food banks just two days after Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were suspended nationwide. The move, announced on November 3 by Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne, targeted food pantries in Hartford, Litchfield, and New Haven counties — where thousands of low-income families were reeling from the abrupt halt in federal grocery aid.
Then, on Nov. 6th, U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. in Providence, Rhode Island, issued an oral order, mandating the Trump administration to release the full $8 billion-plus needed for November SNAP benefits by Friday, November 7.
The funds from the Hartford Archdiocese, already released on November 3, remain committed to the targeted food banks as additional resources beyond restored federal dollars.
As of this morning, the archdiocese has not announced any adjustments to the allocation, affirming its role in ongoing community aid aligned with longstanding Catholic principles of service.
“The Catholic Church provides relief and hope for God’s children. It’s what we have done for over 2,000 years and what we continue to do today,” Coyne stated in a release from the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, the source of the funds.
Jesus continues to feed the poor and us–in his body and blood–and through the hearts and hands of the faithful who act as his body in the world.
Let us continue to invite others to the feast–and remember to offer food to the hungry.
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