St. Regis Catholic Parish - Bloomfield Hills issued the following announcement on Oct. 21.

 Have new or used clothing you'd like to donate?

We have suspended our normal October Clothing Drive because St. Vincent de Paul has stopped accepting clothing donations off-site due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, but there is still a great need for gently worn clothing.  For those who wish to donate, three drop-off locations are included below. 

We encourage you to see your donation of clothing as a corporal work of mercy (to clothe the naked) for your family, rather than simply a donation that gives you more closet or drawer space. We offer the following as a way of doing this. 

1. Begin with a prayer asking for the Lord’s guidance and grace of generosity as you sort through your clothes.  

Dear Lord Jesus, we thank you for all your blessings, especially for the clothing which we have.  You teach us “to be merciful as your heavenly father is merciful” (Lk 6:36).  Give us the grace to be generous as we sort through our closets and drawers, and help us share with our brothers and sisters in need.  Help us remember the widow’s mite who, “unlike those who made offerings from their surplus wealth … has offered her whole livelihood” (Mt 21:4).  Send us your Spirit to remind us that “whatever we do, (we) do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31).  We ask all of this in Your holy name.

2. Decide to donate, not from your surplus, well worn, or nonwearable items, but from some of your better clothes.  Gather the family and together sort through clothing. Include a discussion about the need by many of our brothers and sisters for warm, gently used clothing – those who have lost everything due to fire, those who do  not have a home, those who do not have money to buy clothes. Pray for the person who will be receiving the clothing as you select and pack the clothing. Share that in offering the clothing to those in need, you are serving Christ: Whatever you did for one of the least of my brothers, you did for me.

3. Choose one of the drop-off locations from the list below:

a) Salvation Army, 26065 Greenfield Road, Southfield, MI 48076, or 114 Fourth Street, Royal Oak, MI 48067, Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm

b) St. Vincent de Paul Center, 2. 5395 Dixie Highway, Waterford, MI 48329, Monday – Saturday, 10am-1pm, 248-623-2780 

c) Grace Center of Hope, 5919 Highland Road, Waterford, MI 48327, Hours:  Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm

4. You may have to wait in line at the drop off locations.  While waiting, perhaps pray the rosary, read and meditate on one of the following Scripture passages, go online to read about a saint, or just have a conversation with God, asking Him to help you increase your faith, hope, and charity, and thank Him for the opportunity to serve Him. Scripture Suggestions:  Isaiah 58:2-3, 5-11 or Matthew 25:31-46

Original source can be found here.

Source: St. Regis Catholic Parish - Bloomfield Hills