WILMINGTON — A charitable endeavor that took root last summer will culminate on Christmas Day with a community gathering at Salesianum School. More than 100 residents of various Wilmington Housing Authority buildings will convene at the school for Mass, a meal, gifts and conversation.
The event is a nod to a Christmas tradition that began in 1982 in the Sant’Egidio community in Rome. That year, the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere welcomed a small group of people for lunch. Since then, the tradition has grown in Trastevere, and it has spread around the world. In recent years, Christmas lunches have taken place in more than 600 cities and 78 countries around the world, with hundreds of thousands of people being served.
At Salesianum, the idea for the lunch began when senior John Casale approached the principal, Oblate Father Chris Beretta, over the summer with a desire to do something, perhaps raising money for a local nonprofit. Casale had seen other Sallies students doing community service, and he wanted to join them.
“I always wanted to help people that didn’t have a lot,” Casale said on the last day of final exams in mid-December. “That was something I was passionate about.
“We’d come in, raise a bunch of funds, and we donate it. That was it.”
Father Beretta liked the sentiment, but he believed the school could do something more, Casale said. The priest told him about the Sant’Egidio tradition and wondered if that was something Salesianum’s students could do. Casale was off to work.
He reached out to the Wilmington Housing Authority, which was very receptive to the idea.
“If people can’t afford to see their families, or they don’t have family to see, whatever the reason is, they’re welcome. The doors are open on Christmas. They can come in and spend Christmas with us. Presents and gifts and all that,” he said.
Casale said Salesianum itself had a lot to do with his desire to do something. The school “creates students like that. They foster a culture that you want to do things like this. They say to us, don’t think about yourself. Think about other people. That’s the whole goal of why you’re here. So, I have to thank Sallies. That’s why it’s happening.”
Oblate Father Brian Zumbrum, the school’s director of activities and campus minister, said in many ways, “this event is all about putting the Gospel into practice. We are called to welcome the stranger, and it is incredibly fitting that we would welcome so many of our neighbors on the day that we celebrate the birth of the one who called us to this mission.”
Part of the organizing involved recruiting help. Casale said he might have had the idea, but his role is only a part of the event. Teachers, staff, students and their families have helped spread the word, shared the link to donate, and volunteered to help set up or spend part of their holiday at the school.
Casale might be downplaying his own role, but Father Zumbrum said the event would not be happening without him.
“John has been the driving force behind this initiative,” Father Zumbrum said. “He has inspired his classmates to give of their time, talent and treasure. The success of this event is primarily due to his vision and work.”
For the past several months, Casale and others have been busy making the lunch possible. He has spent free periods in meetings and weekends at the school. There have been Zoom meetings with the WHA. That was on top of his academic and football responsibilities.
“Yeah, there’s been nights when I’ve been really stressed. I think this was definitely a bigger project than schoolwork. It wasn’t that some days were worse than others, it was always 100 miles per hour,” he said.
His goal when he started was to raise $10,000, and he started with the football team, on which he was a starter on defense. His coaches were completely on board with the idea, and the team — which ended the season with a state championship — collected about $5,000.
Between online donations and a donor who promised to match $10,000 in funds, they were able to raise some $30,000. Casale said the entire extended Salesianum community deserves credit.
“It wasn’t all students,” he said. “A lot of teachers donated, and a lot of teachers asked to volunteer. People I don’t even know came up to me and said, ‘I just sent it to my grandparents.’ Everybody played a part in it.”
In the days leading up to Christmas, donations gathered in the lobby and various rooms at Salesianum. Food and drink, toiletries, ornaments and other gifts were piled high. All of it would be moved to the gymnasium by the time the guests arrive on Dec. 25.
The gymnasium was to be decorated with lights and Christmas trees. Students planned to provide music, and a professional Santa who happens to be the father of a Salesianum student approached Casale and volunteered his time. One side of the gym was set to have food ready to go, and gift bags would be lined up on tables on the other side.
Casale said seating would be arranged so that people could meet new friends, and perhaps a connection would be made. Residents from different buildings might find someone with whom they could share similar situations.
“Everyone is going to be mixed and matched. The whole point is we’re talking together. We’re one big family that day,” he said.
Convincing his schoolmates to give up part of their holiday to be at Salesianum was not nearly as difficult as he had envisioned. Casale said he gets emails every day from people telling him they’ll be there; he’s not even sure how many volunteers will show up. Many are bringing their families.
“It was so overwhelmingly positive,” he said of the response. “I still think a lot who didn’t fill out the form are going to show up. It’s amazing.”
