SHU Honored for Role in Founding Thomas Merton Center

Fifty years ago, SHU priest and students created ‘a place of hospitality’ to feed the hungry

Catholic Charities of Fairfield County representatives recently honored Sacred Heart University with a service award for its role 50 years ago in founding what is today the Thomas Merton Family Center.

The Thomas Merton Family Center in Bridgeport, a Catholic Charities program, provides an array of community services. Offering free breakfast and lunch, showers, clothing, a food pantry, housing assistance and more, the organization is committed to providing a loving, safe and hope-filled atmosphere for the people it serves.

Mike Donoghue, Catholic Charities of Fairfield County executive director, presented the award to Sacred Heart University President John J. Petillo at the center’s annual celebrity breakfast, which took place at SHU’s West Campus Guest House in mid-May.

Donoghue told the crowd how the Thomas Merton Family Center came to be. Fifty years ago, the Rev. John Giuliani, then SHU campus minister, and a group of students were motivated by a talk they heard about feeding the hungry.

They decided to open “a place of hospitality.” Over several weeks, they fixed up an abandoned fire station, and in November of 1974, they started handing out sandwiches. They called their mission the Merton House, named for Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and writer known for his social justice activism.

While Catholic Charities eventually took over and expanded the program, SHU students continue to volunteer and support it. Whether helping in the food pantry, providing health checks or leading the popular hip-hop bingo, the students maintain an active presence.

“So here we are 50 years later, thanks to that compassionate group of Sacred Heart students and their leaders. We are so blessed to have such a close partnership with Sacred Heart,” Donoghue said, noting that last year the center moved into a new, larger building with the ability to provide even more services to the community.

Petillo praised SHU students for their involvement in the center and said he’s proud of the University’s culture that promotes social justice. “We’re delighted that our missions continue to merge, and I just encourage everyone to make that miracle continue in the years ahead,” Petillo said.

Thomas Merton Family Center leaders also honored other dedicated community members at the annual breakfast. The event featured celebrity speaker Dan Orlovsky, former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst.

Photo: From left are Bill Colson, executive director of the Thomas Merton Family Center, President Petillo and Michael Donoghue, executive director of Catholic Charities of Fairfield County.