LEXINGTON — Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Lexington is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Charlotte through a yearlong celebration that includes a variety of events and activities throughout 2022, including the 50 Acts of Charity, a diocesan-wide initiative to manifest the love of God to others through charitable outreach activities.

In March, parishioners launched their 50 Acts of Charity by donating cleaning supplies and paper products to Davidson County First Hope Ministries, a local nonprofit providing clothing, food, and shelter to those facing hunger and homelessness.

This month, the church erected a Blessing Box on the front lawn to house non-perishable food items, toiletries, and other products for those in need. Parishioners joined Father Sabastian Umouyo, MSP, on Sunday, April 3, as he blessed the box and filled it with items generously donated by parish staff and parishioners. The items in the Blessing Box are available 24/7 and will be replenished throughout the year by the parish. The public is also invited to contribute items to the Blessing Box if they would like to participate. The parish is very excited about the Blessing Box because the church is located on Main Street, which sees lots of foot traffic from people in need.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church is planning additional charitable initiatives to be carried out each month for the remainder of the year. Parishioners are also encouraged to complete their own personal 50 Acts of Charity by the end of 2022.