St. Patrick’s dinner moves to St. Pius X
The 66th Annual Brother Mathias Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner will be held on St. Patrick’s Day, Friday, March 17, from 5 to 8 p.m., and for the first time the Good Shepherd Center Auxiliary, which sponsors the event, will partner with Rio Rancho’s St. Felix Pantry.
Also, this year, the annual fundraising event will be held in the St. Pius X High School gymnasiums, instead of the Albuquerque Convention Center, which has hosted it for the last 15 years. Attendees will now have free parking, something they previously had to pay for at the Downtown Convention Center.
“This is the first time we’ve ever partnered with another charity on this event and we couldn’t be happier that it’s with St. Felix Pantry,” said Mayra Martinez, president of the Good Shepherd Center Auxiliary. “Both organizations are dedicated to feeding, clothing, and sheltering the poor of the Albuquerque area. So we are hopeful that we will see an increase in attendance to benefit both organizations, and ultimately, those in our communities who need the most help.”
Likewise, Deacon Steve Rangel, CEO of St. Felix Pantry, said, “We run three trucks per day to pick up food and clothing, so costs add up. So we are very grateful to the Good Shepherd Center Auxiliary for the opportunity to partner on this event.”
The event includes a traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal of corned beef and cabbage, and green sherbet for dessert. Children can opt for a hot dog, baked beans and potato chips. Entertainment will include a drawing for prizes, live Irish-inspired music, bagpipers and drummers, Irish dancers and Mexican folkloric dancers.
Last year, more than 1,200 people attended the event.
The annual dinner was established in 1951 by Brother Mathias Barrett and the Ladies’ Auxiliary to celebrate Brother Mathias’ birthday, and to thank the community for the support of his ministry at the Good Shepherd Center in Albuquerque.