Young Catholics from around Maine will be cheering hard this weekend, not just for the Patriots in Super Bowl LII, but for another rooting interest: getting as many donations as possible to benefit the “Souper” Bowl of Caring, according to a news release from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. The annual event, to be held this year on Saturday, Feb. 3, and Sunday, Feb. 4, is a weekend of giving and serving during which 100 percent of the monetary and food donations collected will be given to local charities to help tackle hunger in the community.

St. Michael Parish, Augusta

Youth ministry members at St. Michael Parish will hold soup pots and collect money and food items after all weekend Masses at each of the parish’s churches (St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Augusta; St. Augustine Church, Augusta; St. Joseph Church, Gardiner; Sacred Heart Church, Hallowell; St. Denis Church, Whitefield; St. Francis Xavier Church, Winthrop) with the proceeds going to local soup kitchens, food pantries, and shelters.

All Saints Parish, Brunswick

A collection will be held after all weekend Masses in each of the parish’s churches (St. Mary Church, Bath; Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Boothbay Harbor; St. Charles Borromeo Church, Brunswick; St. John the Baptist Church, Brunswick; St. Patrick Church, Newcastle; St. Ambrose Church, Richmond). Participants are asked to donate $1 and/or a non-perishable food item. All donations collected will go to area food pantries and the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program in Brunswick.

St. Gregory Church, Gray

Youth at St. Gregory Church in Gray will collect donations after weekend Masses at the church.

Parish of the Ascension of the Lord, Kittery

High school students will stand at the exit doors after Masses with soup pots to collect donations for the local food pantries in Berwick, Kittery and York. The collections are scheduled for all Masses at parish churches (St. Raphael Church, Kittery; Our Lady of the Angels Church, South Berwick; and St. Christopher Church, York).

St. Mary Church, Presque Isle

Parish youth will collect money after weekend Masses at St. Mary Church in Presque Isle. The donations will be given to those in need in the area.

Holy Savior Parish, Rumford

Parish youth ministry members will collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations at each door following weekend Masses at St. Athanasius and St. John Church in Rumford and Our Lady of the Snows Church in Bethel. The donations will go to several local food pantries.

Good Shepherd Parish, Saco

Parish youth will gather donations to benefit local food pantries. The collections are set for all weekend Masses at four churches (Most Holy Trinity Church, Saco; St. Joseph Church, Biddeford; St. Margaret Church, Old Orchard Beach; and St. Philip Church, Lyman).

St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Scarborough

After the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Feb. 4, youth ministry will serve coffee and donuts and collect donations in soup pots for local soup kitchens.

Since its inception in 1990, churches across America have raised well over $100 million for soup kitchens, food pantries and other charities through the Souper Bowl of Caring. In 2017, nearly 5,000 charities across the country benefited from the collection. Other parishes in the Diocese of Portland will also be participating in the event this weekend. For more information, contact a local parish.

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