Lawrence priest says guests at Cor Unum Meal Center 'deserve the very best'

LAWRENCE - A priest in Lawrence is using the power of his parish to help people in need.

Father Paul O'Brien, the pastor of St. Patrick's Catholic church, opened the doors to the Cor Unum Meal Center in 2006.

"We started Cor Unum because in Lawrence hunger is a huge social issue. Up to 75 percent of children in Lawrence on any given day are at risk for hunger," he told WBZ-TV. "Because people who have the least, don't just deserve a handout, I believe they deserve the very best."

The center is doing wonders. They serve 250,000 meals every year. All of it is for free. Add to that, a great dining experience with great food.

"There's more than enough food in the United States of America, not frozen food and not crappy food, superb food. So, if you build a place and a system in which people who have that food know that they can contribute it to people who are hungry, guess what, they do," said Father O'Brien.

The restaurant is volunteer run and holds a history for those who have been here before.

"There are many adults that volunteer at Cor Unum and they say to me, that when I was a kid, my mom would bring me to the restaurant and it was a great night out and we could do it whenever we wanted. I never knew that it was for free," Father O'Brien told WBZ.

Times are tough and a good free meal is worth jumping in your car, if it helps with monthly bills.

"People travel, even by car, from a distance to get here, even with the high gas prices because food is more expensive than the gas to get here," said Father O'Brien.

For more information, visit Cor Unum's website.